I prefer female protagonists and this series of posts is homage to some of the most formidable female main characters in science fiction novels or series. This is the last one I got material for at the moment but I am pretty sure there are some formidable female protagonists in a science fiction novel or series that need to be here. This is your last chance to add to my list before I have to close the list.
I added a list of all the characters so far at the end of this post. Please add more suggestions. 100 is a better number than 80.
- Paula Myo – Intrepid Investigator (Peter F. Hamilton)
- Sissy – High Priestess of Harmony (C. F. Bentley)
- Paula Mendoza – Unconventional Negotiator (Cecelia Holland)
- Casseia Majumdar – Scientific Revolutionary (Greg Bear)
- Dirisha Zuri – the Matadora (Steve Perry)
Paula Myo – Intrepid Investigator
Books: Pandora’s Star (2004), Judas Unchained (2005)
Series: Commonwealth Saga
Author: Peter F. Hamilton
Genre: Space opera
Publisher: MacMillan UK, Del Rey, Pan
Paula Myo is only one of the characters in the Commonwealth saga. She is a famous investigator that realizes the Starflyer is real and a threat to humanity. It was a few years since I read these books and they are huge, not as huge as his Night’s Dawn trilogy but big enough. Good interesting space opera with multiple main characters.
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Sissy – High Priestess of Harmony
Books: Harmony (2008), Enigma (2009)
Series: Harmony
Author: C. F. Bentley (Irene Radford)
Genre: Military Science Fiction | Fantasy
Publisher: Daw
I just finished reading Harmony an liked it a lot; it is a mixture of military science fiction, space opera and romance. Sissy is born with the mark of all seven casts. Normally that would make here an outcast to be killed but she hides the marks with the help of her family. Their planet Harmony is becoming unstable and a catastrophic earthquake threatens to destroy the capital. But Sissy finds out she has the power to divert the power of the quake and save the city. The High Priestess is killed and the surviving High Priest sees an opportunity in using this young uneducated girl with real powers to strengthening his position on the ruling council. Thing is that Sissy have other ideas.
There is a lovely love story in there to you can check out my review.
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Paula Mendoza – Unconventional Negotiator
Books: Floating Wolds (1976)
Author: Cecelia Holland
Genre: Feminist Science Fiction
Publisher: Knopf, Gollancz, Pocket, Sphere, VGSF.
New to me both of them. According to Wikipedia “This novel is notable for its sexual content, its feminist theme, and its literary quality—all comparable to the mid-70s work of Joanna Russ and Ursula K. Le Guin.” that sounds like something I would like to read. This also goes on my to-read list.
When an aggressive race of mutants from Uranus and Saturn launch pirate raids on ships from Mars, the task of negotiating peace falls to the resourceful and unpredictable Paula Mendoza.
Though highly skeptical of her “anarchist” government, gutsy Paula Mendoza rises from the ranks of the unemployed Earthish to become its peace negotiator in the escalating war between the Middle Planets and the Gas Planets in this latest by Cecelia Holland (The Pillar of the Sky), whom the Chicago Tribune has compared to Arthur C. Clarke and Ursula Le Guin. Paula’s methods (which include sleeping with the enemy) are innovative, to say the least, and they land her in troubled waters in the startling and epic Floating Worlds
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Casseia Majumdar – Scientific Revolutionary
Books: Moving Mars (1993)
Series: Queen of Angels book 3
Author: Greg Bear
Genre: Coming of Age | Revolution
Publisher: Tor, Legend, Orb, The Easton Press, Brilliance Audio
This is a coming of age story about Casseia Majumdar at the backdrop of the brewing revolution. Sounds like a good book I have to read soon.
Mars is a colonial world governed by corporate interests on Earth. The citizens of Mars are hardworking, brave, and intelligent, but held back by their lack of access to the best education, and the desire of Earthly powers to keep the best inventions for themselves. The young Martians – the second and third generation born on Mars – have little loyalty to the Earth, and strong belief that their planet can be independent. The revolution begins slowly, but matures to its inevitable conclusion.
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Dirisha Zuri – The Matadora
Books: Matadora (1986)
Series: Matador
Author: Steve Perry
Genre: Military Science Fiction
Publisher: Ace , Sphere
Matadora is new to me while Steve Perry is not, I read Target Earth before and it was quite enjoyable. This book is part of a longer series all covering the Matador’s revolution.
On some worlds, the name of Khadaji is a prayer for resistance fighters…
Khadaji… master warrior, martyr, legend. The one-man resistance to the Confed on Greaves. Known as “The Man Who Never Missed,” he only let himself be taken when he’d done what he’d set out to do. With his death, Khadaji became the inspiration and idol of students of martial arts everhwere.
Matador Villa… the training center for the best fighters in the galaxy, disciples of the great Khadaji. A rigorous program of political tactics and psychological warfare, physical discipline and martial force. A mysterious school on the planet Renault… its ultimate motives unknown.
Dirisha Zuri… a dangerous drifter, a dark-skinned beauty, Khadaji’s colleague. A ronin, whose expertise in body control and knowledge of the fighting arts drew the attention of Matador Villa. The school wanted her talents… and the galaxy desperately needed her deadly skills.
Matadora The legend of the Man Who Never Missed becomes the incredible mission of a single woman… The Matadora.
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List
- Alicia DeVries – Cadre and Fury (David Weber)
- Terese Drajeske – Ex Field Commander & Mother (C. L. Andersen)
- Mackensie Elizabeth Winifred Wright Connor Sol (Julie E. Czerneda)
- Zoe Boutin Perry – Teenager & Holy Icon (John Scalzi)
- Parrish Plessis – Postapocalyptic Bodyguard (Marianne de Pierres)
- Benita Alvarez-Shipton – the Perfect House-wife (Sheri S. Tepper)
- Kris Longknife – Princess & Officer (Mike Shepherd)
- Tobin Kerr – Leading From Below (Tanya Huff)
- Sassinak – Older Than Her Mother (Anne McCaffrey & Elizabeth Moon & Jody Lynn Nye)
- Sharrow – Symbol of a Solar System (Ian M. Banks)
- Heris Serrano – Civilian Warrior (Elizabeth Moon)
- An – Transcending Egghead (Emily Devenport)
- Adele Mundy – Sharpshooting Librarian (David Drake)
- Michelle Henke – Unpolitical Stateswoman (David Weber)
- Lenie Clarke – Meltdown Madonna (Peter Watts)
- Ofelia Fulfarres – Nest Guardian (Elizabeth Moon)
- Bella Lind – Icon at the End of Time (Alastair Reynolds)
- Helva – The Ship Who Sang (Anne McCaffrey)
- Nimue Alban – Mind of a Dead Starship Captain (David Weber)
- Rowan – Steerswoman (Rosemary Kirstein)
- Margaret Bain – Seven of One (Sheri S. Tepper)
- Jenny Casey – Cyborg Pilot (Elizabeth Bear)
- Nimisha Boynton-Rondymnse – First Family Castaway (Anne McCaffrey)
- Freya Nakamachi-47 – Soulful Machine (Charles Stross)
- Nausicaä – Ecological Princess (Hayao Miyazaki)
- Sarah – Skinned Quester (Anne McCaffrey)
- Elizabeth “Bet” Yeager – Stranded Veteran (C. J. Cherryh)
- Morgan Roche – Agent of Change (Sean Williams & Shane Dix)
- Honor Harrington – The Salamander (David Weber)
- Captain Reverdy Jian – Sceptic Pilot (Melissa Scott)
- Ariane Kedros – Killer of Worlds (Laura E. Reeve)
- Chanur – Alien Trader (C. J. Cherryh)
- Priscilla ‘Hutch’ Hutchins – Starship Pilot (Jack McDevitt)
- Kylara Vatta – Fixing The Family (Elizabeth Moon)
- Cirroco Jones – Captain & Wizard (John Varley)
- Athena Hera Sinastra – Intrepid Rebel (Sarah A. Hoyt)
- Nell – Mouse Queen (Neal Stephenson)
- Nicole des Jardins Wakefield – Stowaway to the Stars (Arthur C. Clarke & Gentry Lee)
- Sauscony ‘Soz’ Valdoria – Empath Commando (Catherine Asaro)
- Festina Ramos – Expendable (James Alan Gardner)
- Shan Frankland – Immortal Diplomat (Karen Traviss)
- Acorna – Unicorn Girl (Anne McCaffrey, Margaret Ball, Elizabeth Ann Scarborough)
- Moon – Clone Goddess (Joan D. Vinge)
- Cordelia Naismith – Free Your Mind (Lois McMaster Bujold)
- Catherine Li – Human Construct (Chris Moriarty)
- Friday Jones – the Sometimes Single Cyborg (Robert A. Heinlein)
- Esmay Suiza – Landsbride Officer (Elizabeth Moon)
- Gloria VanDeen – Glorious Bureaucrat (C. J. Ryan)
- Molly Millions – The Original Razor Girl (William Gibson)
- Cassandra Blaine – Cyber Star (Wilhelmina Baird)
- Cally O’Neal – Secret Assassin (John Ringo)
- Angharad Gwyn – the Rowan (Anne McCaffrey)
- Sira di Sarc – Welcome Stranger (Julie E. Czerneda)
- Boss – Safety First (Kristien Kathryn Rusch)
- Rebel Elizabeth Mudlark – Mind Recording (Michael Swanwick)´
- Ariane Emory – I Made Me (C. J. Cherryh)
- Claire Haskel – Super Razor (David J. Williams)
- Ellen Ripley – Kick-ass Mother (Alan Dean Foster)
- Sweetness Octave Glorious Honey-Bun Asiim Engineer 12th (Ian Mcdonald)
- Thursday Next – Literary Operative (Jasper Fforde)
- Mearana – The Harper (Michael Flynn)
- Sparta – Venus Prime (Paul Preuss)
- Briar Wilkes – Persistent Mother (Cherie Priest)
- Caitlin Decter – Best Friend of the Web (Robert J. Sawyer)
- Ilia Volyova – Triumvir Ultra (Alastair Reynolds)
- Jennifer Government – Law woman (Max Barry)
- Killashandra Ree – Crystal Singer (Anne McCaffrey)
- Signy Mallory- Bloody-minded Commander (C. J. Cherryh)
- Y.T. – Yours Truly (Neal Stephenson)
- Deadpan Allie – Pathosfinder (Pat Cadigan)
- Dakota Merrick – Machine Head (Gary Gibson)
- Kivrin Engle – Temporal Historian (Connie Willis)
- Rydra Wong – Poet Captain (Samuel R. Delany)
- Miriam/Helge – Queen World Walker (Charles Stross)
- Ruby Kubick – Agoraphobic Salvage Artist (Laura J. Mixon)
- Paula Myo – Intrepid Investigator (Peter F. Hamilton)
- Sissy – High Priestess of Harmony (C. F. Bentley)
- Paula Mendoza – Unconventional Negotiator (Cecelia Holland)
- Casseia Majumdar – Scientific Revolutionary (Greg Bear)
- Dirisha Zuri – the Matadora (Steve Perry)
Miss anyone?
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