Although it “gets no respect,” the Urban Fantasy/Romance area is one which celebrates strong women who fight with, rather than depend on, the heroic male. Ilona Andrews’ Kate Daniels (in her eponymous series), Eileen Wilks’ Lily Yu (World of the Lupi series), and Jeaniene Frost’s Cat Crawfield (Night Huntress series), reflect a strong feminist trend not always seen in more traditional fantasy. In this paper, I will explore the ways in which these women are empowered by their authors to take center stage as the “hero” in the fantasy urban environment that is their heritage (despite the lurid covers produced by the marketing departments).
About the presenterMarilyn Roxin Stern
Marilyn Stern is a (newly retired) Professor of Literature and Film Studies. She has taught courses in Science Fiction & Fantasy and Graphic Novel to Film, and is Area Chair for SF & Fantasy for MAPACA. Her current scholarship has centered on the presence/absence of female empowerment imagery in contemporary fantasy.