Kate Madison from @ActorsatWork posted the following question on Twitter a few days ago: Do you think males or females make the best fantasy lead? Hero or Heroine? I answered that I didn't mind a male lead, as long as there was a strong woman around to save the day! The question made me think about my own work, and on the protagonists I chose for Journey of Shadows. Although I chose three male protagonists for the story, the women have just as an important role to play. Funnily enough, I don't think I really planned to write such feisty females - they just evolved with the story - but a recent review of Journey of Shadows made me think about how I portray women. Rabid Readers Reviews had this to say:
"Something that stood out to me about this novel that I absolutely love is that Charlton allows her characters to be saved by strong women. These are woman who are doing it for themselves and they are fully realized and realistic characters and I love that."If I think about my favourite epic fantasy novels, few of them have a female lead. Yet, many of them have strong women in them; females who play a central role in the plot. Two of my favourite 'strong women' are: Eorwyn from Lord of the Rings and Brienne of Tarth from George R.R. Martin's Song of Fire and Ice series.
Both these women are warriors - however their similarities end there: Eorwyn is beautiful and self-contained; a proud, fiery woman in a dominant warrior culture. She is a complex female; angered that her male kin won't let her fight at their side and embittered that Aragorn has spurned her love. She ends up casting aside the role her menfolk have assigned her, before going into battle in disguise and (with the help of Merry), slaying the King of the Nazgul. Brienne of Tarth in the Song of Fire and Ice is also a complex woman: loyal, stubborn and a bit dogmatic. She is portrayed as unattractive: big, flat-chested with straw-like blonde hair, crooked teeth, coarse features and freckles; however her eyes are described as beautiful. Brienne's courage and honour also hide a romantic side - and the development of her 'relationship' with Jaime Lannister is one of my favourite parts of the whole series.
Although Journey of Shadows follows the stories of three brothers, Seth, Eni and Val Falkyn - it is three women they meet along the way who save the day:
NEVIS OF FORESTHILL
Earthy, strong and confident, Nevis is a Sister of Sial - an order of witch-women who live in the forests of Sude, in Palâdnith's deep south. Nevis warns Seth that the amulet he wears around his neck is a Sentorân protection charm, and that he and his brothers are in grave danger. She also saves him after he is abducted by sorcerers. Quite frankly, Seth would have come to a sticky end without her.
AVALON KINGSWATHE
Romantic, courageous and free-spirited, Avalon Kingswathe finds Eni unconscious on the road after his flight through the Tallow Marshes. Together they travel across the mountains and although Eni saves Avalon from a near drowning, it is his young companion who rescues him from 'the voice in the well'.
LADY CIRINNA KAUR
Aloof, damaged and iron-willed, Lady Cirinna Kaur has just been 'sold' to a man she has never met so that her father can get his hands on an artifact he covets. Val travels with Lady Cirinna and her protector, the ruthless Captain Tobin, across the High Dragon Spines. Yet, when they are attacked by a ravaged creature on the road, it is Lady Cirinna who shows true courage and saves Val's life.
Frankly, any of these women could be a protagonist in a fantasy tale - so why did I choose males as my central characters? Partly because I wanted to write about three men who, although they not anti-heroes, are far from typical heroic characters. It was fun to 'subvert' the typical fantasy trope with three guys who get thrown into an adventure, whether they want it or not. Having a female as your fantasy lead can be tricky - it's very easy to veer between an ass-kicking Xena warrior princess and a passive Sleeping Beauty or Rapunzel-style heroine. By slipping Nevis, Avalon and Lady Cirinna into the story as supporting characters, I introduced three contrasting points of view to counterbalance Seth, Eni and Val - three women with enough courage, fire and strength to stand up to any man.
