Female role models in sci-fi/fantasy

[Jo Zebedee]

So sparked by a comment by Clansman on the Twilight thread; what female characters would we have as role models for our daughters? I thought about this and came up with more sci fi (so predictable, me) than fantasy, but here's a starter for 10

Alia: Dune and Dune messiah, okay she goes a bit OTT at the end, but at least she's interesting.
Valentine; Ender's Game, smart, interesting, moralistic, can deal with the hateful Peter
Lucy in Narnia; for the very young she's brave and moralistic.
Vin in Mistborn series, gets to leap through the air, defends the weakling boyfriend.
His dark materials, whether you like the series or not, he has some strong female characters.
The twins in her fearful symmetry; some form of speculative fiction, I assume; memorable.

I'm sure there's loads more I'll kick myself for forgetting!

 

[nixie]

Stephen Erikson has some brilliant female role models in the Malazan series. Blend, Picker even Tavore and plenty of others.

 

[alchemist]

If I had a daughter, I'd suggest Mara in Feist/Wurts's Empire series - smart, tough and feminine.

 

[Moggle]

Honor Harrington

 

[hopewrites]

Sioned, Cami, Tobin... oh hell, almost all of the females in Melanie Rawn's Dragon Prince, Dragon Scrolls trilogies would be good role models. She covers just about every kind of female there is. (her men are dashingly real as well, if anyone needed a male role model in fiction I would still recommend the same books) The females in Exiles cover the same range and rule their counterparts with ether an iron fist or a silk glove or a laughing eye.

 

[williamjm]

If I had a daughter, I'd suggest Mara in Feist/Wurts's Empire series - smart, tough and feminine.

I think that's a good choice.

Bujold has plenty of great female characters in her SF and Fantasy, particularly the Vorkosigan Saga's Cordelia Naismith.

 

[hopewrites]

I think the way many of Jane Austen's heroines handle the situations about their lives that they can not change is admirable, I would add them to the list as well. Dont you think??

 

[reiver33]

Aeryn Sun from Farscape?

 

[Jade44]

I have mentioned these women before in other threads, but here they are again.

Tanya Huff's Torin Kerr - tough and courageous space marine.
Mile Shepherd's Kris Longknife - space naval officer, explorer, and bum kicking adventurer.
Elizabeth Moon's Kylara Vatta - merchant warrior; Esmay Suiza and Heris Serano space navy heroines. Actually Moon has a number of other very strong women characters in her Serrano and Vatta series.

And here is a new one - Violette Malan's Dhulyn Wolfshead - warrior and seer.

 

[clovis-man]

Morgaine from C.J. Cherryh's series of the same name as well as Pyanfar Chanur from her Chanur series (Is there a rule it must be a human??). While I'm on a roll, also Ilisidi, the Aiji-dowager from the Foreigner series.

There are also some strong female characters in Nancy Kress' tales. I'll get back to you with names when I revive tomorrow.

 

[Hex]

Vierann in Hexwood (Diana Wynne Jones)

Maree in Deep Secret (Diana Wynne Jones)

Anne in The Soul Mirror (Carol Berg)

Lucy in Narnia (CS Lewis) -- although he does such a lot of damage by being mean about Susan for getting interested in girl things that I don't know if it should count.

Tenar in the Earthsea books?

Nice question, although I don't actually think a character needs to be female to be a good strong example for girls. I loved LOTR but I can't think of a really strong important woman who does much.

 

[Moggle]

Aeryn Sun from Farscape?

She's a tough gal, but I don't know if she's a role model

 

[Connavar]

She's a tough gal, but I don't know if she's a role model

Why not ? An exellent soldier, warrior who :

Aeryn evolves from a cold, detached soldier into a valuable friend and crewmate.

Vin is a role a model for leaping through air and i think a cold soldier who grows to become more humane is perfectly fine as a role model.

 

[Vince W]

Honor Harrington

There are a number of good role models in the HH books. Mike Henke, Elizabeth III, Andrea Jaruwalski, Shannon Foraker... This list could go on for a while.

 

[elvet]

Diora, Teresa, Jewel, and the Terafin from Michelle West's Sunsword and House War books. She writes very strong female characters who learn hold power even in a men dominated society.

 

[Snowdog]

What about Lessa, from Dragonflight? She's brave, resourceful, a fighter and a leader.

 

[Anne Lyle]

I agree with Lessa from the Pern books, and Menolly for that matter.

More recently... Hermione Granger? She's bright and bossy but a good friend. Oh, and let's not forget Tiffany Aching

 

[elvet]

Diora, Teresa, Jewel, and the Terafin from Michelle West's Sunsword and House War books. She writes very strong female characters who learn hold power even in a men dominated society.

Darn, I hate it when I can't go back and edit.
I meant to say She writes very strong female characters who learn to hold power in societies ruled by men.

 

[Timba]

Kathy Reich's Victorian Brenan from Virals and Seizure.

I want to give a wholehearted seconding to Honor Harrington and all the ladies in Elizabeth Moon's books.

Mercedes Lackey has several also but the one that stands out for me is Diana Tregard

 

[Mouse]

I second Aeryn Sun.

Nice question, although I don't actually think a character needs to be female to be a good strong example for girls.

And hugely second this. I can't think of one female character I liked let alone looked up to when I was littler.

My hero was always Jackie Chan. (Ok, I know he's not a character in that sense!)

Anyway, to add to the list I'll say Lyra from His Dark Materials. Kitty from The Bartamaeus trilogy. Hester Shaw from Mortal Engines. Garth Nix's Sabriel and Lirael. Sonea from Trudi Canavan's Magician books. Zoe from Firefly.

(all right, maybe not Hester Shaw. She's a bit nuts)