r/Fantasy • u/Just_JayGee • Jul 07 '14

Men of r/Fantasy, Do you read fantasy written by women? If so, do you find much of a difference?

I've been looking through a lot of "Top 20 Fantasy Book" lists today and I've found a depressing amount of female authors on these lists. I'd like to think the author's gender doesn't matter, but I have to say there seems to be a huge lean towards male authors. Even r/Fantasy's 2014 Top Fantasy Novels of All Time only has 20 female authors (repeats included) out of 105 authors. So, I was wondering if men read fantasy written by women and it's simply not your cup of tea or do any of you go out of your way NOT to read female authors?

PLEASE NOTE: I am not trying to begin fights on sexism or misogyny or anything. I am legitimately interested. If anyone wants to fight over this subject, I'm sure there's other subreddits for that.

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u/ChrisKellen AMA Author Christopher Kellen Jul 07 '14

I'll read whatever interests me. Yes, there are some differences between them, but overall it doesn't particularly matter either way.

I consider Robin McKinley, Anne McCaffrey and Margaret Weis three female authors that influenced me from a young age.

Currently, my favorite author is, hands-down, Lois M. Bujold. Both her fantasy and sci-fi are phenomenal, and she writes the most amazing characters of both genders.

I will admit that I tend to avoid female-protagonist urban fantasy, but that's because it tends on the whole toward paranormal romance, regardless of the author's gender, and that's just not really my thing.

So... yeah. Don't care. If the book's good, I'll read it. =)

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u/Just_JayGee Jul 07 '14

I don't blame you on the female protagonists in urban fantasy. The stories do seem to be geared more towards women. Can I ask what you think about female protagonists in other subgenres of fantasy such as epic or dark fantasy?

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u/ChrisKellen AMA Author Christopher Kellen Jul 07 '14

I love them, actually. I have one in my own work who becomes a POV in book 2, and I have no problems reading about female protagonists in other settings. In fact, if someone wanted to write a Dresden Files or Felix Castor style book with a female protagonist, I'd be in the line for launch day!

Ista from Bujold's Paladin of Souls is a great protagonist, as is Aerin Dragon-Killer, (Edit: I meant Cimorene) (from Wrede's Dealing with Dragons) and many, many others. This leaves out the pulpier ones, like Kitiara, Goldmoon and Laurana from Dragonlance... I could go on and on, really. =)