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Guest Post: Kick-Ass Sci-Fi Heroines by Zoë Archer + Giveaway
Filed in Giveaways , Guest Post , The HEA Lover , Zoe Archer Posted on April 14, 2011 @ 6:00 am
43 comments
We are very happy to welcome Zoë Archer here at Book Lovers Inc today. Her latest novel, Collision Course
was just released and today she will tell us about some kick-ass science fiction heroines. Be sure to stay tuned till the end for your chance to win.
was just released and today she will tell us about some kick-ass science fiction heroines. Be sure to stay tuned till the end for your chance to win.Yesterday on this blog, we talked about science fiction, its different subgenres, and the commonalities and differences between them. It’s a very expansive genre, open to many kinds of interpretation, which is why many authors (myself included) find it not just alluring, but fun.
For me, one of the major appeals of writing science fiction romance is the heroines. Sci-fi heroines are a breed unto themselves. Because they often exist in a different society or a time set in the future, sci-fi heroines are usually as strong as the men, if not stronger. In futuristic cultures, distinctions between genders are frequently blurred. Clearing away the debris of history, women are given the chance to show exactly how capable and competent they really are.
Consider some of sci-fi’s most famous screen heroines. Princess Leia is a stellar (heh) example. She might be a princess, but she surely doesn’t act like one. Yes, Luke and Han have to rescue her in the first Star Wars film, but she proves again and again that she can take care of herself. She’s handy with a blaster, ready with a sassy comeback to Han’s foolishness, and commands the Rebel Alliance to victory. (Special bonus points to her being short, just like me.)
Then there’s Ellen Ripley from the Alien films. Ripley doesn’t set out to be a hero, but when it comes time to kick some alien ass, she is the only one of the crew left standing. She evolves over the course of the films, beginning as an average woman scampering around in a tank top and panties, and becoming, through necessity, one tough lady with a very big gun.
Speaking of women who evolve, I can’t discuss women in sci-fi without mentioning the most bad-ass woman of them all, Sarah Connor. In the first Terminator film, Sarah spends most of the film on the run, being protected by very cute time-traveling soldier Kyle Reese. But Kyle ultimately cannot protect her, and it’s up to Sarah to save herself. By the time we meet Sarah again in Terminator 2, she has transformed herself into a weapon, brutal and efficient, and will eventually become one of the leaders of the resistance against the machines.
Jumping ahead, there’s Aeryn Sun from Farscape, the hard-drinking, cigar-smoking Kara “Starbuck” Thrace from the Battlestar Galactica reboot, and Zoë Washburne from Firefly. While all three women have complex emotional and romantic lives, no one ever questions their ability to fight. They kick ass, without apology.
With COLLISION COURSE, my new science fiction romance now available from Carina Press, I’ve created my own kick-ass sci-fi heroine. Mara Skiren is a scavenger and smuggler. When she’s forced to partner with by-the-book 8th Wing pilot Commander Kell Frayne on a rescue mission, she makes it clear that no one tells her what to do, even extremely sexy fighter pilots. The attraction between Mara and Kell is immediate, and unwanted. They’re going to have to learn to fight side-by-side if they want to survive not just the mission, but each other.
Who are your favorite sci-fi heroines? Let me know, and I’ll pick a commenter at random to win a book from my backlist.
You can learn more about COLLISION COURSE, including an excerpt and links to buy, here. You can also follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr.
Thanks again to Book Lovers, Inc. for having me here today!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~*~*Giveaway*~*~
Zoë has generously offered one of her backlist titles to one lucky commenter!
All you have to do is answer her question at the end of the post.
(You can read our full giveaway policy here)
Please leave us a way to contact you.
(Email in blogger profile or twitter name – no way to contact you – no entry).
This giveaway is open worldwide!
Giveaway ends on Saturday, April 30 and we will announce the winner on Sunday.
Good luck!
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My favorite is, of course, Sarah Connor from Terminator 2. (I don't know why, but I like the way she was portrayed in 2 better than 1.)
Twitter: @NadiaLee
🙂
I can't choose! I'm picking these two: Ellen Ripley and Sarah Connor.
Twitter @Ren_Thompson
First of all, let me say that I love this post!!!
Now, let's see. Of course, I love Ripley, I mean, who doesn't!? But as far as books go, my favorite sci/fi heroine is easily Katherine "Kitty" Katt from Gini Koch's Alien series. She is smart, sassy and incredibly capable. She gets all with the men in her company, but she is always the woman with the crazy (yet, heplful) plan. Plus, she always rocks a kick-ass soundtrack 🙂
thanks for the giveaway!
Sarah
That Bookish Girl
email: thatbookishgirl@gmail.com
twitter: @thatbookishgirl
I hope book scifi counts! I love Ann Aguirre's Sirantha Jax.
b(dot)cardone(at)hotmail(dot)com
Favorite Sci-Fi heroine? There are so many good ones to choose from. I am going to have to go with a few that mentioned before: Ellen Ripley and Sarah Connor. They are just too kick ass.
Thanks!
Katie
bigferret at email dot com
I think my favorite is Sarah Connor from the Terminator series. She is smokin'! But then I liked Jennifer Garner in the Dare Devil and Elektra..cheezy as the films were..she was great in those parts.
kkhaas at bellsouth dot net
Well my first pick is Ripley from Aliens and then Sarah Conner from the Terminator movies. But I'll throw in a third character you did not name… Violet played by Milla Jovovich in the movie Ultraviolet. Milla also played well as Alice in the Resident Evil films I thought.
LadyVampire2u AT gmail DOT com
Alice from Resident Evil. Does that count as Sci-Fi? .
Hi Zoe:
Congratulations on the book launch. I just read the glowing review of COLLISION COURSE over at Mandy's place. You're off to a flying start!
I've already put the book on my cellphone, thank you.
All the heroines you mentioned I adore — I just love kick-ass SF women.
Well…I just love strong heroines, period.
Cheers,
Tracy
My favorite sci-fi heroines are Princess Leia and Barbaralla.
Thanks for the giveaway.
artgiote at gmail dot com
Gosh some great heroines would be: Mercy Thompson, Faythe from Shifters series, Rachel Morgan from the Hallows, Anita Black (in some), Katniss.
Collision Course sounds fantastic. I cannot wait.
GFC
terilhack at gmail dot com
Oh my gosh! I'm so happy to see Aeryn Sun here! She's my absolute favorite! There is a special place in my heart for Farscape.
jacqueline.c.goodman AT gmail DOT com
Mine would be Sarah Conner. When she pumped up her arms for T2 she became my kind of kick ass heroine.
vsloboda(at)gmail(dot)com
I think you listed the best Sci-fi heroines! Does Alice from Resident Evil count!? If so, she can kick-ass.
robin [at] intensewhisper [dot] com
Sarah Connor is definitely toward the top of my list. I have to say I love Zoe Washbourne, too. She was totally kickass and wore the pants in her relationship with Wash (*sobs*), but you could always see how much they loved and respected each other.
I'd also add Tasha "Sass" Sebastian from Linea Sinclair's GAMES OF COMMAND. Loved her "No. No. Bad Captain!" shirt.
🙂
Sandy Williams
Lois McMaster Bujold's Cordelia Naismith.
little lamb lst at yahoo dot com
Love Aeryn and Ripley but my all time favorite has to be David Weber's Honor Harrington.
"Is that you, Mulder?"
My favorite Sci-Fi heroine is Dana Scully of "The X-Files". Played with sensitivity, strength, and determination by Gillian Anderson, Scully is a heroine for all time. Without Scully, her FBI partner, Fox Mulder, would never survive. He "wants to believe" in UFOs and ETs. She does "believe"–she's a person of strong spiritual faith. She is also a doctor, a scientist, and a forensic examiner. Together, the two of them are a fabulous combination of opposites attract and partners protect, even when they agree to disagree. Scully & Mulder: a great team, great friends, great Sci-Fi characters, and a great love story!
US Resident, GFC Follower, Subscriber
gcwhiskas at aol dot com
I love all these comments! Clearly, the kick-ass sci-fi heroine is one who resonates strongly with readers. Sci-fi is such an open genre, it can definitely include The X-Files (LOVE Scully, and she's short, too!) and Resident Evil.
And, yes, books count! But it's easier to post pictures of characters from film and television than from books. 😉
My favorite would have to be "Kitty" Kat from Gini Koch's alien series. she has her flaws, but she's tough too and can often figure things out before the men. 🙂
Collision Course is on my to buy list.
jessicasubject.writer[at]gmail[dot]com
Okay, I know that she's probably not sci-fi, but no Xena?!? I'm shocked.
I LOVED Xena, heidenkind! I even went to a Xena convention once. And I met Lucy Lawless not too long ago. I squeed and we talked about sex, and then gave her a bookmark. *g*
I LOVED Xena, heidenkind! I even went to a Xena convention once. And I met Lucy Lawless not too long ago. I squeed and we talked about sex, and then gave her a bookmark. *g*
I LOVED Kaylee from FIREFLY and Willow from Buffy!
justforswag(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
Wow, loved this post. All of your examples are great. I am so stoked to see Aeryn and Zoe on the list. The other commenters had some great additions like Katniss. I would like to add River Tam from Firefly. As messed up as she was, she was fierce!
Sorry, I was so excited I forgot to leave my email.
jepebATverizonDOTnet
My favorite is Barbarella.
kissinoak at frontier dot com
I'm a Star Trek girl at heart! It think I've watched every episode of every series but my absolute favourite one is The Next Generation series. You know, Captain Picard…ah, I love him! lol So, my favourite sci-fi heroine would be from the Voyager series Captain Janeway.
claudigc at msn dot com
I love all the comments! My fave kick ass girl is mila jovovich in the zombie movies or Celine from underworld!
Hollybwright at comcast dot net
I have to go with Max (Jessica Alba) from Dark Angel!
I LOVED that series and am still made it was canceled after 2 season. It's been 10 years you would think I would have gotten over it by now. LOL! Good thing i have the seasons on DVD.
PS Im a new follower I got here through Twitter and retweeted. =)
-Amanda P
Paranormal Romance
Books, Shopping & Rock N' Roll
prnovel (at) gmail
You know, I wasn't that big a fan of sci-fi until I read 'Jack Knife' by Virginia Baker. I was surprised by the mix of sci-fi and historical combination! The main character, the heroine Sara, is a serious kick ass! I loved her!! 🙂
Thank you for the international giveaway! 😀
kah_cherub at hotmail dot com
My favorite sci-fi heroine is from a book. It's Andrea, from The Sterkarm Handshake, by Susan Price. She's a very bright anthropologist and translator, and she goes back on time to live and study among the primitive tribesmen, all of them rustic, rude and somewhat violent warriors. She needs to kick ass to handle all that! 🙂
cris_mv at hotmail dot com
Hmmm, my favorite sci-fi hero, you ask? Well, that person is in fact a heroine, Cat Crawfield from the Night Huntress sereis, as well as Elena D. from the Guild Hunter series! I love them so much :L
Thanks 🙂
lnhphm24@hotmail.com
Ripley from 'Aliens". Way to survive!!! They were some very nasty bugs.
marypres@gmail.com
I love Sarah Connor from Terminator. I think she was a very strong woman who knew what she had to do and learned how to take care of herself and defend her son. Please enter me in contest. I would love to read this book. Tore923@aol.com
Aeryn Sun from Farscape, Kara “Starbuck” Thrace from Battlestar Galactica, and Zoë Washburne from Firefly are all at the top of my list, as well as River and Kaylee from Firefly.
In books, definitely Gini Koch's Kitty Kat, Ann Aguirre's Sirantha Jax, and any of Linnea Sinclair's heroines, they all kick ass.
Barbed1951 at aol dot com
Oh, I maybe have too many! I love Starbuck and Scully, Leia and all the girls from Firefly, but I might have to go with some British classics: Gwen from Torchwood and Rose, Martha, Donna and Amy from Doctor Who. They kick ass and save the world on a weekly basis, and still look amazing. The Dr Who companions also make sure the Doctor maintains his humanity, which makes them key to his whole existence.
Oops, forgot my email!
mrsaubergine1@gmail.com
Um, any of the heroines in Firefly. I really love River but then Kaylee is so sweet and Inara and Zoe also rock. I also like Olivia Dunnam from Fringe but that's more love of the show that her in particular. Great giveaway, thanks.
jessicamariesutton(at)msn(dot)com
Who are your favorite sci-fi heroines?
I love Zoe from Zoe's Tale (John Scalzi), Gwen from Torchowood and Rose form Doctor Who.
welzen [at] hotmail [dot] com
Ellen Ripley has always been my favorite SciFi heroine. Kick-ass should be her middle name. I will watch all of the Alien movies because of her. She is an awesome character.
Stacie
GeishasMom73 on twitter
does buffy count? If not I choose Sarah, she protects her kid and can pump a shotgun with one arm/hand.
jennife kjovus
kjovus(at)gmail(dot)com
My favorites are Ripley and Captain Janeway.
marlenebreakfield(at)yahoo(dot)com