I have to say I admire Scully on the X-Files and consider her extremely
independent (and not totally "wrong" while Mulder's "right")--and have with
reluctance seen the first three ALIEN movies (because a friend demands I see
the 4th with her). Ripley is pretty admirable, but I don't like horror (and
I see those as horror a lot more than science fiction). But if I see them
with her, she warns me when the icky stuff is coming up. But I find a lot
more appealing and independent women in literary SF...my first and
overwhelming love. (Oh, I'm using SF here to mean 'speculative fiction' as
an umbrella term for fantasy, science fiction, horror, magical realism,
fantastic literature, etc. In this category, "SF" sort of parallels but is
bigger than "realism.")
This list isn't meant to be exhaustive, but off the top of my head: lots
and lots of Mercedes Lackey's characters in all her series (and she's also
done an amazing job of bringing in gay and lesbian characters in fantasy of
all genres). From bards to warriors to queens who rule on their own to
Heralds to others--while some may marry, it's not because it's the only
choice! Tanya Huff's Vicki (Victory)--a character in her contemporary
vampire novels. (I apologize for being iffy on names--I always forget
names.) David Brin's female characters in the _Uplife_ series. Lois
McMaster Bujold's Cordelia (Miles' mother, but hey, just because you're
independent and feminist doesn't mean you can't get married and even have a
kid or two, she says jokingly, although preferring cats herself). As have
been mentioned Octavia Butler's characters. Other writers whose works I own
and tend to reread for this very reason: Vonda McIntyre (especially love
the METAPHASE, TRANSITION trilogy), Elizabeth Lynn (the first two in her
major trilogy focus on men but check out _The Northern Girl_), Diane Duane
(especially in her own work,but even manages to create a sense of it in her
tie-in novels which I buy because I'm a completist but find better than
average). There are more, but I have all my SF and mystery stored at home
and am working out of my office.
Robin
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