ONTD Reading Challenge (May): Men Are Weak!
Gather round, ONTD: this May, the theme of the ONTD Reading Challenge is "Men are Weak". Since this iconic ONTD tag/catchphrase is derived from a scene in Lord of the Rings, our task is to read a fantasy book - wait for it - written by a woman. Luckily, there are so many amazing books to choose from. Here is a small selection (as always, these are just suggestions. A bigger list of eligible titles and authors can be found on our Goodreads group). Links to the goodreads pages of the books are in the titles!
Akata Witch (Nnedi Okorafor)
This book has been called "the Nigerian Harry Potter". Akata Witch is about a young albino girl who's always felt like an outsider learning she has magical abilities and fighting villains. Despite technically being YA fantasy, it touches on many complex themes and can be enjoyed by everyone. Nnedi Okorafor's books are extremely popular among fantasy authors, and she counts among her fans Ursula K. Le Guin, George R R Martin and Rick Riordan. Be prepared to hear her name a lot in the future, as her book Who Fears Death is going to be adapted into an HBO series by Martin himself.
The Ghost Bride (Yangsze Choo)
This gorgeous fantasy set in colonial Malaya, with Chinese characters, has been compared to Miyazaki's Spirited Away. It may start simply, but subverts expectations and gets progressively darker as the main character Li Lan is drawn into the world of the Chinese afterlife - even though she herself is still alive. Will she ever be able to come back to the world of the living? This book kept me up all night reading, but is so underrated.
A Wizard of Earthsea (Ursula K Le Guin)
Ursula Le Guin's ICONIQUE Earthsea was a clear influence on J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter (not that Rowling ever acknowledged it, which Le Guin thought was pretty rude) and Terry Pratchett wrote a book that is essentially Earthsea fanfiction (Equal Rites). Directly or indirectly she influenced pretty much every speculative fiction author of the past decades, but her work STILL feels fresh. The Earthsea series (originally a trilogy, then expanded) still enchants readers of all ages with the story of Ged, a simple goat-heard who becomes the greatest wizard of all time, and the many dark adventures he faces during his life.
Redemption in Indigo (Karen Lord)
Redemption in Indigo is a reworking of the Senegalese tale “Ansige Karamba the Glutton” by a Barbadian author and was nominated for Best Novel in the World Fantasy Awards. When Paama leaves her gluttonous and foolish husband, she attracts the attention of the undying ones-the djombi- who present her with a gift: the Chaos Stick, which allows her to manipulate the subtle forces of the world. Unfortunately, a wrathful djombi with indigo skin believes this power should be his and his alone.
The Golem and the Djinni (Helene Wecker)
The Golem and the Jinni is a really unique blend of folkore and historical fiction. It is the story of Chava, a golem (a being created from clay, from Jewish folklore), and Ahmad, a jinni (a supernatural creature from Arabic mythology), who find themselves away from their old countries of Poland and Syria, and find each other in turn-of-the-century New York City. Nominated for Best Novel in the Nebula Awards.
Deathless (Catherynne M. Valente)
Deathless combines the Russian fairy tale the Death of Koschei the Deathless with the Russian Revolution. The novel follows the life of Marya Morevna as she transforms from a young child witnessing the revolution to bride of Koschei, Tsar of Life. Valente is a very unusual writer and Deathless is is lyrical, beautiful and simply devastating.
Assassin's Apprentice (Robin Hobb)
Hobb is one of the best fantasy writers today, and the amazing Assassin's Apprentice is the doorway to the incredibly intricate universe of the Realms of the Elderlings. Hobb was clearly a big influence on George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones (which borrowed several elements of her story, as you'll notice right away), so if you already like ASOIAF and other "adult" fantasy, you will definitely like this.
The Fifth Season (N.K. Jemisin)
The Fifth Season takes place on a planet with a single supercontinent called the Stillness. Every few centuries, its inhabitants endure what they call a "Fifth Season" of catastrophic climate change. N.K. Jemisin won two Hugo Awards for Best Novel in a ROW for this series, so there. She's of course a heavy-hitter in today's fantasy landscape, and her other books/series are also very critically acclaimed.
Jade City (Fonda Lee)
Jade City is a unique urban fantasy/modern gangster family saga in a universe where magical jade grants special abilities to warriors. Lee is a martial artist herself, so you know those fight scenes are going to be badass. This release was quite a sensation last year and managed to score praise from Scott Lynch, Ken Liu and Ann Leckie, and is currently nominated for a Nebula Award (Best Novel).
sources 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
ONTD, what women-authored fantasy would you recommend? And which will you be reading this month?
Akata Witch (Nnedi Okorafor)
This book has been called "the Nigerian Harry Potter". Akata Witch is about a young albino girl who's always felt like an outsider learning she has magical abilities and fighting villains. Despite technically being YA fantasy, it touches on many complex themes and can be enjoyed by everyone. Nnedi Okorafor's books are extremely popular among fantasy authors, and she counts among her fans Ursula K. Le Guin, George R R Martin and Rick Riordan. Be prepared to hear her name a lot in the future, as her book Who Fears Death is going to be adapted into an HBO series by Martin himself.
The Ghost Bride (Yangsze Choo)
This gorgeous fantasy set in colonial Malaya, with Chinese characters, has been compared to Miyazaki's Spirited Away. It may start simply, but subverts expectations and gets progressively darker as the main character Li Lan is drawn into the world of the Chinese afterlife - even though she herself is still alive. Will she ever be able to come back to the world of the living? This book kept me up all night reading, but is so underrated.
A Wizard of Earthsea (Ursula K Le Guin)
Ursula Le Guin's ICONIQUE Earthsea was a clear influence on J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter (not that Rowling ever acknowledged it, which Le Guin thought was pretty rude) and Terry Pratchett wrote a book that is essentially Earthsea fanfiction (Equal Rites). Directly or indirectly she influenced pretty much every speculative fiction author of the past decades, but her work STILL feels fresh. The Earthsea series (originally a trilogy, then expanded) still enchants readers of all ages with the story of Ged, a simple goat-heard who becomes the greatest wizard of all time, and the many dark adventures he faces during his life.
Redemption in Indigo (Karen Lord)
Redemption in Indigo is a reworking of the Senegalese tale “Ansige Karamba the Glutton” by a Barbadian author and was nominated for Best Novel in the World Fantasy Awards. When Paama leaves her gluttonous and foolish husband, she attracts the attention of the undying ones-the djombi- who present her with a gift: the Chaos Stick, which allows her to manipulate the subtle forces of the world. Unfortunately, a wrathful djombi with indigo skin believes this power should be his and his alone.
The Golem and the Djinni (Helene Wecker)
The Golem and the Jinni is a really unique blend of folkore and historical fiction. It is the story of Chava, a golem (a being created from clay, from Jewish folklore), and Ahmad, a jinni (a supernatural creature from Arabic mythology), who find themselves away from their old countries of Poland and Syria, and find each other in turn-of-the-century New York City. Nominated for Best Novel in the Nebula Awards.
Deathless (Catherynne M. Valente)
Deathless combines the Russian fairy tale the Death of Koschei the Deathless with the Russian Revolution. The novel follows the life of Marya Morevna as she transforms from a young child witnessing the revolution to bride of Koschei, Tsar of Life. Valente is a very unusual writer and Deathless is is lyrical, beautiful and simply devastating.
Assassin's Apprentice (Robin Hobb)
Hobb is one of the best fantasy writers today, and the amazing Assassin's Apprentice is the doorway to the incredibly intricate universe of the Realms of the Elderlings. Hobb was clearly a big influence on George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones (which borrowed several elements of her story, as you'll notice right away), so if you already like ASOIAF and other "adult" fantasy, you will definitely like this.
The Fifth Season (N.K. Jemisin)
The Fifth Season takes place on a planet with a single supercontinent called the Stillness. Every few centuries, its inhabitants endure what they call a "Fifth Season" of catastrophic climate change. N.K. Jemisin won two Hugo Awards for Best Novel in a ROW for this series, so there. She's of course a heavy-hitter in today's fantasy landscape, and her other books/series are also very critically acclaimed.
Jade City (Fonda Lee)
Jade City is a unique urban fantasy/modern gangster family saga in a universe where magical jade grants special abilities to warriors. Lee is a martial artist herself, so you know those fight scenes are going to be badass. This release was quite a sensation last year and managed to score praise from Scott Lynch, Ken Liu and Ann Leckie, and is currently nominated for a Nebula Award (Best Novel).
sources 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
ONTD, what women-authored fantasy would you recommend? And which will you be reading this month?