I had a quick look at my shelf last night, and found _Feminism and Science
Fiction_ by Sarah Lefanu, Indiana University Press 1988, which has a
couple essays on feminist utopias and women's dystopias. My memory fails
me, so I can't say whether I recommend or agree with the pieces. While
drawn to feminist dystopias I often find them politically frustrating (or
worse), such as Pamela Sargeant's The Shore of Women, the better known and
strikingly similar Sheri Tepper book The Gate to Women's Country, and
Storm Constantine's The Monstrous Regiment. I didn't think any of these
three adequately thought through and challenged common assumptions about
biology, sex, and sexual orientation. I was particularly aghast at The
Monstrous Regiment, has anyone else read this?
Re Nalo's comments on the Brass bra'd bimbos, I love it! I've always
referred to this as the "metal bikini" art and fiction. I think I
remember reading Marion Zimmer Bradley commenting on her
experiences with horrible cover art especially in the early days of her
career.
I'm impressed with the list of recommendations which has sprung up within
a day on this list. I can't think of much to add off the top of my head,
I enjoyed a trilogy by Alis A. Rasmussen, I think one's called
Revolution's Shore, which I rarely hear mentioned. I can never say enough
about Pamela Sargeant's Venus of Shadows. I recently discovered Maureen
McHugh's China Mountain Zhang and Half the Day is Night, I particularly
liked the former. For cyberpunk I recommend Wilhelmina (sp?) Baird's
trilogy.
Robin Gordon
--------------------------------------
"I view it as something of a nightmare
that the sodomites are so brazen."
Bigot Jesse Helms
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