Currently reading a book with an action heroine?

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Roddenberry said both at different times.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

Hi Seeley. I moved your request to a new thread under Members Who Write and deleted it from this thread since this isn't the right place.

[Seeley]

Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress wrote: "Hi Seeley. I moved your request to a new thread under Members Who Write and deleted it from this thread since this isn't the right place."

Thank you!

Peace, Seeley

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

You're welcome!

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

I'm reading The Rebels of Cordovia, which has a strong action heroine. So far, so good.

[Werner]

I'll look forward to your review, Danielle!

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

Thanks!

[Werner]

, a collection of original short stories by Tommy Hancock, founding editor of the New Pulp small press Pro Se Press, and four other Pro Se authors has been on my to-read shelf for awhile. I finally snagged a copy last month from Amazon (I don't shop there with my own money, but I had a gift certificate); so I got a start on it today. The eponymous protagonist is very much in the action heroine mold: a smart, brave mystery lady who's a mistress of disguise, skilled fighter, and nemesis of villains.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

Looking forward to your review, Werner!

[Werner]

Thanks, Danielle! It's a short book (93 pages), so I'm thinking it'll probably be a fairly quick read.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

It's nice to read some short books now and then.

[Charles]

I just started reading: Raven #4: Lords of the Shadow, by Richard Kirk, although that is a house name. I've read the first three in this series and enjoyed them. Raven is subtitled: Swordsmistress of Chaos, which is something of a mouthful.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

I read Alabaster: Wolves by Caitlín R. Kiernan at the end of last week, and it has a wonderful action heroine, a teenager who slays monsters under the direction of a seraph. Definitely recommend.

[Werner]

My Goodreads friend Jackie and I have started a buddy read of Magic Bites, the first novel in the Kate Daniels series, which has been mentioned on some of our threads before. Kate's definitely in the action-heroine mold, and I've been intrigued by this series for some time, so I'm glad to be starting on it at last!

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

That's a favorite of mine. Hope you enjoy, Werner.

[Werner]

I'm liking it so far, Danielle!

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

Werner wrote: "I'm liking it so far, Danielle!"

Cool!

[Werner]

The book I recently started, The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud, is the first book in his new Lockwood and Co. series, set in either an alternate contemporary England or else one some decades in the future (this isn't spelled out clearly), in which hauntings and spectral appearances by ghosts have become extremely common --and these Visitors can kill the living by touching them. Since adults lose the mental sensitivity to see or hear the ghosts clearly, the front-line work of defense against them falls to the younger set. Lockwood and Co. is a teen-run agency that deals with hauntings, for a fee.

All of this is by way of preamble to the fact that the narrator here, Lockwood operative Lucy Joan Carlyle (who's about 15, just slightly younger than Katniss in the Hunger Games trilogy) is, unexpectedly, a pretty good teen version of an action heroine herself. She regularly faces supernatural menaces in life-threatening and physically challenging situations, where she needs guts, agility, speed and skill with a silver-tipped rapier to come out alive; and she's equal to the challenge.

[Werner]

Last night, I started on by our own Billy Wong, the first novel in his Legend of the Iron Flower series featuring indomitable swordswoman Rose Agen. I got the free e-version for my Kindle app, so I'm reading it that way; but friends of print, take note: this is a free trial, NOT a substitute for the paperback. If I like it as much as I expect to, I'm going to buy a copy of the latter; and I think that's only fair to the author.

[Werner]

The shape-shifter heroine of the book I just started, , the opener for Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson urban fantasy series, has the peaceful occupation of auto mechanic. But from reviews and comments I've read, I've gotten the impression that she can fight capably when she needs to (and that the need sometimes arises). She's already mentioned in passing that she's into weightlifting and karate, and strong for a woman, qualities that would stand an action heroine in good stead!

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

Sounds like you've done some good action heroine reading, Werner.

[Werner]

This past year, I've indulged my taste for the action heroine motif more than usual, Danielle. That hasn't always been from deliberate choice (I usually try to vary my reading, at least somewhat); it's often been the fortuitous result of group reads or buddy reads, or of acquiring free books one way or another. But I've certainly enjoyed it!

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

It's always great when serendipity is on our side with our reading. :)

[Mike (the Paladin)]

I find serendipity to be very serendipitous.....

ba-dum-bump

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "I find serendipity to be very serendipitous.....

ba-dum-bump"

LOL!

[Mike (the Paladin)]

My work here is done.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "My work here is done."

Have a seat and nice warm drink now!

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Just had soup with a biscuit in it. But I'm drinking ides tea...caffeine free of course. Thanks. :)

[Derrick]

Just finished reading Divergent. It's a fairly quick read – it's 3 AM now, and I just finished it in a marathon session of about five hours.

The most obvious parallel for our lead character is of course Katniss, but I prefer Tris. She has that teenage girl insecurity, but it does not come across as whiny the way the hunger games books present their heroine.

[Werner]

Derrick, I've got Divergent on my to-read list (one of the other librarians at the library where I work recommended it). But I didn't know it had an action-type heroine; that should be an added plus! :-)

Interestingly, I've never really seen Katniss as whiny (though so far I've only read the first two books of the trilogy). There's no question that Collins has her spend quite a bit of time describing horrible situations and her fears about them, and her feelings about things she's going through. But since she's a first-person narrator, we can't know about any of this unless we experience it through her eyes and voice; and it would be impossible for these kinds of circumstances not to bulk pretty large in the first person narrative of any person who's actually experiencing them. She actually does a better job of rolling with the punches than many teens would, IMO; but maybe that's just me.

[Derrick]

Werner wrote: "Derrick, I've got Divergent on my to-read list (one of the other librarians at the library where I work recommended it). But I didn't know it had an action-type heroine; that should be an added pl..."

Well, maybe I just didn't appreciate the teen girl POV - having never been one, and stuff. But I thought she was whiny. If it weren't for my adoration of Jennifer Lawrence, I would probably be done with Katniss.

Divergent has elements of Hunger Games (dystopia, action, etc), Harry Potter (the clan model feels like the Hogwarts houses on a macro scale), and some Starship Troopers (the training scenes).

It only takes a few hours to read it, even at 500 pages. (about the same as a couple of Hunger Games books). I'll get around to the other two books in the series when they come in stock from the library.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

I have to agree with Werner. I thought Katniss was remarkably composed and mature for her age. I think I would have been completely freaked out if I had been in her situation, especially at her age.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

Last week I read The Prince's Man, which has a heroine who is a notorious assassin. She wasn't very likable though.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

I will probably pick up Divergent for audiobook from my library this year.

[Werner]

As yet, I haven't seen the movie versions, so I haven't had a chance to appreciate Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss. Having seen the commercials, though, I'd say she definitely fits the physical type, and looks the part! I hope to see the movies sometime on DVD.

I'll have to see that the college library where I work gets the Divergent series. (Being in charge of book selection has its rewards. :-) )

[Mike (the Paladin)]

I thought that Katniss had a huge backset in the third book. While she was self centered somewhat in the first book I thought she'd started to develop a little in the second. But in the third book she struck me as incredibly self centered. It's a matter of different readers as when I expressed that in my review it sparked a huge discussion. The third book ruined the entire series for me. I know others don't agree.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

I've only read the first book (same old story with me).

[Derrick]

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "I thought that Katniss had a huge backset in the third book. While she was self centered somewhat in the first book I thought she'd started to develop a little in the second. But in the third book ..."

No question book 3 is awful, and a large part of it is the way Katniss is used. Won't say anymore since we have a few folks here who have not read it.

[Werner]

Speaking of Katniss and book 3 of the Hunger Games, Mockingjay, I just started it over the weekend (finally!). Reader reaction to it is so mixed that I approach it with some trepidation --but definitely with even more curiosity than I would otherwise! :-)

[Werner]

While I wait to take part in our group's upcoming common read of On Basilisk Station, now that I've finished Mockingjay (see my review on the appropriate thread, if you're interested!), I'm passing time with some short stories from the collection Sword and Sorceress XIX. This long-running series can always be counted on to feature some tales of gallant, sword-wielding heroines, as well as a pretty consistent high level of writing quality.

[Charles]

Way on the outside edge for this group, but I'm reading the Island of the Blue Dolphins, which is a YA story featuring a young female hero. She ends up alone on the island, facing wild dog packs, elephant seals and Devil Fish. It's fairly slow moving, having been written in 1960, but it's interesting and enjoyable.

[Werner]

Charles, we have Island of the Blue Dolphins at the library where I work. Though I've never read it myself, I've heard some good things about it.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

Charles wrote: "Way on the outside edge for this group, but I'm reading the Island of the Blue Dolphins, which is a YA story featuring a young female hero. She ends up alone on the island, facing wild dog packs, e..."

Sounds like an action heroine to me.

[Seeley]

I just finished . GREAT book with dual hero/heroine. The action heroine is an FBI agent about to blow the whistle in 2032. I highly recommend this story. My review is on my site Thriller of the Week.

Peace, Seeley

[Werner]

Seeley, I read that review on your blog, and liked it. I'll add that book to our group bookshelf, if you haven't already!

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

I finished Savage Girl the other day, and she has some traits of an action heroine, although this isn't an action book, more of a historical fiction/suspense novel. Raised in part by Comanches, she is an excellent rider and archer. A warrior maiden by personality.

[Werner]

This month, I'm taking part in our group's common read of David Weber's , so I started it today, right on schedule. :-) I'm already engrossed in it!

[Derrick]

Finished Magic Bites.

Good action. Some creepy gore. I got a little tired of our heroine always feeling the need to prove herself in combat with everyone she meets. I also wish she would have shut up about "no one would call me beautiful", when men are throwing themselves at her feet left and right. It smacks of false modesty.

And the fact that she's apparently ridiculously powerful seems a little too easy. Even Anita Blake didn't start piling on the sudden convenient powers for half a dozen books.

[Sadie]

I'm surprised this one hasn't been mentioned, but I've just finished the The Emperor's Edge series (all seven of them). Amaranthe is a fun heroine and the whole thing is set in an interesting steampunk universe. Plus, the first one is perma-free on Amazon.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

I'm all but finished with Iron Bloom. Not a bad idea but very weal execution. I haven't checked to see if it's a first novel but it reads a lot like an extended outline or maybe "fan-fiction". Don't hate it but can't get enthused. I keep laying it aside and "not getting back to it".