Recommend Feminist SF/F?

Question

Hi! I'm interested in *really good* contemporary Science Fiction and Fantasy novels written by women and with a feminist bent. I want stuff that's extremely well written.

I've read all of Ursula LeGuin and Octavia Butler, and some of Laurie J. Marks, Ellen Kushner, Marge Piercy, and Joanna Russ.

Thanks.

Additional Details

thanks for the suggestions! yes, i've read most of nalo hopkinson; that's exactly the tree i want to be barking up! i've read some tiptree as well, but didn't like her writing as much.

anyone else who's writing right now whose writing is really good? it's not just the feminist themes i'm interested in but also the great writing.

thanks!

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

C.J. Cherryh is the ONE. All her novels are on the must read list. Lois McMaster Bujold is also very good.

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

thanks everyone for all the suggestions!

Answer 2

I wouldn't say the is necessarily Feminist but Janet Morris wrote a very interesting series about a sexual race where the women were the prominent power wielders. I'm a guy and I thought the concept of the culture she created was very well thought out and implemented in the book. I only read the first in the series called Returning Creation. Basically it is about a race with a low birth rate so a new civilization is created where women have a much higher worth than men, especially viable women who reproduce. Although the implementation for this is that the women set up essentially a whorehouse, they are definitely in control. It's hard to explain without reading it, but it was very interesting how she turned the concepts of sexuality on their ears in the series. Should you give it a whirl, I'd love to hear what you think of it.

Answer 3

Try James Tiptree Jr (aka Alice Sheldon). Admittedly not too contemporary, but s/he arguably started it all.

Answer 4

Read James Tiptree Jr.

She's best known for her short stories, most of them can be found in a collection called "Her Smoke Rose Up Forever".

Also try Nalo Hopkinson. She's written "Brown Girl in the Ring" "Midnight Robber" and "Salt Roads".