Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “The Steerswoman's Road” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

The Steerswoman's Road

(The Steerswoman #1-2)

Rosemary Kirstein

4.26 · Rating details · 478 ratings · 75 reviews

If you ask, she will answer. If she asks, you must reply. A steerswoman will speak only the truth to you, as long as she knows it—and you must do the same for her. And so, across the centuries, the Steerswomen— questioning, searching, investigating—have slowly learned more and more about the world through which they wander. All knowledge the Steerswomen possess is given fr ...more

Get A Copy

Paperback, Omnibus, 668 pages

Published July 1st 2003 by Del Rey

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about The Steerswoman's Road, please sign up.

Be the first to ask a question about The Steerswoman's Road

Lists with This Book

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

Speculative Fiction that Passes the Bechdel Test

721 books — 757 voters

Best Fantasy Books with Strong Women Characters

542 books — 429 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 4.26 ·

Rating details

· 478 ratings · 75 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of The Steerswoman's Road

Feb 17, 2009 Nick Fagerlund rated it it was amazing

Low-tech scientist-adventurer kicks ass, takes names, takes extensive notes (with diagrams), and gets shot at by ancient ecocidal weapons systems. Fucking absolutely amazing. I recommend this ~~book~~ series without a single reservation. Could go on and on and on, but a: I'll save it for LJ, and b: must be careful not to screw up the reveals, which are myriad and totally sweet. ...more

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

Oct 29, 2013 Ethan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: book-club

Fantasy and I have had a tepid relationship as of late. I've always been more of a science fiction fan, anyway, but I've been thoroughly unable to get into the last few fantasy books I've attempted to read. The Steerswoman was thus unexpectedly awesome. As many reviewers have noted, this is basically a science fiction story in the guise of fantasy, which probably explains my reaction. The main characters (who are awesome, by the way) use critical thinking in their search for knowledge whereas a Fantasy and I have had a tepid relationship as of late. I've always been more of a science fiction fan, anyway, but I've been thoroughly unable to get into the last few fantasy books I've attempted to read. The Steerswoman was thus unexpectedly awesome. As many reviewers have noted, this is basically a science fiction story in the guise of fantasy, which probably explains my reaction. The main characters (who are awesome, by the way) use critical thinking in their search for knowledge whereas a lot of fantasy delves into superstition and unexplainable magic. There is "magic" in this one, but you'd have to be an extremely oblivious reader not to notice that the so-called "magic" has some natural, scientific explanation (it's fun figuring out what's really going on). The Steerswomen (and a couple Steersmen) are a group of people dedicated to the search for, and free dissemination of, knowledge; their adversaries, the Wizards, are an elitist, secretive group who use "magic" and resolutely refuse to share their knowledge. This dichotomy sets the background for the story. Rowan, our intrepid Steerswoman, finds some mysterious jewels and goes on a quest to learn about them. She travels with Bel, an Outskirter who defies stereotypes and has an amusing "odd couple" relationship with Rowan. Along the way they pick up Willam, a commoner who can nonetheless use some "magic." Highjinks ensue, wizards pursue. Without giving too much away, I can say that my favorite dramatic tension was when Rowan had to decide whether or not to do the one thing Steerswomen aren't allowed to do: lie. Did I mention that this has the typical fantasy setting vaguely based on medieval Europe without the medieval European misogyny? I personally would love to be one of the rare Steersmen, but for now I suppose reading the sequels will suffice.
(I will review the second book, The Outskirter's Secret, later) See my discussion of this and other fantasy for science fiction fans here: http://examinedworlds.blogspot.com/20... ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Aug 05, 2011 Tudor Ciocarlie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: jo-waltons-rec

Great novel! I love how Kirstein dresses a science fiction book into perfect fantasy clothes. It will be a great journey of discovery for me and for Rowan in the second volume, because every tiny bit of this apparently fantasy world has a science-fictional explanation. I can't wait! ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

May 12, 2011 April rated it it was amazing

I enjoyed this book to pieces. It is very difficult to describe. At heart the story is of one woman, interested in ferreting out information on a curiosity and it blows up into a world in danger. Sort of without the reader even being aware until you get there.

I find the concept of the steerswomen fascinating, a group of people dedicated to knowledge, gathering it and sharing it freely like human libraries wandering the earth. I did find a bit of a logical flaw in their makeup but I got over it. ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Mar 29, 2011 Liz Henry rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sf, feministsf, reread

I love the Steerswoman books! Rowan is a steerswoman, part of a guild of travelling librarian/archivist/researchers who swear to answer any question truthfully. She meets up with a fabulous sword wielding barbarian. When they investigate the mystery of some weird jewels, wizards start trying to kill them. Except it's actually all science fiction, with computers and satellites and radioactive weapons and blacksmith's children inventing gunpowder!

The Steerswoman books are awesome for showing cult ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Feb 06, 2009 Arminzerella rated it it was amazing

Shelves: travel, science-fiction, gutsy-girls, adventure, future, adult-fiction, favorites, actually-own

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Jan 02, 2021 Rosie rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I was so thoroughly engaged in this book, from the beginning. The characters, the world, the adventure. I love the foundations the story is built on, the whole concept of the Steerswomen, with mysteries and questions and puzzles, pulling me in more with every chapter.

I found many things unexpected, but all the more satisfying for how they turn out because of it, both large and small things. Many things also being both familiar, but so casually slightly and subtly different the world I unconscio ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Mar 17, 2010 MB (What she read) rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy-urban-fantasy-paranormals, read-in-2010, science-fiction

Okay, that was interesting!

The first book "The Steerwoman" felt like a standard fantasy, if fairly slow going. But Kirstein gives you the clues bit by bit and you the reader as well as the characters build up them up piece by piece.

The second book "The Outskirters Secret" was more interesting to me and I really liked the world buildup of the Outskirts including the flora and fauna, the tribal life and customs, and the way they all interacted. I also especially enjoyed the friendship between th ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Feb 21, 2011 Lis Carey rated it really liked it

Shelves: f-sf

This is an omnibus edition of The Steerswoman and The Outskirter's Secret, originally published in 1989 and 1992. They're books with the outward form of fantasy, and the underlying structure of science fiction.

Rowan is a steerswoman, an initiate of a privileged group of knowledge-gatherers who travel assigned routes through the world, filling in missing details and sharing their gathered knowledge with anyone who asks--provided that they also answer any questions the steerswomen have. Individual ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Jul 03, 2018 Carro rated it it was amazing

The Steerswoman's Road is two books in one - The Steerswoman and The Outskirter's Secret
I first read Rosemary Kirstein's “Steerswoman” over ten years ago, re-read it a couple of times and having just re-read it again am reviewing it.
It is the first book of four published (so far). To long term fans of this series – like me – it is great news that Rosemary Kirstein is back at work on book five. On her blog it says that by September 2018 she hopes to be able to have a better idea when the publica The Steerswoman's Road is two books in one - The Steerswoman and The Outskirter's Secret
I first read Rosemary Kirstein's “Steerswoman” over ten years ago, re-read it a couple of times and having just re-read it again am reviewing it.
It is the first book of four published (so far). To long term fans of this series – like me – it is great news that Rosemary Kirstein is back at work on book five. On her blog it says that by September 2018 she hopes to be able to have a better idea when the publication date will be. (She has also re-released all four existing books as eBooks.)
At first sight, the Steerswoman comes over as a fantasy with magic set in a maybe seventeenth or early eighteenth century level of knowledge in a more village and town type of society rather than city level. It gradually becomes clear through the first book that it is actually a science fiction book. For the ordinary people the world is pre-major industry, but what is first seen as magic – special glowing lights for example - is revealed as technology. The workings of the technology is known only to an elite of a maybe a dozen wizards, who graciously gift the occasional crumb to towns or villages in their holdings. The reader can easily identify limited use of such things as gunpowder and electricity, but to those in the story, it is “magic”.
The wizards come in two factions, who sometimes war with each other. While they benefit their holdings with protection from dangerous beasts such as dragons, they demand a levy of food, goods, servants and in war time troops. The wars can and have laid waste to areas of countryside.
The order of Steerswomen is an interesting invention. (Incidentally, while the majority are women, there are some men in the order.) They are mathematicians, map makers, navigators, explorers and reliable news carriers. The duties are suited to the individual – whether going out on a journey to update or expand charts, or staying at home to collate and copy the log books sent back by steerswomen who are out exploring. They have an important status in society, because they are the best source of accurate, regularly updated maps and charts and also of accurate news. This is important to mariners and merchants and also to ordinary people – who want to know relatives living fifty or a hundred miles away in a town the steerswoman passed through a week back are doing well.
The steerswomen have one crucial rule – if you ask them a question, they have to give an accurate answer and in turn if they ask you a question, you have to give an accurate answer. (Though by custom and practice, personally harmful or nosy questions should be avoided.) If you fail to answer a steerswoman's question, you are put under a ban – none of your questions will be answered by any steerswoman (once news of your ban has reached them). This means you cannot gain any information about trade, your family or anything else the steerwoman knows. The wizards do not answer questions.
The book opens with the arrival of Rowan, a steerswoman. Shortly after the start of the book she meets Bel, who is a warrior from the Outskirts – a bit like the steppes. The Outskirters live a nomadic and tribal life as goatherders and warriors, sparring with neighbouring tribes and raiding the “soft” farmers.
Bel the Outskirter has an unusual belt, set with strange, smooth blue jewels. Rowan and Bel take a liking to each other and decide to travel together, while Rowan starts to investigate those jewels. This precipitates all sorts of discoveries and trouble.
All the characters are well drawn, convincing and interesting as is the world building.
I particularly like this book because of the way it handles the investigation of the jewels and the author's understanding of the scientific method. At least to me, she makes Rowan's maths and investigation both convincing and interesting - not heavy handed. I have seen a few reviews which criticise what Rowan is able to work out, saying it is too advanced for the story and the tools available. I disagree, because the Romans had a sound understanding of ballistics from their use of catapults, and Newton worked out the mathematics of gravity in the seventeenth century. So to me Rowan's deductions are entirely plausible.

In the Outskirter's Secret, Rowan and Bel travel to the Outskirts to find the source of the jewels on Bel's belt. This is my favourite book of the series as the creation of the Outskirts and the customs and people of the tribe who Rowan and Bel travel with are absolutely brilliant. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Mar 01, 2016 rosamund rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, sf, recommended-to-me

Those from the wealthy Inner Lands fear the warriors from the dangerous Outskirts, but Rowan and Bel buck this trend when they become allies and close friends. This volume contains two novels in the Steerswoman series: in the first, we explore the prosperous Inner Lands, encounter magic and wizards, and see Rowan and Bel for the courageous and compassionate women they are. In the second, more compelling, novel, we travel to the dangerous Outskirts, where humans eek out a living on the dangerous Those from the wealthy Inner Lands fear the warriors from the dangerous Outskirts, but Rowan and Bel buck this trend when they become allies and close friends. This volume contains two novels in the Steerswoman series: in the first, we explore the prosperous Inner Lands, encounter magic and wizards, and see Rowan and Bel for the courageous and compassionate women they are. In the second, more compelling, novel, we travel to the dangerous Outskirts, where humans eek out a living on the dangerous red-grass veldt where few humans can survive. The pacing of these books is slow, and I found them quite dense at times. While I loved the women-centric world and the descriptions of place and landscape, I got frustrated at times by how long it took for anything to happen.

My favourite trope in SFF is exploring an alien world and examining the biology of a different place. In the second novel, this happens all the time, as Rowan is exploring the world of the Outskirts and trying to figure out why it differs from her native Inner Lands. There are many discussions of unfamiliar biology and the ways to live in a hostile environment. I hugely enjoyed this aspect of the novel, and I loved how Kirstein spent time on this subject and how well-thought out it was.

The central idea of the novel -- (view spoiler)

I felt let down at times by this book, especially its plotting, but overall I found it very compelling and different, and would certainly read more by this author. I didn't realise that there were more books in this series and I'll definitely get hold of the rest of them. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jun 03, 2016 Marlo rated it really liked it

Wow! I found this on a list of recommendations from Jo Walton, because Walton is currently one of my favourite authors. Clearly she can be trusted.

You get pretty far into this book before you realize it's a completely different story than you thought it was going to be. Kirstein provides subtle clues, and the pace of the reveals is perfect. Plus, this book is feminist without ever overtly talking about women's rights. It's just part of the world-building, and it's totally matter-of-fact. Also, ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Mar 26, 2014 Diane Baker rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sf-fantasy

This series looks like fantasy, but behind it is real science, and the mind of a scientist: Rowan, the Steerswoman. Ask her a question, and she'll answer you, but you must answer her questions truthfully, or she (and any other Steerswoman) will never answer your questions again. Ever. (Makes you wish you were a Steerswoman yourself.)

Rowan seeks knowledge as avidly as a thirsty person seeks water in a desert. The story stays in the mind a long time, and one must pay attention to small details to ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Aug 30, 2011 K. rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, science-fiction-fantasy, girl-power

There are so many words I want to use to describe how much in love I am with this book (or two books, as it were) and I can't seem to bring them together coherently. I fail as a critical reviewer.

Still, I was hoping for Bel and Rowan to get together. None of my favorite female relationships seem to end up that way. None! I just want lesbians in all my fiction. Is that so much to ask?! ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jan 08, 2013 Karen rated it it was amazing

This book gets such a high rating not for the story (which is good but not amaaazing) but the fact that there are TWO strong independent female protagonists who are NOT changed by a romantic relationship that robs them of their strong independence. Hooray!

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Mar 27, 2013 Deanna rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction, sci-fi-fantasy

I really enjoyed this book, and the whole series. This edition contains the first two books, there are two more published, and a fifth is in progress. There are two strong female protagonists with very different personalities that are very enjoyable. This is smart fantasy.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Sep 10, 2008 Valerie rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Debbie

Recommended to Valerie by: free

Shelves: math, fantasy-sf

I really enjoy the concept of Steerswomen. It drives the book and sets up strings of events that follow logically and impeccably.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Sep 18, 2010 Stephanie rated it did not like it

Shelves: gave-up, 2010

I stopped at 80 or so pages - it just wasn't holding my interest. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Oct 30, 2013 Rob rated it did not like it

Shelves: via-deadtree, sf-f

Not the book for me. Not being able to bring myself to care about what was going on, plus some annoying authorial tics conspired to end the book early for me.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

May 22, 2017 Rory O’Kane rated it liked it

Recommended to Rory by: Raymond Arnold

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

flag Like · see review

Jul 19, 2019 Cute Librarian rated it it was amazing

Shelves: completed-2019, purchased, adult, sff, print

The first two books, The Steerswoman and The Outskirter's Secret, of Rosemary Kirstein's phenomenal series.

Pros:
An intellectual love letter to the scientific method and the power of communication in a unique fantasy world.
A lovely focus on the friendship of two middle aged women.
A romance that isn't just 'you look good, let's get married'.
The prose is simple but effective. It flows well. The dialogue is also pretty good, you can tell characters apart by it.

Cons:
The series is not currently fin ...more

flag Like · see review

Nov 30, 2020 Jae Lin rated it it was amazing

Amazing fantasy world building that up ends so many eurocentric dichotomies around civil/savage cultures and landscapes. Such phenomenal protagonists that win my heart fully over. Rowan and Bel are such amazing foils, and their friendship is so brilliant and charismatic.

There is quite a bit of violence throughout the stories, often with little consequence or weight, which felt jarring to me at times. And each book ends very abruptly, which isn't too my taste. Still, 5/5 such a brilliant universe ...more

flag Like · see review

Jul 28, 2019 Emily VA rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

flag Like · see review

May 14, 2009 M— rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed, z-do-not-delete, journaled

Beach Vacation Read #2: One of two carefully selected proper paper books brought along to supplement my ereader and read on the plane. This one, snagged used through a bookswap site, had the misfortune to reek of smoke and my effort to remove the odor had met with minimal success. I had intended at the beginning to abandon it at the beach house — but it was so good, I passed it to my dad instead.

It is rare, rare, rare that I find a book that's lived up to its hype, but this one did, and then som ...more

flag Like · see review

Oct 17, 2010 Mark rated it really liked it

Shelves: sci-fi

If you ask a Steerswoman (and some Steersmen) a question, any question, she will answer. If a Steerswoman asks you a question, any question, you must reply. A Steerswoman will speak only the truth to you (provided she knows the truth) and you must do the same for her. If you refuse to answer her question, you will be placed under the Steerswomen's Ban and no Steerswoman will answer your questions - ever. So for centuries, the Steerswomen - questioning, searching, investigating - have slowly lear If you ask a Steerswoman (and some Steersmen) a question, any question, she will answer. If a Steerswoman asks you a question, any question, you must reply. A Steerswoman will speak only the truth to you (provided she knows the truth) and you must do the same for her. If you refuse to answer her question, you will be placed under the Steerswomen's Ban and no Steerswoman will answer your questions - ever. So for centuries, the Steerswomen - questioning, searching, investigating - have slowly learned more and more about the world through which they wander, the Inner Lands. All the knowledge that the Steerswomen possess is given freely to those who ask and they have assisted mankind's expansion through the land, pushing their boundaries - physical and mental - ever outward.

This is an interesting world and the reader would be easily forgiven for assuming it was medieval. I did. But as the story unfolds, it turns out that the Inner Lands are far more than they seem. I find myself pausing here, wondering just how much I can say without venturing into the dreaded realm of the spoiler. It's not so much that I'm worried about giving away huge twists in the plot, but rather that I don't want to spoil Kirstein's wonderful way with the slow reveal. One thing this book is not is high fantasy. From the blurb on the back, you may think so, but no it's not. This by no mean detracts from the story. In fact, when it took such a dramatic turn from what I was expecting, I was too caught up in the tales unfolding to care.

Let me explain. You see, Steerswomen are not the only holders of knowledge. Other men and women (called wizards by the people) hold sway over a knowledge that gives them miraculous powers. Called magic, the wizards won't share their knowledge. For centuries, they have been under the Steerswomen's Ban for refusing to answer the Steerswomen's questions. So when the Steerswoman Rowan begins to search for the origin of a small blue jewel that hints at the magical, her questions spark a chain of events that see the wizards of the Inner Lands seeking her death. The precise sets of questions and formulae used by Steerswomen to draw the truth out of story and observation are part of what made this book so appealing to me. Moving through a world with no means of instant communication, Steerswomen rely on highly trained powers of deduction, matched with a broad education in basic science and the principles of logic.

Part adventure, part detective story, this book is a fantastic read that actually kept me up till the wee hours. Kirstein displays a great sense of plotting, vivid characterisation and sets her tale to explore contemporary themes.

Hurry up with the rest of the series Ms Kirstein - please! ...more

flag Like · see review

Jun 09, 2010 Althea Ann rated it it was amazing

This is an omnibus edition of "The Steerswoman" and "The Outskirter's Secret."

Kirstein's 'Steerswoman' series had been highly recommended to me - and did not disappoint in the slightest. It's fun, well-crafted, well-characterized adventure with an original set-up and believable culture(s). Rowan is a Steerswoman. As the title might indicate, she is adept at nautical navigation, but the main goal of Steerswomen is to collect (and dissemintate) knowledge and information, write it down, and deliver This is an omnibus edition of "The Steerswoman" and "The Outskirter's Secret."

Kirstein's 'Steerswoman' series had been highly recommended to me - and did not disappoint in the slightest. It's fun, well-crafted, well-characterized adventure with an original set-up and believable culture(s). Rowan is a Steerswoman. As the title might indicate, she is adept at nautical navigation, but the main goal of Steerswomen is to collect (and dissemintate) knowledge and information, write it down, and deliver it to Archives. As a valuable source of information, Steerswomen are greatly respected and deferred to. People think there is little they do not know. But Rowan has come across a mystery - some strange 'jewels,' the source of which is unknown, and about which strange rumors have collected. At a tavern, she meets Bel, a woman of the dangerous, barbarian Outskirts, who owns a whole belt fashioned of these jewels. Bel tells Rowan that her father crafted the belt, but that she could guide Rowan to the place where he found them, if she is up for a challenging journey. However, then the two women are attacked - and wizards seem to be behind it. Wizards are the traditional rivals of Steerswomen - but usually they keep out of each other's way, avoiding violence. What is it about these jewels that the wizards want kept secret?
Although the book is styled as a fantasy, it is obvious to the reader that this is a colony world, and that many of the things that these people consider to be magic are actually vestiges of high technology. Watching Bel and Rowan discover truths about their world is fascinating - but equally of interest is watching two culturally different people become fast friends.

In 'The Outskirter's Secret', the story begun in "The Steerswoman" continues. The Steerswoman Rowan and her friend, the Outskirter Bel, travel to find the source of mysterious jewels. At first, this was no more than a routine inquiry, but as deception and violence follow them, they begin to suspect there's something more to discover. Is there a plot by an evil wizard to disrupt weather patterns and take over the world? Is the way of life followed by the barbarians of the Outskirts threatened? What do the Guidestars, which have long been used in navigation, but now, Rowan suspects, may be more significant, have to do with it? The more Rowan discovers, the more questions she has - especially concerning the Outskirts, and the land beyond, which seems completely inimical to human life.
An excellent novel, especially notable for its vividly drawn cultures. ...more

flag Like · see review

Jun 18, 2012 Deidre rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science-fiction, series, fantasy, fantasy-epic, box-d

I've had this series for awhile, but had a hard time getting book 3 (ended up with a proof edition, but I'm reading this series anyway!).

This is really a great read. Seems like fantasy, epic type, but one can tell right off that it is also science fiction. (view spoiler)

I have a zillion things to do, but read this combo of book 1 & 2 instead. I love t ...more

flag Like · see review

Oct 18, 2010 Michelle rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, dtb-own, sci-fi, feminism

wavering between 3-4 stars, the lush prose beats out the slow pacing.

on a far off world, Rosemary Kierstein has come up with an entirely novel version of honor. her main character, Rowan, is a steerswoman: one of a college of wandering scribes who gathers as much knowledge of the world as possible, and redistributes this knowledge freely to anyone. you see, if you ask a steerswoman a question, she must respond, and you are likewise bound to truthfully and fully answer her questions as well. lyi ...more

flag Like · see review

Feb 04, 2015 Isis rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

flag Like · see review

Jun 30, 2007 Beth (moonivy) rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: fantasy/sci-fi readers.

Read 5/28-6/1/07.

The Steerswoman is the first book in a series of elegantly drawn fantasy/
science fiction novels about Rowan, a steerswoman. On Rowan's world, a
medieval culture reigns, where a select few are steerswomen - a combination
of historian, adventurer, law-giver, healer and teacher. Rowan's investigation
into the mysterious blue jewels that are scattered about the Inner Lands will
lead her into danger and conflict with the wizards that rule the land.

This is an excellent fantasy novel, gro ...more

flag Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 next »