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While Charlotte and Megan geeked out about Star Trek (sparing poor Lucy who puts up with enough of that) when discussing women’s jobs in science fiction, in this episode, all three of us shine a light on female careers in fantasy.
We have found that few women in fantasy novels have professions before the story begins. Instead, they tend to be princesses or aristocrats – women who react to the events unfolding around them rather than actively bringing previously honed skills to the fore. But things are changing.
This is fantasy fiction. Women can be whoever we want them to be. And yet, we so often relegate them to their historically perceived marginalised positions despite eagerly embracing tales of fantastical creatures and magic. Why do we find it easier to believe in dragons than we do skilled women?
Texts mentioned in this episode include:
- The Black River Chronicles by David Tallerman
- Game of Thrones
- The Wounded Kingdom series by RJ Barker
- Blades of the Old Empire by Anna Kashina
- The Belgariad by David Eddings
- Finishing School series by Gail Carriger
- Strange Practice and Dreadful Company by Vivian Shaw
- Conan the Barbarian
- Bloody Rose by Nicholas Eames
- Triumff: Her Majesty’s Hero by Dan Abnett
- Deathscent by Robin Jarvis
- The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell
- The Shattered Sea trilogy by Joe Abercrombie
- Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
- The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
- Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey
- The Hollow Gods series by Rebecca Levene
- Harry Potter by JK Rowling
- The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan
- The Worldmaker Trilogy by Lucy Hounsom
- The Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind
- A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin
- The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin
- The Vagrant by Peter Newman
- Rat Queens by Kurtis J. Wiebe
- The Copper Cat and The Winnowing Flame series by Jen Williams
- Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
- The Traitor by Seth Dickinson
- Ash by Malinda Lo
- The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson
- Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan Mcguire
- The Thief’s Gamble by Juliet E. McKenna
- Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente
- Terry Pratchett
