Independence Weekend!

Hear Ye Hear Ye Hear Ye!

Announcing The Weekend Of Independence!

Let Me Introduce You!

The Lady Skylark!

Lady Sabre!

And The Renowned Delilah Dirk!

To The Independent Ladies

Who Do It For Themselves!

So, this month something particular has been catching my eye. Lady swashbucklers, heroines, and adventurers in the steampunk sub-genre. I love the ladies of fortune, in prose and in comics. I really do.  Gail Carriger, Laurie King, Garth Nix, your ladies are so dear.

BUT...

(Admit it. You knew there was a 'but'coming. )

As a woman reader, I get really, really sick of every swashbuckling tale, EVERY SINGLE ONE, ending or being hip deep in romance (cough, sometimes confused with lust, cough) Some specifically end with weddings. After a while, it starts to feel like the women are only in the story to be fought for and won. At best, they're becoming romantic heroines. At worst.....

(I told you there was a 'but' coming. Snicker)

.......there's this trope. Excuse the wincing....

Now you, my dear readers, know I'm no prude. I'm fine with sex. I am NOT fine with stupidity or sloppy writing. And I'm really getting tired of the sub-genre idea that all women are in the story purely to fall in love, as if they were incomplete as characters in their own right. Women characters aren't half of a matched set. They're people.

This weekend, America celebrates its independence. Therefore, I will do three reviews of three ladies who are truly independent characters. Enjoy!