Books Not Tagged "GLBT" with Great Queer Characters

[K.N.]

I've read a few books on my list from other genres that surprised me by including well-written queer characters. I hope this continues and that there won't be need for a separate GLBT genre in the not-too-distant-future, but, in the meantime, I'd like to give praise where it's due to some books that may not show up on the GLBT shelf.

The first was The Poem-Skull. It's a bizzaro surrealist speculative fiction novel that makes me think if Douglas Adams' Dirk Gently series crashed and combined with Fahrenheit 451. It's wildly funny and strange and has a large cast of characters on the queer spectrum, including the female protagonist.
EDIT: I had to add, JM Hushour uses the word "gay" as a derogatory adjective a few times in the book. I had the opportunity to message back and forth with him and asked him about it, paraphrased here:

Me: I twitch at the use of "gay" to mean stupid. I used to be guilty of using it that way when I was a teenager, but now when I hear it being used, my usual response is, "In what way is it a homosexual?" It jarred me a little because [the protagonist] herself seems bisexual (or pansexual) and has friends that also fall into the LGBTQ category. In fact, she called [another character] out on using the word, which made me happy, but it's popped up a few times when "the author" addresses the audience.

Hushour: Ha! The use of 'gay' is definitely not meant to be offensive. As should be clear by the well-rounded sexual ambiguity of half the characters, I champion all forms of identity. For me, it's just sort of a hollow, weird use of the word that, in retrospect, makes no sense whatsoever and makes little sense now. I'm certainly sorry if it offends, but again, should be clear I don't intend it that way. Indeed, your reaction of "In what way is it a homosexual?" is pretty sublime and worthy of an inclusion in a story itself.
END EDIT

The latest book I read was The Devil's Alphabet, which is in the science fiction genre, but surprised me when I realized that the protagonist was queer. In fact, the book rather blew me away. I knew exactly what the character was going through. I had experienced a lot of his crises myself, though, obviously, not exactly the same things; it is sci-fi after all.

Thinking further back, I was surprised that Cell by Stephen King had a gay character; even better, he was amazing.

Any other books out there that you were pleasantly surprised to find well-written queer characters in?

[Greg]

I'm finding the gay/bisexual characters in Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell quite entertaining. The voice of the narrator of the Letters from Zedelghem sections is a real kick. It's a sci-fi book as well. Maybe I'm living under a rock, but I had no idea of the queer content until I read it.

Another sci-fi book (this one had unexpected lesbian content) was Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. More of a side story in that book, but the character was great, and the book overall was entertaining, fun for someone either growing up in the 80's or who knows the subculture references. Not going to be up for any literary awards, but fun.

[Nancy]

One book that comes to mind is When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger.

I knew the book explored personality modification and knowledge enhancement before reading, but I didn't expect the sensitive and intelligent portrayal of gender reassignment surgery. It's a highly entertaining and smart story.

My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jim]

What about Lisbeth from the The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series?

And do the Batwoman comics count?

And, BTW, Kit - The Poem-Skull sounds weird and fascinating!

[Jason]

I don't think you meant to pick the parody of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

[Jim]

Jason wrote: "I don't think you meant to pick the parody of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"

Aw, crap! Thanks, Jason. Fixed.

[Bill, Moderator]

Every book I read has at least one Gay character—the one I identify with!

I remember a epic fantasy book or series I read an the '80s which I have been unable to identify. I remember I really liked it. The main character was a late teen, Alexander the Great-like, charismatic male who gathered an army around him and marched south to fight evil and magic. I remember he'd sleep with his men who loved him weather they were Gay or straight. I've no idea of the book's name or author. It was mainstream epic fantasy.

The best novel I remember like you ask is Cyteen with a gay couple Justin a human and Grant an Azi, a genenged male. Cyteen is one of the best SF novels of all time. It won a Hugo, Locus, BSFA and other awards, second in my list only to Dune.

Another is The Last Herald Mage an omnibus trilogy of the 1st 3 books of the immense Valdemar epic fantasy world of Mercedes Lackey. Several of the trilogies have LGBT characters, some main characters.

The Game of Thrones series could also be mentioned in this regard, though not as Gay as the above.

[Greg]

Nancy wrote: "One book that comes to mind is When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger.

I knew the book explored personality modification and knowledge enhancement before reading..."

That one looks intriguing Nancy! I hadn't heard of it before.

[Bill, Moderator]

When Gravity Falls is an excellent novel, IMO. I had forgotten the Gay thread.

[Mark]

The book Legend by Marie Lu has a gay older brother. Another book is proxy by Alex London (and its sequel) also contain a character.

[Valyssia]

Seanan McGuire / Mira Grant is good about including interesting gay and lesbian characters in just about everything she writes. She's a huge proponent of populating her stories realistically, with characters of every ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation...

My favorite gay character of the bunch is May Daye from the October Daye series. She hasn't played a huge role in any of the October Daye books, but she's just a joy to read when she does show up. I believe that happens in book 4, Late Eclipses. The crusty young/old Sea Witch from the same series is bi, but the subject isn't really discussed.

Maggy from the Newsflesh Trilogy written under McGuire's sci-fi/horror nome de plume Mira Grant is lesbian. She shows up in the second book and is a large part of the story. In the first book Feed there's another key character who is lesbian. However she isn't outed until book three as I recall.

McGuire also authored a cutesy superhero series called Velveteen vs. where, as I understand it, the protagonist is a gawky young lesbian with super powers who doesn't fit the superhero mold. I take it to be amusing stuff, but I haven't gotten to it.

Django Wexler's protagonist Winter Ihernglass from the Shadow Campaigns is a lesbian woman who lives as a man in a military setting in the first of the primary books The Thousand Names. Winter is a marvelous character. Wexler created just the right mix of strength and vulnerability in her. The series is top notch epic fantasy in the black powder vein. I've read the first two core novels in what will be a trilogy with a couple of short stories tacked on to round things out, and am awaiting the final book with giddy anticipation.

[lela]

Jim C. Hine's Princess Novels is a fun, rompy fantasy series with an incredible cast of characters(view spoiler)[ and a lesbian lead (hide spoiler)]. It basically follows Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty after Cinderella's "happily ever after." Lost of strong female characters in this one, and I had a ton of fun reading them.

[Greg]

Lots of books being suggested that I hadn't heard of before Mark, Valyssia, and Lee. Thanks for posting! I am curious to check some of them out.

Mark, I think I actually might have a copy of Legend that I got for free at ComicCon a year or two ago. It's sitting on my shelf at home; I hadn't gotten around to reading it yet.

[K.N.]

Hey, just thought I'd let everyone know that one of the books I mentioned in my post, The Poem-Skull should be going on sale (FREE!) for the next few days. It hasn't switched yet, but it should soon. Just a notice in case anyone wanted to grab it! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I6VMQAW

[Greg]

Thanks Kit!

[A]

I just readThe Devil's Alphabet too, and I had almost forgotten that it had a queer protagonist (and was done really well). It can be hard to find genre work that handles things right without making the plot all about it.

I'm also liking The Raven Boys series for YA/adults who like slow complex character studies under laid by lots of mythology.

[Greg]

A wrote: "I'm also liking The Raven Boys series for YA/adults who like slow complex character studies under laid by lots of mythology. ..."

I only read the first one so far, but I enjoyed it! I thought the mythology was fun.

[A]

I only read the first one so far, but I enjoyed it! I th..."

Oh yeah, I didn't want to be spoilery, but I swear you can hardly say anything about those books without spoiling something. It drives me crazy. I'd just say maybe go on to The Dream Thieves if you liked the first book.

[Greg]

Thanks A! :)