Sophie Jordan's "Paranormal Heroines vs. Paranormal Heroes": From The Backlist

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Sophie Jordan first posted Paranormal Heroines vs. Paranormal Heroes as a guest of the equally wonderful Kerrelyn Sparks -- and we're thrilled to feature it again today. 

Especially as Sophie has an exciting new book, A Fire In The Sky (tagline: Magic lives...) due out on September 24!

Coming very soon!

But here's what Sophie posted when her Firelight trilogy (recently released with new covers) was new-out: enjoy!

Paranormal Heroines vs. Paranormal Heroes

As we slip into fall and near Halloween, nothing excites me more than talking about the paranormal!

Recently on tour for my latest novel, FIRELIGHT, a reader brought to my attention the fact that my heroine in FIRELIGHT is the paranormal “figure” in my book -- not the hero as is the usual case. Yes, I know this, of course, but I hadn’t really considered it very hard. Before now (see me tilting my head thoughtfully here).

Those new covers!

I started mentally checking off a lot of paranormal books – many favorites of mine – and realized the observation in point is rather true. I’m not saying there aren’t books with paranormal females in them, but so many books feature the male figure as the paranormal figure while the heroine is simply human. Why is that? I’m not saying one is better than the other … but I’m interested in your opinion today. Do we, as readers, simply want our male heroes more feral? More dangerous? Does making our heroes into a paranormal creature accomplish that? What does that say?

The original

In Firelight, my heroine Jacinda is a draki, which is a species that has evolved from dragons. She’s the only one of her kind that can still breathe fire. She’s a very strong female, and being so “unique” opens up a world of conflict for her. And what would a book be without conflict? Jacinda is constantly surrounded by danger because of what she is. Since I wrote the book solely from her POV, I had fun with this. It wouldn’t have been nearly as fun to write had she been the human and Will, her love interest, the draki. But that’s just my take. What’s your take?

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To read the full post, including some great comments, click here.

To find out more about Sophie Jordan, click here.

Leading Ladies: Seven Awesome & Epic Heroines

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Epic Fantasy is often touted as the genre of world-saving-or-falling stories, grand campaigns, and larger-than-life adventures, where the leading character is the hero, whether farmboy or paladin, with a sword and a destiny.

But today I'm starring a few of the fabulous heroines that are not only leading ladies but also their story's lead protagonist, all of whom have rocked my reading world  – as well as giving a nod to a leading lady and central protagonist of my own. :)

A is for Aerin in Robin McKinley's The Hero and the Crown (YA)
Aerin is a classic epic heroine, an isolated and disregarded princess who teaches herself to slay dragons and master the magic of her people, and who is eventually called upon to save both people and kingdom from a demonic horde. And you can't get more epic than that!

A is also for Aidris in Cherry Wilder's A Princess of the Chameln (YA)
Aidris is also a princess, one who must flee for her life from her home and Chameln peoples and survive until she can return and reclaim her kingdom's double throne. A fascinating exploration of kingdoms, cultures, and with intriguing and mysterious magic. 

B is for Breyd in Roberta Gray's The Sword and The Lion
Some of you may better recall Roberta Gray as author Ru Emerson, but if you like your fantasy with overtones of Greek myth and legendary history then you'll enjoy this tale of Breyd, a commoner chosen by lot to bear the magic that may save her city from a ruthless invader (think Alexander the Great.) Breyd and her tale have never gotten the attention they probably deserve, but this is still a grand epic with some romance woven in.

G is for Gill in Katherine Kerr's Daggerspell
Gill is the only daughter of the famous mercenary warrior ('silver dagger') Cullen of Cerrmorr and grows up to carry the silver dagger herself as well as discovering that her destiny is to become a master of the magical dweomer. If you like your fantasy with a strong Celtic element, including time slip and multiple lives aspects, as well as adventure and romance thrown in, then you'll love Daggerspell and its sequels.

L is for Liath in Kate Elliot's The King's Dragon
Although there are other leading characters, Liath is still arguably the central protagonist in Kate Elliott's The King's Dragon, or sufficiently so, at any rate, to have  a place on this list. The orphaned daughter of a scholar, cast adrift in a dangerous and changing world, Liath must chart a course between war, politics, and magic to assert her place in the world. Plus her relationship with Sanglant adds romantic interest to a many-layered tale.

M is for Mara in Janny Wurts & Raymond E Feist's Daughter of the Empire
Orphaned in a single battle through an enemy House's treachery, Mara must assume leadership of her House and save it from annihilation through political and strategic acumen, personal self sacrifice and courage. If you like a young woman succeeding by her wits against almost overwhelming odds, in a fascinating and colorful world, then you'll love Mara.

M is also for Malian in The Heir of Night
In creating my own leading lady and lead protagonist in The Wall Of Night series, I feel honored to be adding to such a great tradition of clever, courageous, and resourceful heroines. Malian is also a leader who cuts a swathe through her world's grand campaigns and masters both magic and weapons' skills – as well as knowing how to form alliances with others to achieve her ends. Nor is Malian alone: her tale includes a cast of supporting heroines, as well as heroes, all playing vital parts in the story.

Nor is this by any means all: names such as Tamora Pierce's Alanna (Junior), Marion Zimmer Bradley's Morgan, CJ Cherryh's Morgaine, and Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarrion also spring to mind – not to mention other heroines penned by these authors.

But if you have other heroines that are lead protagonists to suggest, then please leave your recommendation in the comments. Because here on Supernatural Underground there's always room for MOAR! :)

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Helen Lowe is a novelist, poet, interviewer and blogger whose first novel, Thornspell (Knopf), was published to critical praise in 2008. Her second, The Heir of Night (The Wall Of Night Series, Book One) won the Gemmell Morningstar Award 2012. The sequel, The Gathering Of The Lost, was shortlisted for the Gemmell Legend Award in 2013. Daughter Of Blood, (The Wall Of Night, Book Three) is her most recent book and she is currently working on the fourth and final novel in The Wall Of Night series. Helen posts regularly on her “…on Anything, Really” blog and is also on Twitter: @helenl0we

The Ingredients of A Fantasy Heroine

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UK cover

On Monday, as part of celebrating Daughter of Blood's longlisting for the Gemmell Legend Award, I featured some of the central characters from the book and The Wall Of Night series:
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Daughter Of Blood: Meet The Characters!

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Because both the series' main character (Malian) and the title character of the book (Myr) are women—and there are also a large number of other important women characters in the WALL story—penning Monday's post got me thinking about the particular ingredients that characterize the Fantasy genre's heroines.

Usually, with SFF, there’s a “quest” or problem to be resolved, which the heroine usually either finds by curiosity or accident or which finds her, either willingly or unwillingly. 

Karou in Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Ava Sykes in Kim Falconer's The Blood in the Beginning fit the former scenario. Malian and Myr from Daughter of Blood both exemplify the latter; and Shallan in Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series is another good example.

One of the factors Fantasy heroines often have in common, whether dealing with the stuff of everyday life or the fate of worlds, is resolution in the face of difficulty, particularly in withstanding adverse circumstances but also in seeking for solutions.

All the heroines mentioned above share this quality, but Rachael Boucher in Teresa Frohock's Miserere and Teia of Elspeth Cooper's Wild Hunt series are also strong examples.

In order to be a heroine, too, the circumstances the character is dealing with must involve an element of grave risk, possibly even death—she must be called upon above and beyond the demands of simply being a good citizen.

Yeine Darr, in NK Jemisin's The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, is in no doubt that her own life and that of her country rests on her ability to overcome the dynastic and divine politics of the Kingdoms.

Malian of Night, too, is faced with choices that affect the lives and wellbeing of others and her own life is very much on the line.

I would also argue that to be a heroine, as opposed to an anti-heroine, the character must have some concern about choices between right and wrong, either at a personal or societal level, or both.

Karou fits this bill at both levels, while a character like Mercy Thompson, from Patricia Briggs' paranormal urban Fantasy series, is more focused at the personal—hometown and community—level.

My own character, Malian, while not unconcerned with personal considerations of right and wrong, is far more focused at the wider societal level.

I also believe that the possibility/potential for self-sacrifice is tied to what it means to be a heroine—a natural extension of both risk and considerations of right and/or wrong action.

In the final analysis, too, I feel that to be a great heroine, we as readers have to feel empathy for the character’s tribulations and choices.

USA cover

This may not be as straightforward as liking the character but we have to be emotionally engaged with the path she’s walking.

Of course, you may also point out that this is true for what makes a heroine in real life as well—and I can’t argue with that.

But what do you think? Are there other qualities you feel are essential to make a character a great heroine, either in Fantasy or other fiction?

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Helen Lowe is a novelist, poet, interviewer and blogger whose first novel, Thornspell (Knopf), was published to critical praise in 2008. Her second, The Heir of Night (The Wall Of Night Series, Book One) won the Gemmell Morningstar Award 2012. The sequel, The Gathering Of The Lost, was shortlisted for the Gemmell Legend Award in 2013. Daughter Of Blood, (The Wall Of Night, Book Three) was published this year. Helen posts regularly on her “…on Anything, Really” blog and is also on Twitter: @helenl0we