The Crystal Crown
A reluctant king, some delightful originality, and a truly impressive amount of boredom.
Jinian Footseer
A pragmatic young woman sets off through a richly imagined fantasy world, encountering strange creatures, mysterious old gods, and no shortage of adventures—with six wonderful older women offering support along the way. A captivating, meandering journey whose pleasures far outweigh its frustratingly rushed conclusion.
Jalav
A promising fantasy about a fierce tribe of warrior women begins as an intriguing reversal of traditional gender roles, then devolves into relentless rape, slavery, and abuse portrayed as romance. Unconvincing characterization and a dreadful post-apocalyptic reveal only make its dangerous rape apologism worse.
A Door Into Ocean
On an ocean-covered moon, an all-female society of gifted biologists faces a growing threat from a militaristic civilization. An extraordinary exploration of ecology, identity, culture, and nonviolent resistance, with rich characterization and a gripping second half that was almost too tense for me.
Contrarywise
An eccentric trickster god, an expansive magical world, and a wonderfully engaging ensemble make for a promising beginning. Then an increasingly incoherent, world-ending plot introduces divine meddling, rape, and a supposedly heartwarming romance between biological twins. I loved the first third. The rest? What the fuck.
The Duchess of Kneedeep
A runaway duchess flees across an absurd planet where seemingly every man she encounters threatens her with sexual violence or murder. Tepid jokes, shallow characters, and a twist that trivializes her entirely reasonable fears made this supposed comedy impossible to finish.
Sorcerer's Legacy
A grieving widow is transported across time and space to save a prince, only to become trapped in deadly court intrigue. Competent prose can't rescue an unconvincing heroine, relentlessly contrived suspense, or an appalling ending that treats terrible sacrifices as a triumph.
The Fluger
A seemingly unstoppable alien monster terrorizes a futuristic New York City while an uncooperative alien assassin hunts it down. A gloriously pulpy, occasionally gory adventure with inconsistent writing, surprisingly thoughtful characters, and unexpected moments of genuine beauty.
The Hero and the Crown
Aerin, the ostracized daughter of Damar's king, must forge a place for herself in a world that doubts her worth. An intimate, fiercely feminist coming-of-age fantasy about persistence, compassion, and finding strength without losing yourself—and a book that helped shape who I became.
The Blue Sword
Harry Crewe, a young woman displaced to a remote desert frontier, finds herself drawn into the magical world of the Hillfolk. A languid, traditional chosen-one fantasy whose unremarkable plot is more than redeemed by the quiet strength, dignity, and wonderfully nuanced characterization of its heroine.
Soul-Singer of Tyrnos
A young Singer follows the gods' guidance across Tyrnos, using the magic of song to heal suffering and expose corruption. A compact, traditional fantasy quest with likable characters, unusual magic, and just enough adventure to scratch that fantasy itch.
Watchstar
A solitary young woman in a telepathic society must protect an outsider while preparing for a dangerous coming-of-age ordeal. A thoughtfully written exploration of consciousness, morality, and cultural contact—though its philosophical interests didn't entirely align with mine.
The Adversary
The final volume of The Saga of Pliocene Exile delivers an overstuffed conclusion in which murderous abusers edge toward redemption, ever-expanding psychic powers dissolve the stakes, and crucial information is withheld simply to keep the reader turning pages. Includes a complete spoiler-filled recap for anyone who'd rather skip the 470-page ordeal.
Mindbond
Kor and Dannoc spend an exhausting amount of time discussing their magical bond, their feelings, and their feelings about each other's feelings. The plot barely registers, but the increasingly suggestive love triangle kept me reading for entirely undignified reasons.
Silk Roads and Shadows
A Byzantine princess sets out on a perilous journey to China to steal silkworms and save her empire. A promising historical fantasy adventure, but frantic pacing, disorienting transitions, and careless prose made me abandon it after fifty pages.
The Armies of Daylight
I stuck with Barbara Hambly's Darwath trilogy out of love for the author, only to find an ending that made three books of struggle feel pointless. Flat protagonists, frustrating plotting, and one of the most unsatisfying finales I've ever read.
The Dimensioneers
A teenage girl and her mutant lion leap between dimensions, pursued by hostile aliens. Unfortunately, fourteen pages of clumsy prose and bewildering action were more than enough to convince me to abandon the adventure.
The Prince of Whales
A singing whale, predatory orca music managers, nautical puns, and a quest to save the ocean. An utterly ridiculous children's fantasy that's goofy in all the right ways—and surprisingly entertaining for adults.
Tempus
I expected adventures worthy of my dog Niko. Instead, I found purple prose, endless flashbacks, uncomfortable philosophical arguments, and a Thieves’ World collection written for fans who already know the characters.
The Drastic Dragon of Draco, Texas
A Wild West fantasy promising dragons and cozy eccentricity turns into a tedious account of kidnapping, captivity, and everyday life, complete with unfortunate Native American stereotypes. I wanted more dragon and less everything else.
An Alien Light
A fascinating, deeply human science fiction novel about violence, relationships, and the contradictions of human nature. Its unusual premise and richly developed characters made it one of my favorite ForFemFan discoveries.
The Walls of Air
Rudy and Ingold undertake a perilous journey while Gil and Minalde investigate an ancient keep. Intriguing mysteries and stronger characterization can't quite overcome frustrating plot contrivances, questionable decisions, and a truly baffling approach to food storage.
Wizenbeak
I needed a comforting fantasy after a particularly brutal book. Instead, I found two pages of awkward prose, baffling word choices, and enough editorial grievances to produce an entire line-by-line critique. Also: ratsters.
The Garden of the Shaped
Immortal scientists create three races and gradually forget why they made them. A fascinating exploration of creation, privilege, and prejudice loses its momentum when philosophical mysteries give way to a less compelling race war.
Dreamrider
A promising dream-world premise, a giant otter, and some of the most painfully stilted prose and dialogue I've encountered. I abandoned this one after eleven pages, with absolutely no regrets.
The Time of the Dark
A medieval historian, a drifter, and a magnificent old wizard find themselves fighting to survive an apocalypse in another world. An unexpectedly thin plot and unconvincingly resilient protagonists disappoint, but Ingold nearly saves the whole thing.
Eldrie the Healer
A bastard princess who mistakes being perpetually furious for being strong, a companion whose personality changes by the page, and fifty pages of characterization so frustrating I gave up.
The Gate of Ivory
A pragmatic young woman stranded on a magical planet finds friendship, intrigue, and a wonderfully unconventional family. Clever, funny, deeply human, and an absolute delight from beginning to end.
The Nonborn King
The third Saga of Pliocene Exile novel abandons much of what made the series wonderful: compelling characters, immersive storytelling, and emotional depth. What's left is war, betrayal, and people I desperately want to see die.
Madbond
An amnesiac hunter, a carnivorous horse, six intertwined tribes, and a bromance that goes from zero to eternal devotion. A slow start gives way to fascinating mythology and excellent storytelling.
Lords of the Triple Moons
Andre Norton recommends it, the cover promises glorious pulp, and the prose is lovely. Unfortunately, every interesting event seems to happen between chapters. I gave up on page 34.
The Golden Torc
Book two of the Saga of Pliocene Exile broadens the cast, speeds up the storytelling, and leans harder into science-fantasy. Not quite as immersive as The Many-Colored Land, but still compelling—and Sugoll is worth the price of admission.
Dragon's Pawn
A computer programmer named Noble King gets whisked into a fantasy quest. Clumsy prose, casual sexism, an abandoned cat, and an unfortunately attractive fennec fox put an end to my reading.
The Seventh Gate
The breathtaking conclusion to Seven Citadels left me sobbing at one in the morning. A remarkable story of complicated friendships, physical beauty, and the painful, wonderful realities of being human.
The Many-Colored Land
A one-way ticket six million years into Earth's past, a cast of misfits, and the delicious terror of the unknown. A sprawling science-fantasy epic that initially blew me away.
Sword-Dancer
A chauvinist sword-for-hire and a formidable swordswoman make for a surprisingly funny, feminist adventure—until terrible decisions and a rushed final act derail everything.
Children of the Wind
The second Seven Citadels adventure deepens its wonderfully human characters, explores faith and philosophy without preaching, and introduces an argumentative companion and a delightful cat.
The Guardsman
An imperial guard torn between loyalty and rebellion sounds promising. Unfortunately, 75 pages of lazy sexism, muscular lionmen, and painfully elaborate mirror descriptions were more than enough.
Nightpool
A wronged prince, singing dragons, ancient evil, and an entire tribe of impossibly charming talking otters. Delightful animal characters can't quite save an increasingly chaotic plot.
Pandora's Genes
A post-apocalyptic world of warrior-nun scientists, empathetic foxcats, genetic disasters, and frighteningly believable religious fanaticism. A surprisingly compelling adventure despite some uncomfortable themes.
The Wave and the Flame
Gorgeous cover. Epic premise. Forty pages of tedious meteorology, catty scientists, and prose so overwrought that a mischievous dwarf finally drove me to give up.
Tea with the Black Dragon
A supposedly fantastical romance-thriller whose dragons barely dragon, characters barely investigate, and technical jargon never seems to end. At least Mayland Long is likable.
Those Who Hunt the Night
A Victorian vampire murder mystery with exceptional characterization, rich historical detail, and a conclusion that doesn't quite live up to the journey.
Chance and Other Gestures of the Hand of Fate
A wildly varied collection of stories, poems, and a novella—thoughtful, beautifully written, sometimes dark, and occasionally interrupted by a monstrous dick monster.
The Incorporated Knight
The Incorporated Knight is … a book? A gentle, meandering comedy of errors starring an entirely unflappable knight whose adventures are absurd, occasionally clever, and surprisingly difficult to categorize.