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Showing posts from December, 2014

Heroic Women of Speculative Fiction! This week it's Kathryn Janeway!

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  Captain Kathryn Janeway     Yes, I admire Captain Kathryn Janeway!  In fact, I love this character and the actress who played her.  I have recently watched all seven seasons of Star Trek Voyager, and my opinions have changed about the show.  I admit, I was not into the show as much when it first aired, but I feel like Star Trek Enterprise. it was underrated.  Also, I do not feel that Captain Janeway gets enough respect.  This woman, this officer was brave, selfless, put the needs of others above her own, and was willing to die if necessary for the greater good.   She had crap to deal with other Star Trek captains did not: like being catapulted into a different part of the galaxy without a compass, dealing with a shipload of cranky Marquis, hostile aliens who never heard of Starfleet or cared,  and no way to call home for some backup.   But this woman not only got her crew home, but in the process of the show's seven year run, she and her crew catalogued massive sc

Heroic Women of Speculative Fiction #8: Eowyn of the Lord of the Rings novels & films

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  Eowyn of the Lord of the Rings novels & films       This week's wonderful heroine in my series covers both literature and film.  In the novels, she was barely touched on until needed, but sill left a solid mark.  In the films that Peter Jackson so brilliantly directed, he gave Eowyn the just attention she deserved.    I mean, really, this woman faced down the Witch-king of Angmar, Lord of the Nazgul!  She destroyed the Witch-king, nearly at the cost of her own life.     Never under estimate a woman.     Eowyn, a most females in heroic fantasy of old, chafed against her role as woman.  She was a warrior at heart and did not need coddling.  A shieldmaiden longing to follow her call into battle.  She feared the prison of her sex, for it kept people from seeing what she really was.  She  was more than a Princess.  More than a niece to King Theoden.  She was a woman who longed to become something special.   It was her destiny.   Eowyn became special, as h

Heroic Women of Speculative Fiction #7: Sarah Manning of Orphan Black

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  Sarah Manning, played by the mega talented Tatiana Maslany       Reviewing Orphan Black's characters, particularly Tatiana's multi-faceted performances as  its vast basket of heroines and villains, is hard.  As Tatiana portrays the many clones in the series, I will just have to take one clone at a time.  So for this entry into my heroine series, we begin with the first clone we see in the series, Sarah Manning.  (Is anyone else salivating for season 3-I know I am)   Sarah is a complex character.  A true anti-hero in many ways.  She was not evil, but at the start of the show she is a mess.  She is mixed up with bad things and bad men. She wears tatty punk t-shirts and heavy eyeliner.  She pretends to be someone else ( tragic suicide clone Elizabeth Childs) to get some money and a place to sleep.  She is drifting through life and snatching for bits and pieces.  Sarah has a daughter that she loves, but she did not take her when she took up with one of her low