Heroines in Fantasy Books and Novels

Black Dragon

Heroines of Fantasy

In the early days of epic fantasy women were often characterized as damsels in distress and nothing more than window dressing for heroes to rescue. This didn't last long as a host of writers created memorable female characters that were skilled swordswomen, capable world conquerers, and adventurers in their own right - yet still alluring. This article introduces you to some of the best heroines that have appeared in epic fantasy over the past several decades.

The presence of heroic women has been felt all throughout the history of fantasy literature and this can be easily displayed in the tales of the Arabian Knights where Sheherezade uses her sensuality and her wits to survive. This characterization of the woman as witty, wily, and sensual was pretty much the norm, and it was the stereotype for the first thousand years of fantasy literature.

But women took on a new, and more powerful, role in epic fantasy in 1934 with the creation of the Red Sonya of Rogatino character in the Robert E. Howard short story The Shadow of the Vulture. In this story Red Sonya was a swashbuckling heroine who was capable with both the pistol and the sword. (Howard is also the creator of the famous Conan character). Read a complete article about the heroines of fantasy here.

The Heroines

Scheherezade
Red Sonya (Robert E. Howard)
Red Sonja (not by Howard)
Lyra Belacqua of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials books The Golden Compass: Reader (Level 3) (Golden Compass)
Morgaine - (also called Morgan Le Fay in other works) Narrator in The Mists of Avalon
Tenar (LeGuin's the Tombs of Atuan) The Tombs of Atuan (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 2)
Menolly - Anne McCaffrey's Dragonsong, first in the trilogy which includes Dragonsinger and Dragondrums Dragonsong (Harper Hall Trilogy)
Lessa - Dragonflight and many other Dragonriders of Pern stories Dragonflight (Dragonriders of Pern)
Meredith Gentry, also known as Princess Meredity NicEssus - This is the main character in the Laurell K. Hamilton Merry Gentry Series. She is a faerie Princess turned private investigator. There are currently six books in the series and the latest is A Lick of Frost. The seventh book (Swallowing Darkness) is scheduled for release October 2008. Merry Gentry Books - Laurell K. Hamilton books
Anita Blake - The central character in the Laurell K. Hamilton Vampire Hunter series. There are currently fifteen books in the series and the latest is The Harlequin. Anita Blake Books
Eowyn - Lord of the Rings
Ayla - Jean Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear ( The Earth's Children Books)
Jirel of Joiry by C.L. Moore Generally credited as being the first Swords & Sorcery Heroine