A History of Science Fiction:
the Modern Era:
the Influence of Women
Women initially existed on the fringes of science fiction,
often writing under their initials or a male or androgynous
pseudonym.
Now they are some of the most prolific and popular writers
of science fiction.
Andre Norton
Andre (Mary Alice) Norton is a librarian best known for her
stories of Witchworld
Marion Zimmer Bradley
Bradley was initiallly best known for her Darkover novels,
a series dealing with a race of beings with strange psionic
powers and a fear of technology.
In her more recent books she has recast myths from the point
of view of the female:
* The Mists of Avalon, Arthurian legend from point of view
of Guinevere, and its prequel The Forest House (1994)
* The Firebrand, the story of the Trojan War told from
Cassandra's point of view
Anne McCaffrey
McCaffrey moves easily between science fiction and fantasy.
Her novels often feature a dose of romance.
Key Works
* Dragonriders of Pern and other novels and stories set in
that universe
* The Ship Who Sang and co-authored stories set in the same
universe
* The Crystal Singer and its sequels Killashandra and
Crystal Line
Joanna Russ
Russ is the first of a number of overtly feminist authors
of science fiction and criticism.
Key Works:
* "When It Changed" (1972)
* The Female Man (1975)
Kate Wilhelm
Wilhelm moves easily between science fiction and mainstream
fiction.
Her best known work of science fiction is Where Late the
Sweet Birds Sang (1976), a Hugo winner about cloning
Vondra McIntyre
McIntyre has written a number of Star Trek novels and
novelizations
Her key work is Dreamsnake (1978), a Hugo and Nebula winner
Joan Vinge
Vinge, an anthropologist, is the author of
The Snow Queen (1988), a Hugo winner, and sequels set in that
same universe.
James Tiptree, Jr.
Tiptree (1915-87), whose real name is Alice Sheldon, was an
intelligence officer with the CIA with an earned doctorate in
experimental psychology.
She kept her identity secret until she won an award for being
a male sensitive to female characters in science fiction.
Her writing exhibits a deep concern for male/female harmony.
She is best known for her short stories:
* "Houston, Houston, Do You Read?"
* "Love is the Plan, the Plan is Death"
She also wrote--and won awards--as Racoona Sheldon.
She and her husband committed suicide together.
C.J. Cherryh
Cherryh is a classics teacher who also moves easily between
science fiction and fantasy.
Key Works:
* Downbelow Station (1981), Hugo winning intelligent space
opera
* Cyteen (1988), a trilogy that also won a Hugo
Joan Slonczewski
Slonczewski is a biologist and a professor at Kenyon College
in Ohio. She writes a lot about human/animal hybrids.
Key Work: The Door Into Ocean
Suzette Hayden Elgin
Elgin is a linguist and that background informs her work.
Key work is Native Tongue
Sheri Tepper
Tepper is another overtly feminist writer .
Key Works:
* The Gate to Women's Country
* Grass
* Beauty, a retelling of several fairy tales, most notably
Sleeping Beauty
Connie Willis
Willis who is noted for her short stories; has won many short
fiction Hugos and Nebulas
Key Works:
* Doomsday Book, about time travel back to the time of the
Black Death, won both Hugo and Nebula
* To Say Nothing of the Dog, a comic novel set in the same
universe, won the Nebula
Margaret Atwood
Atwood, a mainstream author from Canada, wrote the
influential best seller
The Handmaid's Tale
Octavia Butler
Butler is a black feminist
Key Works:
* Xenogenesis trilogy
Lois McMaster Bujold
Bujold is noted for her often-humorous Miles Vorkosigan
novels.
Start with Shards of Honor and Barrayar and you will not be
able to stop until you have read everything you can get your
hands on. My favorite is Mirror Dance.
Bujold has made some forays into fantasy, most notably with
The Curse of Chalion.
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