(no subject)

[badstar]

I finished reading The Firebrand by Marion Zimmer Bradley.

Like I said before...I'm in no danger of becoming a Mists Of Avalon groupie.

The book was good enough that I wanted to finish it, but not so fabulous as to cause me problems to put it down for hours or a day or two at a time. A little too much blatant female chauvanism there, thanks. Every other page had statements like "Men are useless" and "What good is a son to his mother?"

It's no more okay than when men say such things about women and girls.

Comments

[leiacat.livejournal.com]

I tend to get easily annoyed by women authors whose gender is their agenda. I like a good story whoever it's written by, and I appreciate strong female characters, but if you can instantly tell that the author is female by reading a random page, it's not likely to keep my attention.

I've had a bit more tolerance for MZB than a number of others. But then, I've never tried Avalon (largely because I'm allergic to Arthuriana), but mostly stuck to her Darkover stuff. Which ain't perfect either, and some of her gender relations makes me cringe, but at least the universe is slightly more inventive.

[fuego.livejournal.com]

haven't read any of the darkover stuff, heard it's less agenda-oriented than MOA

if you like fantasy with strong female characters, check out Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Dart, Kushiel's Chosen and Kushiel's Avatar (There's also Kushiel's Scion, which is spun off into the beginning of a second trilogy, the main character in the first three books are present, but the main character now is a male character introduced loosely in Kushiel's Chosen. But if you read one, I think you'll want to read them all)

Also, Kristen Britain's Green Rider and First Rider's call (though...First Rider's Call isn't nearly as good as Green Rider, a third book is coming in August...I'm hoping that it redeems First Rider's failings...then again I guess it could be taken as being purposefully left as it was because a third book was in the works, in which case it's not nearly as bad...hehe)

[leiacat.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the tips, I'll add them to my round tuits stack.

Generally, I don't tend to select fiction on its gender, either of the author or the characters - I just like a good story, and am easily annoyed by obvious -isms.

[fuego.livejournal.com]

understandable, I don't pick books that way either. Actually, in each case above, it was the cover of the books that attracted me. And (especially in the Kushiel's books), it happened that I got a good read out of it. I can't remember the last time i read a 900-page book so quickly

[peaceful-fox.livejournal.com]

It's good to know that I am not the only one who isn't impressed with her books.

[fuego.livejournal.com]

kinda sad, because what I didn't like about Firebrand just kept tripping up what I did like about it.

[ex-means947.livejournal.com]

I loved Mists of Avalon! Can you recommend better fiction about the same subject matter?

Was Firebrand about Cassandra of Greece? Because that was the other novel by Marion Zimmer Bradley that I liked.

Your point is valid on feminist rhetoric. I don't like activism masquerading as fiction. If the work is 'yannic' it should be a bit more subtle.

[fuego.livejournal.com]

about the Arthurian Legends? or about the Arthurian Legends from a female point of view?

if the latter, I have no clue. I'm told that the Forever King trilogy is really wonderful if you're into the Arthurian legends though.

As for the Firebrand, yes that was the one about Cassandra of Troy.

[ex-means947.livejournal.com]

no, a book about the celtic witch (?)... what was her name, the half-sister of Arthur?

[fuego.livejournal.com]

Morgan Le Fay....ummm....I really don't know.