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A review by lizhenry
The Steerswoman's Road by Rosemary Kirstein
5.0
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 cultures and stories where women and men aren't weirdly essentialized in their characteristics and social roles. It's a relief.
I found the torture scene in The Steerswoman quite disturbing. The interpersonal complexities and culture clashes in The Outskirter's Secret were also upsetting. I do adore Rowan and Bel -- Rowan's analytical thinking; Bel's fierceness and epic poems.
You can really see the influence Laurie Marks and Kirstein have had on each other in the style and thinking. It's interesting to read them together or in context of the other writer's works.
Definitely a 5 star book for awesomeness and depth and beauty. I also think of it as feministsf canon -- crucial to read!
The Steerswoman books are awesome for showing cultures and stories where women and men aren't weirdly essentialized in their characteristics and social roles. It's a relief.
I found the torture scene in The Steerswoman quite disturbing. The interpersonal complexities and culture clashes in The Outskirter's Secret were also upsetting. I do adore Rowan and Bel -- Rowan's analytical thinking; Bel's fierceness and epic poems.
You can really see the influence Laurie Marks and Kirstein have had on each other in the style and thinking. It's interesting to read them together or in context of the other writer's works.
Definitely a 5 star book for awesomeness and depth and beauty. I also think of it as feministsf canon -- crucial to read!