And a pleasure I'm not even remotely guilty about : James H. Schmitz

[revdorothyl]

As soon as I started thinking about what made Elsie Lee stand out for me in the Gothic genre (capable heroines who are smarter and often more dangerous -- when they need to be -- than the b**tards who try to grind them down: illegitimii non carborundum, or however it's spelled!), I had to give credit to a male science fiction author who did the

Comments

[rahirah]

Aw, I loved Schmitz. He's a tad dated today, but SO much fun!

[revdorothyl]

Dated, yes, but that's part of the fun!

In a way, it's like reading good fanfic written in the middle of BtVS' run and marveling at how much the author managed to predict about future developments or improve upon the then-reality of the show, while forgiving any assertions that were later contradicted in canon.

If Schmitz had been writing those works in the late 1970's or early 1980's (when I first encountered him, I believe), they would still have been fun to read, but not nearly so remarkable for their strong female characters (though still a bit ahead of the curve, when I remember what I was reading in those days!). But I get a tremendous kick out of knowing that somebody had the intelligence and insight to write stuff like that 20 or 30 years earlier.

[missmurchison]

My younger daughter really enjoyed the Telzey stories a few years ago, and has read most of his books, which she found on my shelves, of course. Like you I started with "The Witches of Karres" and thoroughly enjoyed most of his books when I wa sin my teens.

[revdorothyl]

"...thoroughly enjoyed most of his books when I was in my teens."

I guess I'm kind of stuck in my teens, at least as far as much of my "comfort" reading is concerned!

[speakr2customrs]

Good to see another James H Schmitz fan! Nile Etland in "The Demon Breed" is a truly wonderful heroine, perhaps second only to Modesty Blaise as my favourite of all time. Plus, otters!