#56 Electra Woman and Dyna Girl!!

Posted by joshua corning on Sunday May 14, 2006 at 2:09 PM at 2:09 PM

A blast from the past. Just for you, Joshua.

Posted by John on Monday May 15, 2006 at 1:49 AM at 1:49 AM

(NOTE: Potential SPOILERS below. Proceed with caution! - Ed.)

I don't think the people at RevolutionSF actually read books; all their heroines are from movies, TV, comics or books that were made into one of the above! Since their message boards seem a bit sparse, may I use this forum to suggest some great heroines from actual books that should have been included (in no particular order except fantasy first then sci-fi):

Phedre no Delaunay, courtesan, spy and masochist - from the Kushiel series by Jacqueline Carey

Daenerys of House Targaryen, mother of dragons, and Arya of House Stark, ten year old assassin - from the A Song Of Ice and Fire series by George R R Martin

Lyra, a young girl who stumbles across a plot to kill God - from His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman

Aviendha, spear sister and fledging Wise One, and Moiraine, who led the hunt for the Dragon Reborn - from The Wheel Of Time series by Robert Jordan

Paksenarrion, mercenary and eventual paladin - from The Deed Of Paksenarrion series by Elizabeth Moon

Lady Polgara, strict foster mother and powerful sorceress - from the Belgariad, etc., by David Eddings

Laurana, who goes from silly elvish girl to general and dragonslayer - from Dragonlance by Weis and Hickman

Eilonwy, who'd rather be a tomboy than a princess - from the Prydain series by Lloyd Alexander

Capt. Cirocco Jones, explorer and alien psychotherapist - from the Titan/Wizard/Demon series by John Varley

Rachel Mansour, kick-butt undercover agent - from Singularity Sky by Charles Stross

Aenea, messiah and teen girl, and Moneta/Rachel, who fights in a sweet, skintight timeshifting combat suit - from the Hyperion series by Dan Simmons

Friday, genetically enhanced and promiscuous secret courier - from Friday by Robert Heinlein

Nell, a young girl with a book - from The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson

Maytera Mint, a robot(?) who becomes General Mint and leads a revolution - from Book of The Long Sun by Gene Wolf

Mary, a girl who takes on the psychic vampire who created her - from Mind Of My Mind by Octavia Butler

Teela Brown, who goes from naive girl to Protector - from the Ringworld series by Larry Niven

Posted by Dan on Monday May 15, 2006 at 1:40 PM at 1:40 PM

Whoa hey there Dan, some spoiler protection would have been nice! I count at least 3 instances where your description gives away part of a story.

Don't worry, I'll add them!

Posted by jp on Monday May 15, 2006 at 3:37 PM at 3:37 PM

It's not necessarily true that all the book heroines are from books that have been made into movies; #13, for example (I don't think there's a movie of Neuromancer, is there?) #34, too, is definitely not from a movie (no Honor Harrington movie yet. Or, possibly, ever.)

The criticism still stands, because two characters out of 75 who do not exist in visual media at all...that's a lot.

Posted by Meril on Wednesday May 17, 2006 at 12:01 PM at 12:01 PM

Good point about the lack of book heroines, Dan. I'd like to mention Chani, from Frank Herbert's Dune and Dune: Messiah. The Children of Dune miniseries didn't give her character the full depth she deserves. Chani was a warrior Fremen who was also strong enough to let her lover (Muad'Dib) marry Princess Irulan to strengthen House Atreides. She also gave birth to the future God Emperor (Duke Leto II). Not bad.

Posted by Chris Gaubatz on Friday July 14, 2006 at 6:47 AM at 6:47 AM

Yay, Xena in the top 10!

Of course, she'll always be #1 on my list

Posted by Flo on Wednesday May 16, 2007 at 5:05 PM at 5:05 PM