AARRRGGGGHHH!!!!

[meganbmoore]

I just read a review of Patricia Briggs's latest Mercy Thompson book, by someone whose comments on the first two book line up with my opinions on them .  Not only does it include my absolute least favorite theme in fantasy fiction, but apparently, authors are contractually obligated to include my least favorite part of urban fantasy.

I think magicnoirejust summed up, in a comment about the review one of the biggest problems with the treatment of female characters in fantasy.

It's either they have to get raped to become interested in fighting crime or they get raped while fighting crime because they're women and it's dangerous and when a woman is in danger, she gets raped!

I just...I don't think I can read the book now.

Which is bad, because for "kickass female oriented urban fantasy" I'm now left with...Vicki Petterson...and only the comic geek in me gets me past a lot of the problems there(like the fact that I fear the heroine is going to spend several more volumes ignoring the righ guy, while pining for someone who is, not only dull, but blatantly wrong for her...but that's another rant about females in fantasy fiction.)

Comments

[laura-holt-pi.livejournal.com]

I hate that more than I can ever express. I used to watch a police series called The Bill. For a couple of years it was great, with strong female characters. Then, they either changed writers or direction, because suddenly, any female character above the rank of constable was getting raped. It felt like they suddenly wanted to say, "Look what happens if you try to do a man's job."

In British police series over the last ten years, it seems to be becoming standard that a woman who achieves any rank has to be raped and/or get into a relationship with a criminal.

It especially offends me when written by a woman. I don't read urban fantasy at all now.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I have realized today...after this...I read 2 urban fantasy series written by men about men, and one written by a woman, under a male pseudonym(though you can tell she's female) about men. And this series. The others I've dropped.