Top 10 Fantasy Novels by Female Authors

stonetools · 05-28-2012, 04:56 PM

A list in Kirkus Reviews of 10 top fantasy novels by female authors:

LINK

What do you think of the list, and what would be your recommendations .

charlesatan · 05-29-2012, 01:42 AM

A lot of them are recent and I'd probably include some "older" ones like:

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
Daughter of the Empire by Janny Wurts
Rhapsody: Child of Blood by Elizabeth Haydon

It's a good list though. Big fan of Carey and Valente.

DrNefario · 05-29-2012, 02:40 AM

I haven't heard of half of those.

Nancy Fulda · 05-29-2012, 04:53 AM

But... but... What about Robin McKinley!?

caleb72 · 05-29-2012, 05:14 AM

I would like to see Connie Willis, Ursula Le Guin and Janny Wurts on that list.

Edit: Hmmm maybe Connie Willis would be considered Sci Fi more than fantasy though.

tubemonkey · 05-29-2012, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrNefario

I haven't heard of half of those.

I got you beat - I haven't heard of any of them. Must not be my genre.

DrNefario · 05-29-2012, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I got you beat - I haven't heard of any of them. Must not be my genre.

Well, it kind of is my genre, which is what makes it surprising.

I've only read one of them (Hundred Thousand Kingdoms), have two others waiting to be read (Cold Magic and Kushiel's Dart), and have heard of maybe two or three of the other writers.

HomeInMyShoes · 05-29-2012, 09:23 AM

I might have to take a look at some of these for future reference.

I've only read some by Catherynne M. Valente and not the one listed. I really like her writing, but it's more folklore fantasy than the rest that is in the list. A very different read than the usual trilogy stuff.

BenG · 05-29-2012, 09:28 AM

I tend to avoid female fantasy authors. I do like LeGuin, Andre Norton and some of Marion Zimmer Bradley, but I think of them more as SF writers.

owly · 05-29-2012, 09:28 AM

Robin Hobb and Mercedes Lackey should be on that list.

DiapDealer · 05-29-2012, 09:50 AM

What about the top 10 fantasy novels written by ethnic homosexuals living in the greater Seattle area in the past six years? Surely that would be just as relevant?

conanfan · 05-29-2012, 12:00 PM

And where is Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell by Susanna Clarke, or the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling? Or classics like Lud in the Mist by Hope Mirlees or Red Moon and Black Mountain by Joy Chant? I also agree that Robin Hobb should be on the list.

jgaiser · 05-29-2012, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

I've only read some by Catherynne M. Valente and not the one listed. I really like her writing, but it's more folklore fantasy than the rest that is in the list. A very different read than the usual trilogy stuff.

I've only just *discovered* Ms. Valente because I've been going through the Hugo short fiction shortlist. Her Novella Silently and Very Fast was my favorite of the six under consideration. And just because of that I'm now reading The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, which is a fun little read.

And I agree, the list is missing a lot of very good female authors.

WillAdams · 05-29-2012, 12:36 PM

C.J. Cherryh, Robin McKinley, Susan Cooper all should be on such a list.

stonetools · 05-29-2012, 01:21 PM

I'm glad that I wasn't the only one who thought the list was a little strange . I did notice that the "major stars" (like Robin Hobb) were not on the list.
I think this is not really an all-time best list or even a best of the present day. Its more of a best of novels written by rising stars, IMO.

05-28-2012, 04:56 PM	#1
stonetools Wizard Posts: 2,016 Karma: 2838487 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Washington, DC Device: Ipad, IPhone	Top 10 Fantasy Novels by Female Authors A list in Kirkus Reviews of 10 top fantasy novels by female authors: LINK What do you think of the list, and what would be your recommendations .

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05-29-2012, 01:42 AM	#2
charlesatan Addict Posts: 230 Karma: 3799024 Join Date: May 2012 Device: iPad	A lot of them are recent and I'd probably include some "older" ones like: A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb Daughter of the Empire by Janny Wurts Rhapsody: Child of Blood by Elizabeth Haydon It's a good list though. Big fan of Carey and Valente.

05-29-2012, 02:40 AM	#3
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,190 Karma: 12000000 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	I haven't heard of half of those.

05-29-2012, 04:53 AM	#4
Nancy Fulda I write stories. Posts: 700 Karma: 16437432 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northern Germany Device: kindle	But... but... What about Robin McKinley!?

05-29-2012, 05:14 AM	#5
caleb72 Indie Advocate Posts: 2,863 Karma: 18794463 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: Kindle	I would like to see Connie Willis, Ursula Le Guin and Janny Wurts on that list. Edit: Hmmm maybe Connie Willis would be considered Sci Fi more than fantasy though.

05-29-2012, 09:23 AM	#8
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	I might have to take a look at some of these for future reference. I've only read some by Catherynne M. Valente and not the one listed. I really like her writing, but it's more folklore fantasy than the rest that is in the list. A very different read than the usual trilogy stuff.

05-29-2012, 09:28 AM	#9
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,730 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	I tend to avoid female fantasy authors. I do like LeGuin, Andre Norton and some of Marion Zimmer Bradley, but I think of them more as SF writers.

05-29-2012, 09:28 AM	#10
owly Guru Posts: 729 Karma: 3822612 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Sweden Device: Paperwhite 2, Kobo Aura H2O	Robin Hobb and Mercedes Lackey should be on that list.

05-29-2012, 09:50 AM	#11
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,374 Karma: 203720150 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	What about the top 10 fantasy novels written by ethnic homosexuals living in the greater Seattle area in the past six years? Surely that would be just as relevant?

05-29-2012, 12:00 PM	#12
conanfan Me Lurk Here Long Time Posts: 79 Karma: 541625 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Nashville, TN Device: Oasis; PW1+3g; Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro; KF HDX 7;	And where is Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell by Susanna Clarke, or the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling? Or classics like Lud in the Mist by Hope Mirlees or Red Moon and Black Mountain by Joy Chant? I also agree that Robin Hobb should be on the list.

05-29-2012, 12:36 PM	#14
WillAdams Wizard Posts: 1,258 Karma: 3439432 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12	C.J. Cherryh, Robin McKinley, Susan Cooper all should be on such a list.

05-29-2012, 01:21 PM	#15
stonetools Wizard Posts: 2,016 Karma: 2838487 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Washington, DC Device: Ipad, IPhone	I'm glad that I wasn't the only one who thought the list was a little strange . I did notice that the "major stars" (like Robin Hobb) were not on the list. I think this is not really an all-time best list or even a best of the present day. Its more of a best of novels written by rising stars, IMO.