So it's very rare for me to find gay characters in the books I read. They are generally male authors, but I've been led to believe a number of female authors feature gay men. Can anyone give me Authors or Book titles, this is for a paper in my Sexual Identity and Diversity class.
(and no Poppy Z Brite, she's a special case)
I would suggest the works of China Mieville, as he often includes homosexual characters (both sympathetic and unsympathetic) in his works.
In particular, I would suggest Perdido Street Station and Iron Council the latter of which features a homosexual protagonist.
Hmm I read Perdido Street station, except for the one side character I don't recall anyone else, but Iron Council is on my list of To Read, thanks
Mercedes Lackey's "The Last Herald Mage" trilogy.
Edit: Although not strictly fantasy, Vladimir Harkonnen from the Dune series is another choice.
Edit the 2nd: Ursula Vernon sums it up pretty well for me.
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Richard Morgan's The Steel Itself. He's mainly known as an SF writer but the above is his most recent novel, the first part of a fantasy series. His style is fairly "in your face". The main protagonist in this series is gay and (in typical Morgan style) there are some pretty explicit sex scenes of various dispositions. It's an interesting take as Morgan seems to be quite interested in social themes, and the issues of anti-gay prejudice are quote prominent in the book. (It also works quite well on the action side too.)
In The Silicon Mage by Barbara Hambly, the prince was gay, and we see him with a young boy, who presumably was the latest of many. That book was a sequel to The Silent Tower, but I forget whether the prince's orientation was mentioned in the latter.
And since Lilith mentioned Dune, I guess I could mention The Heritage of Hastur by Marion Zimmer Bradley, although it's more like SF than fantasy.
And although it's a children's book set in the real world in modern times, The Skull of Truth by Bruce Coville is definitely a fantasy. In it, the main character's grandfather tells the family that his roommate is his boyfriend.
I think there was a homosexual character in one of the Adept Apprentice series (Phaze Doubt?).
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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I seem to recall Abdel's sister, Imoen, being involved in some of this in the latter two of the novels (Shadows of Amn and Throne of Bhaal) loosely based on the Baldur's Gate computer game.So it's very rare for me to find gay characters in the books I read. They are generally male authors, but I've been led to believe a number of female authors feature gay men. Can anyone give me Authors or Book titles, this is for a paper in my Sexual Identity and Diversity class.
(and no Poppy Z Brite, she's a special case)
D'oh, I forgot her. Funny, I liked her more than Abdel. And yes, I was shocked to see her in a WotC book. (shocked in a good way)
Mercedes Lackey's "The Last Herald Mage" trilogy.
That's the first gay pairing I saw anywhere that was treated as anything but comic relief. Also a couple of Vanyel's dreams were pretty hot stuff for a gay teenager. :)
Melanie Rawns exiles trilogy has homosexual characters in it....
Shame she's not finished the series................ it was awesome
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Greg Egan tends to deal with societies that are either moving past, or already have moved past traditional gender associations.
Distress is set on an Earth in the not-unrecognizable future where there are something like five or seven acknowledge genders, including people who have had themselves hypermasculinized or hyperfeminized (in reaction to blurring gender roles and androgyny in general), and a secondary character who is an 'asex,' who have their features blended to an androgynous mix (with sexual characteristics of either gender muted), and who regard sexual intercourse as an opiate, a chemical high, no more illuminating or transcendent or important to their lives than hallucinogenic drugs.
Terenesia has a gay protagonist, and it actually becomes a bit of a plot point, as a contagion is spreading through sexual reproduction (not just intercourse, but actual reproduction, which makes the main character a bit of a dud, since he's not doing a whole lot of breeding).
Greg Egan tends to deal with societies that are either moving past, or already have moved past traditional gender associations.
Distress is set on an Earth in the not-unrecognizable future where there are something like five or seven acknowledge genders, including people who have had themselves hypermasculinized or hyperfeminized (in reaction to blurring gender roles and androgyny in general), and a secondary character who is an 'asex,' who have their features blended to an androgynous mix (with sexual characteristics of either gender muted), and who regard sexual intercourse as an opiate, a chemical high, no more illuminating or transcendent or important to their lives than hallucinogenic drugs.
Terenesia has a gay protagonist, and it actually becomes a bit of a plot point, as a contagion is spreading through sexual reproduction (not just intercourse, but actual reproduction, which makes the main character a bit of a dud, since he's not doing a whole lot of breeding).
I'm going to go get that Distress novel right now. That sounds really awesome.
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Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner (That woman has a way with words.)
Bedlam's Bard? by Mercedes Lackey, but The Last Herald Mage trilogy is significantly better.
I wrote a paper on the portrayal of sex and gender in fantasy books for my Anthropology of Sex and Gender class, namely focusing on the Ruins of Ambrai because of its portrayal of a matriarchy.
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So it's very rare for me to find gay characters in the books I read. They are generally male authors, but I've been led to believe a number of female authors feature gay men. Can anyone give me Authors or Book titles, this is for a paper in my Sexual Identity and Diversity class.
(and no Poppy Z Brite, she's a special case)
Try this:
Lambda Literary Award Nominees And Winners
The Lambda Literary Award is given each year by the Lambda Literary Foundation to selected books in numerous categories. In 1989, the award's first year, science fiction and mystery were combined into one category for gay men's books and one for lesbian works. Through 1993 science fiction and fantasy had their own category for gay men and for lesbians. Since 1994, science fiction and fantasy have had one category, combining both the gay men's and lesbian categories. Awards are presented for works from the previous year.
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I'm going to go get that Distress novel right now. That sounds really awesome.
While I'm fond of his novels, do note that the sexuality thing is a tiny part of the story. It's pretty much a background detail of the setting. I wouldn't want to give the impression that it's going to be dealt with extensively (although the asex does end up rebuffing a sexual advance at one point, which is where their view on sex-as-a-drug is detailed).
A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin features at least two male homosexual characters (and strong initmations of a third) and two female bisexual characters (although one of them was arguably only seducing another woman for power-related reasons rather than due to her own preferences).
The gay relationship is particularly interesting as a number of readers missed it on a first read-through, but on a second it explains some storyline points (the author was incredulous anyone missed it, so spelled it out in the fourth volume; despite this some people still miss it).
Ricardo Pinto's Stone Dance of the Chameleon Trilogy features several male homosexual protagonists.
The sexuality of one of the main male characters in Scott Bakker's Prince of Nothing Trilogy is a major plot point which sets a large amount of the main storyline in motion. Revealing which one would be a spoiler, so I won't say any more here.
The main male character in Paul Kearney's Monarchies of God series is apparently bisexual, but apparently in denial of it. It isn't a major plot point, just an interesting addition to his characterisation.
So it's very rare for me to find gay characters in the books I read. They are generally male authors, but I've been led to believe a number of female authors feature gay men. Can anyone give me Authors or Book titles, this is for a paper in my Sexual Identity and Diversity class.
(and no Poppy Z Brite, she's a special case)
Well, it has been kicked around forever, and I am surprised I'm the first to mention it: the tender Frodo-Sam relationship in 'Lord of the Rings.'
I don't think Prof T intended to create homoeroticism, but some have disagreed. Much has been written about sexuality in 'Lord of the Rings'-particularly about the apparent absence of sex, the paucity of female characters and the significance of two of them being an angel and a monstrous spider (think neurotic virgin/whore constellation here).
I was about to suggest the Lambda Awards as well, but I'll throw in the Tiptree Award for good measure. Strangely, I can think of a ton of science fiction novels off the top of my head, but other than Iron Council, I'm drawing a blank on fantasy.
Also, I was under the impression that Ursula K. LeGuin's "The Left Hand of Darkness" was pretty much required reading for any class dealing with gender or sexuality.
Of course, if you really want to see an SF author play with issues of sexuality (and have a strong stomach) James Tiptree, Jr. is a genius...
...albeit one I can't read anymore, primarily because every story in the collection of hers that I own follows the same story arc:
present cool setting or idea ====> rape rape rape ===> death.
By the time I got halfway through the book, I found myself looking for excuses not to read, just because it was so damn depressing. A wonderful writer, and a fascinating historical figure, addressing pertinent questions about sexuality, but geez....
Well, it has been kicked around forever, and I am surprised I'm the first to mention it: the tender Frodo-Sam relationship in 'Lord of the Rings.'
I don't think Prof T intended to create homoeroticism, but some have disagreed. Much has been written about sexuality in 'Lord of the Rings'-particularly about the apparent absence of sex, the paucity of female characters and the significance of two of them being an angel and a monstrous spider (think neurotic virgin/whore constellation here).
Thanks for all the help :)
I'm looking more for explicitly stated relationships not implied.
Same thing for Dumbledore, his sexuality plays no role in the stories, and I've always felt that her retrospective labeling of him wasn't genuine and still don't understand why people care.
What's important for me to find is how the idea of homosexuality is treated in these books (essentialist v. social constructionist), and I'm focusing on fantasy because in most SF (that i've read at least) treat it in a very constrcutionist manner. That is, in the future when we can change bodies easily (therefore gender), and have met a number of sentient races then our sexuality will expand to encompass this.
Well, it has been kicked around forever, and I am surprised I'm the first to mention it: the tender Frodo-Sam relationship in 'Lord of the Rings.'
I don't think Prof T intended to create homoeroticism, but some have disagreed. Much has been written about sexuality in 'Lord of the Rings'-particularly about the apparent absence of sex, the paucity of female characters and the significance of two of them being an angel and a monstrous spider (think neurotic virgin/whore constellation here).
As usual, commentators on this issue also seem to ignore The Silmarillon, where considerably more (and far more powerful) female characters appear, including some whose powers seem to outstrip many of the male ones: Melian, for example, creates a magical barrier than even Sauron cannot penetrate, whilst Luthien bewitches Morgoth himself.
The Sam-Frodo relationship has been reinterpreted in the light of the movies, where it appears that Austin and Wood put a bit of that subtext in there. However, the relationship Tolkien was aiming for (and Peter Jackson as well) is that of a young well-to-do WWI British soldier and his 'batman', almost an early 20th century equivalent of the knight/squire relationship.
Whilst Tolkien was not unaware of homosexual issues (being a student of mythology, which it comes up a lot especially in the Greek myths), he does not appear to have been interested in engaging with them in his fiction.
If the readers wishes to employ the 'author is dead' (literally in this case) argument and assign their own interpretations to the relationship, that is up to them. However, Tolkien did not intend that relationship to be seen as a homosexual one, unlike Morgan, Martin, Mieville and most of the other authors mentioned earlier.
I'm going to go get that Distress novel right now. That sounds really awesome.While I'm fond of his novels, do note that the sexuality thing is a tiny part of the story. It's pretty much a background detail of the setting. I wouldn't want to give the impression that it's going to be dealt with extensively (although the asex does end up rebuffing a sexual advance at one point, which is where their view on sex-as-a-drug is detailed).
Oh, I looked at the page you linked, and I like the entire concept, not just the sexuality part.
Am I allowed to plug my own book?
Shadowslayers is a pulp fantasy novel where one of the main characters is a lesbian. Unfortunately, it's now put of print, but is available through the link above at a very cheap price on Kindle.
Hmmm, it deals more with gender identity, but you might look at Lynn Flewelling's Tamir Trilogy.
I never realized that there were gay characters in modern fantasy writings. I always thought that it was some sort of taboo subject.
How about the Jerry Cornelius, Catherine Cornelius & Una Persson books by Michaael Moorcock. They may not deal in great depth about the relationships and emotional interplay, but definitely interesting characters.
I never realized that there were gay characters in modern fantasy writings. I always thought that it was some sort of taboo subject.
Absolutely not, modern fantasy has quite a few gays characters in it and has done for quite a while now.
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I never realized that there were gay characters in modern fantasy writings. I always thought that it was some sort of taboo subject.Absolutely not, modern fantasy has quite a few gays characters in it and has done for quite a while now.
Of course, a lot of the books that have been mentioned are a little on the obscure side. I would say still underrepresented, but they're certainly out there, as this thread would attest to.
I would very strongly contest that the likes of China Mieville, Melanie Rawn and Richard Morgan are obscure. George RR Martin, Mercedes Lackey and Robert Jordan (who should have been mentioned, he has several prominent bisexual female characters) are among the biggest-selling authors in the genre today. JK Rowling and Terry Pratchett, who are 'the' biggest-selling living authors in the genre today, also have some gay characters (even if in Rowling's case it was a bit of a retcon) as well.
The only authors mentioned in the thread that I would say wouldn't be immediately recognisable to a widespread audience are probably Paul Kearney and Ricardo Pinto, neither of whom are well-known in the United States I believe, and both of them are actually decent-selling authors in their own rights.
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Mercedes Lackey's The Last Herald Mage trilogy is perhaps the most well-known, and I personally think it would make a spectacular movie trilogy (which I may take a creative/imaginitive stab at once I finish the novel I'm working on). I've been trying to cast Vanyel and Tylendel in my mind, and so far the best I could come up with are Ian Somerholder and Charlie Hunnam. Completely open to suggestions though.
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Contributor
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Richard Morgan's The Steel Itself. He's mainly known as an SF writer but the above is his most recent novel, the first part of a fantasy series. His style is fairly "in your face". The main protagonist in this series is gay and (in typical Morgan style) there are some pretty explicit sex scenes of various dispositions. It's an interesting take as Morgan seems to be quite interested in social themes, and the issues of anti-gay prejudice are quote prominent in the book. (It also works quite well on the action side too.)
This. Perhaps the first genuinely gay, genuinely hero.
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I was about to suggest the Lambda Awards as well, but I'll throw in the Tiptree Award for good measure. Strangely, I can think of a ton of science fiction novels off the top of my head, but other than Iron Council, I'm drawing a blank on fantasy.
Also, I was under the impression that Ursula K. LeGuin's "The Left Hand of Darkness" was pretty much required reading for any class dealing with gender or sexuality.
Of course, if you really want to see an SF author play with issues of sexuality (and have a strong stomach) James Tiptree, Jr. is a genius...
** spoiler omitted **
Richard Morgan's The Steel Itself. He's mainly known as an SF writer but the above is his most recent novel, the first part of a fantasy series. His style is fairly "in your face". The main protagonist in this series is gay and (in typical Morgan style) there are some pretty explicit sex scenes of various dispositions. It's an interesting take as Morgan seems to be quite interested in social themes, and the issues of anti-gay prejudice are quote prominent in the book. (It also works quite well on the action side too.)This. Perhaps the first genuinely gay, genuinely hero.
That can't possbibly be true, that's a very new book, just look at all the others listed in this forum alone.
What makes you say this?|
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Richard Morgan's The Steel Itself. He's mainly known as an SF writer but the above is his most recent novel, the first part of a fantasy series. His style is fairly "in your face". The main protagonist in this series is gay and (in typical Morgan style) there are some pretty explicit sex scenes of various dispositions. It's an interesting take as Morgan seems to be quite interested in social themes, and the issues of anti-gay prejudice are quote prominent in the book. (It also works quite well on the action side too.)This. Perhaps the first genuinely gay, genuinely hero.That can't possbibly be true, that's a very new book, just look at all the others listed in this forum alone.
What makes you say this?
Well, I stated it sloppily, sure. I might need to say:
"Possibly the first genuinely gay male hero as the central protagonist in a work of modern speculative fiction."
First, I could be wrong. I often am - just ask my wife. :) Seriously, I really did mean possibly, as in, I'm not sure but I'm noodling.
But, by genuinely gay, I mean an honest sensibility about being gay in a straight-dominated world, with all the suffering and anger and compromises and hard choices that entails. I also mean a treatment of sexuality demonstrating apprehension of homesexuality's roots as equivalent to the roots of heterosexual sexuality. In other words, not some white-washed "our love was so holy it transcended our sexuality" take on why it's ok for there to be male-on-male humping. Rather, I want to bone yon male like a man wants to bone a woman or vis versa, etc. For an example of what I mean, consider the scene in the beginning of Morgan's book where the main character is in bed with his former lover. I'd kill to write a scene with that much honesty about an experience and orientation not my own.
By central central protagonist I mean the person whom the story is primarily about -- more than any other character in the text.
By hero I mean something very specific too. The way I would categorize Buffy, for example, as a hero and not just another heroine. One who saves. Autonomous one who protects and defends. And this is key: held up as a role model. Books could and have been written on "what is a hero" so there's lots to discuss on that one and plenty of room for reasonable people to disagree.
I could be totally wrong, and I haven't read everything on the list, but I don't think male, genuinely gay true heroes are all that common in fantasy literature. It's one thing to be "tolerant" and deliver a subtext of "gay people are just like us, we should accept them..." (insert lalala's and tinkerbell music) It's another entirely to say, "This is a dude who is into d**k. You should emulate and look up to him because he's a hero."
Here's my attempt at the list from above. People more familiar with the books will undoubtedly be able to fill my commentary out better and/or correct me...
Perdido Street - not the central protagonist
Iron COuncil - not a hero, IIRC
Last Herald Mage - can't recall if the main character is gay or just secondary characters?
Dune - not the hero
The Cage - read that a long time ago. Is the gayness explored? Does it come from being born that way? Or is it just lesbian sex scenes?
Stealing Magic - short stories. And I can't recall which of the two is gay.
Huff Blood Books - not the central protagonist
Tony Forster - Couldn't find.
Weis/Hickman Rose of the Prophet trilogy - who's gay in this, again?
Silicon Mage - neither central protagonist nor hero, if I recall
Robert Jordan - neither central protagonist nor hero
RA Salvatore - neither central protagonist nor hero
The Heritage of Hastur - not the central protagonist, IIRC
THe Skull of Truth - not the central protagonist
Adept/Apprentice - not the central protagonist
Shadows of Amn/Throne of Bhaal - not the central protagonist, IIRC
Melanie Rawn - not the central protagonist
Distress - no hero
Terenesia - haven't read it. Is this dud of a main character a hero?
Swordspoint - great book. Was the main character gay or bi?
Scandal Takes a holiday - not the central protagonist
Sandman - not the central protagonist in the meta arc
Song of Ice and Fire - not sure there's a hero yet in the whole thing!
Stone Dance of the Chameleon - haven't read it.
Prince of Nothing - not the central protagonist and arguably not a hero
Monarchies of God - bisexual
Tale of Krispos - not the central protagonist
King Casimir - an insult to homesexuals
The Warrior's Tale - this may be a winner, I can't recall it well enough
Shadowslayers - haven't read, but the author could tell us more
Chalker - not a gay hero
Tapestry of Souls - haven't read
Nightrunner - not the hero, IIRC