Quote:
Originally Posted by hildea
Can you say a bit more about what "like Red Sonja" means? I haven't read any of the books you mention, but I read quite a lot of fantasy, so I might have suggestions.
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I don't even know if "like Red Sonja" means that what you are looking for is restricted to fantasy -- if science fiction is also interesting, I might have even more suggestions.[/QUOTE]
What makes Red Sonja interesting to me as a character is that she is often traveling on her own -- sort of like Conan. Sometimes, she'll have sidekicks, and sometimes, she'll get involved in a war. (She might pick up a crown along the way in some storylines.) But she's just as likely to be a thief, adventurer, etc. And those stories are often more interesting to me.
Because I want to read an adventure, not get dragged into a war that takes three volumes to complete.
That could work in science fiction, as well -- particularly in space opera and in "sword and planet" stories.
The stories I'm looking for don't have to follow the traditional Red Sonja backstory of "rape and revenge." (See spoiler text below.) Some authors can make it work, but other authors just make it trite or worse.
The newer comic book series revamped that part of her backstory and gave Red Sonja a healthy sex life. And I'd rather read stories that follow that vein.
Spoiler for Big Chunk of Background
Spoiler:
In the original comic book stories, her family was attacked and killed by marauders, and she was raped, so she prayed to her goddess and was given her incredible fighting abilities -- with the catch that she can't sleep with a man unless he defeats in her battle. That worked in the 1970s, but now, eww. (Also, although she lived in a humble hut on the steppes, and no doubt had to be physically active in order to survive, she couldn't pick up her brother's sword.
Considering that the heaviest swords are about 10 pounds, uhm...) In the reboot, IIRC she already had tracking skills, combat skills, etc. She came upon her family after they were killed, so she tracked down the bandits and killed them one by one.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hildea
(I think I've read one comic with her, but mostly remember the chainmail (or was it fur?) bikini, and I assume that's not an important part of what you're looking for  ) |
Brrrr. The chainmail bikinis look fun on the covers and are great marketing. But they are not very realistic armor.
