Female Fantasy Authors, November 2012

Robert Heinlein has won four Hugo Awards for Best Novel. Lois McMaster Bujold has equaled him, and she is one of the most acclaimed women writers in the genre. The Vorkosigan Saga is her masterpiece, which is a spectacular smashup of science fiction, romance, military thrillers, mystery, and all touched with humor. Much like our world, there are technologically advanced societies and militaristic societies, and the concepts of bioengineering, cloning, and medical advances to lengthen lifespans are central thematic focal points for the characters. And her characters are just as varied -- strong women, homosexuals, clones, and the disabled. But she also strikes the motherlode within the fantasy genre, as well, with the successful Chalion and Sharing Knife universes.