Another Year Of Reading Women

Last year I set myself the challenge of reading and writing about one science fiction novel written by a woman each month.

• Moxyland by Lauren Buekes
• Glimmering by Elizabeth Hand
• Arslan by MJ Engh
• Mission Child by Maureen F McHugh
• The Flood by Maggie Gee
• Maul by Tricia Sullivan (further discussion at Torque Control)
• Woman On The Edge Of Time by Marge Piercy
• Golden Witchbreed by Mary Gentle
• The Two Of Them by Joanna Russ
• Kindred by Octavia Butler

The eagle-eyed will notice that that isn’t twelve novels. I ran out of steam and vowed to continue this year instead with another batch. Here is what I assembled over Christmas:

Some of those were languishing on my shelves, some were kindly donated by Ian Sales of SF Mistressworks and were picked up from Amazon (and only available secondhand or imported, obviously). Since the Clarke Award shortlist has now been decided (and will be announced at the end of the month), I’ve got the time to think about other fiction so here is the schedule for the year:

• March: Spirit by Gwyneth Jones
• April The Lathe Of Heaven by Ursula K LeGuin
• May: A Plague of Angels by Sheri S Tepper
• June: Hav by Jan Morris
• July: Cyteen by CJ Cherryh
• August: Atmospheric Disturbances by Rivka Galchen
• September: The Female Man by Joanna Russ
• October: A Door Into Ocean by Joan Slonczewski
• November: Native Tongue by Suzette Haden Elgin
• December: Shikasta by Doris Lessing

If any one would like to join me in reading any of those books in those particular months, I would welcome the conversation. And I think we are still due a discussion of Spirit over at Torque Control, aren’t we? In addition, I will be trying to read and review more books by women in general and my review of Blood Red Road by Moira Young is forthcoming at Strange Horizons.

But it isn’t just about what I review. As reviews editor for the BSFA, I also have a big say in what other people review and the books that are covered in Vector. Niall Harrison will be repeating the SF count again this year and, as part of this, I’ve tallied up the coverage of books by men and women in Vector. The ratio is very poor. So it is all very well talking the talk but I’ve clearly taken my eye off the ball and I need to be much more proactive in 2012 in ensuring speculative fiction by women is visible in Vector.