by Mercedes Lackey
36. The Oathbound
37.Oathbreakers
Another set of those nostalgic rereads for me. Even though these books follow two of Lackey's earliest created characters, I didn't discover them until I was in college. Lackey has said that she created her two heroines because she was sick of fantasy stereotypes.
I believe it. While Kethry and Tarma are no longer all that unique, they don't fit those classic stereotypes for fantasy women. They are not:
Dragon Fodder: This is your classic woman tied to a post waiting to be a dragon snack. These characters tend to be objects in a literal way. They are something to be attained or rescued but they never ever act on their own behalf.
Man with Boobs: Some of the early female fantasy protagonists were basically male characters with a thin veneer of female pronouns. They acted like men, they responded to things in a masculine way, and more often than not they just happened to be lesbians. Not that lesbians in the real world are any less feminine, but in the general make-up of this character type, this particular sexual preference was just another 'acts like a man' point.
Incompetent Wannabe Hero: These chicks are a half step up from Dragon Fodder. They act on their own behalfs but they are so incompetent that they always have to be rescued by much more competent men types. They mainly exist in stories to get into trouble. Plot devices aren't really characters.
Sass-mobile: I actually enjoy this one in moderation. A Sass-mobile is often one of the previous types with a bit of witty dialogue tacked on. They tend to talk a big game and then get in over their heads. They are never solo operators for long because someone eventually has to come in and rescue them.
They are, in fact, highly competent in their own ways. While they aren't perfect, they consider their choices and usually make pretty good ones. They are intelligent, and not observably over hormonal. It is refreshing to have female characters in a fantasy book who aren't crosses between adolescent male wank material and a stereotype.
While I like these books and they are quite satisfying to read, they aren't my favorites in the series.
I remember how shocked, relieved and gratified I was when I saw the movie Alien for the first time and the heroine, played by Sigourney Weaver DIDN'T fall down and either become a mid afternoon snack for the monster, or have to be rescued by some MAN. She didn't shriek, she didn't whine and she certainly didn't blubber! I haven't seen the movie in more than 20 years and I bet if I went back Weaver might have been one of those man with boobs, and therefore unidimensional and unbelievable............... but WHAT A RELIEF to finally see a competent woman on the screen NOT using sex or weakness as a manipulative ploy.
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