A Reading Wishlist
Note: Yes, this is totally a request for recommendations. ;)
In my reading lately I've begun to see patterns in plots; casting my mind back through all the stuff I've read in the past I've then begun to see holes in the patterns. So here are three plots I've read a lot of versions of, and the alternatives I wish I could read once or twice. (Another note: I am simplifying the novels I give as examples tremendously, of course.)
1. Civilized woman falls in love with less civilized man, discovers what "honor" is and becomes her own person. A couple examples: Jaran, by Kate Elliott; The Hero and the Crown, by Robin McKinley; Warprize, by Elizabeth Vaughan. Less common variants, which I'm pretty sure I've seen around but can't recall any examples of are (a) Civilized man falls in love with less civilized woman and civilizes her; and (b) Civilized woman falls in love with less civilized man and civilizes him. Putting aside the extremely problematic definitions of "civilized" that abound in these sort of plots (and not saying that either Elliott's, McKinley's, or Vaughan's novels are problematic in that fashion) I wonder if there are any examples of the reverse: Civilized man falls in love with less civilized woman. . . and he discovers honor through her "barbarism". I feel like there must be examples of this, given the fondness fantasy literature has for Amazons. . . but I can't think of any.
2. Magic and/or telepathy works at an extremely high caloric price, so all magicians/telepaths stuff their faces with food all the time and are still tall and slender (and obviously beautiful). A couple examples: Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover novels; Sharon Shinn's Twelve Houses series to a certain extent. So where are the novels where the magicians/telepaths have some foresight, and quite deliberately cultivate a nice big pot belly to draw on for major actions? After all, they always seem to be from the upper classes. . . they can generally afford extra meals.
3. Female protagonist is bi/pansexual, and is shown having sex with people of both/all genders, but her "soul mate" (or at least her primary mate) is male. A couple examples: Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Legacy series; Fledgling, by Octavia Butler, to a certain extent. Why can't she end up with a female primary mate? But without explicitly making her "truly" a lesbian, please.
This is not to in any way say that the common plot pattern is inherently bad. . . I've really liked or loved all of the novels I've mentioned. . . just to say that it *is* a pattern, and one that I feel has contributed to some problematic ways of thinking in myself and likely others. Strong women can have honor that does not rest between their legs, and special people are not all below 15% body fat, and bi/pansexual women are neither lesbians in disguise nor simply waiting for the right man to come along. I know this. . . but I think I'd *know* it better if I saw it in my media more often.
In my reading lately I've begun to see patterns in plots; casting my mind back through all the stuff I've read in the past I've then begun to see holes in the patterns. So here are three plots I've read a lot of versions of, and the alternatives I wish I could read once or twice. (Another note: I am simplifying the novels I give as examples tremendously, of course.)
1. Civilized woman falls in love with less civilized man, discovers what "honor" is and becomes her own person. A couple examples: Jaran, by Kate Elliott; The Hero and the Crown, by Robin McKinley; Warprize, by Elizabeth Vaughan. Less common variants, which I'm pretty sure I've seen around but can't recall any examples of are (a) Civilized man falls in love with less civilized woman and civilizes her; and (b) Civilized woman falls in love with less civilized man and civilizes him. Putting aside the extremely problematic definitions of "civilized" that abound in these sort of plots (and not saying that either Elliott's, McKinley's, or Vaughan's novels are problematic in that fashion) I wonder if there are any examples of the reverse: Civilized man falls in love with less civilized woman. . . and he discovers honor through her "barbarism". I feel like there must be examples of this, given the fondness fantasy literature has for Amazons. . . but I can't think of any.
2. Magic and/or telepathy works at an extremely high caloric price, so all magicians/telepaths stuff their faces with food all the time and are still tall and slender (and obviously beautiful). A couple examples: Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover novels; Sharon Shinn's Twelve Houses series to a certain extent. So where are the novels where the magicians/telepaths have some foresight, and quite deliberately cultivate a nice big pot belly to draw on for major actions? After all, they always seem to be from the upper classes. . . they can generally afford extra meals.
3. Female protagonist is bi/pansexual, and is shown having sex with people of both/all genders, but her "soul mate" (or at least her primary mate) is male. A couple examples: Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Legacy series; Fledgling, by Octavia Butler, to a certain extent. Why can't she end up with a female primary mate? But without explicitly making her "truly" a lesbian, please.
This is not to in any way say that the common plot pattern is inherently bad. . . I've really liked or loved all of the novels I've mentioned. . . just to say that it *is* a pattern, and one that I feel has contributed to some problematic ways of thinking in myself and likely others. Strong women can have honor that does not rest between their legs, and special people are not all below 15% body fat, and bi/pansexual women are neither lesbians in disguise nor simply waiting for the right man to come along. I know this. . . but I think I'd *know* it better if I saw it in my media more often.