Kick-butt heroines in science fiction romance are ubiquitous
and perhaps even the default type of heroines for this subgenre. However,
they’re certainly not the only type of heroine SFR has to offer.
Still, it can be challenging to create an SFR heroine who is
dynamic and compelling without having to rely on flashy kung fu or other combat
skills. She needs to equally drive the plot forward (both romance and external
if there is one) rather than just be a sidekick/love interest/sperm depository for the hero.
Once I started thinking about this topic I wondered about
the general description for heroines who don't kick any ass. The “non-kick-butt” only
tells us what they aren’t rather than
what they are. Sometimes they’re quiet with great inner strength; others are
brainy and experts in their fields (e.g., cyberpunk heroines). Also, they can
have extraordinary qualities (e.g. cybernetics, psychic abilities, alien
physiology) but not be kick-butt. Is there even a name for them? Or maybe “kick-butt heroine” is simply a tag to denote a heroine with that ability. Everyone
else is a “heroine.”
Simply because a heroine isn’t kick-butt doesn’t
automatically translate to an incomplete character. My reading
in the past year has included lots of these heroines so here’s a
roundup of what struck me about them.
Author Melisse Aires should probably be crowned “Queen of
Non-Kick-Butt SFR Heroines” because the ones of hers I’ve encountered are
anything but (no pun intended!). There’s the pampered concubine in HER CYBORG AWAKES, the reality show contestant heroine from ALIEN BLOOD, the mom
shapeshifter from STARLANDER’S MYTH, and the maintenance worker from REFUGEES ON URLOON. Ms. Aires writes a type of “home and hearth” heroine that I really
enjoy. They’re absolutely unabashed in their desires and goals for a stable, drama-free
home life. I guess you could call them the anti-thesis of the kick-butt heroine
and that reason alone makes them interesting.
KS Augustin’s IN ENEMY HANDS and its sequel, BALANCE OF TERROR, feature stellar physicist Moon Thadin. While Moon is often at the mercy
of the overbearing Republic and is frequently on the run (especially in the
second book), she uses her brain and wits to outsmart her enemy. Fighting her way
out of danger isn’t an option so it’s interesting to follow her choices when
she’s in a precarious, life-threatening situation.
Doctor heroines are another example and I encountered four of them recently. One was Dr. Elsa Brandeis from
Jenna Bennett’s space opera FORTUNE’S HERO and the second was Dr. Lidia Sullivan
from Ella Drake’s post-apocalyptic romance DESERT BLADE. A karate chop is
pretty useless when someone is bleeding or has a fever! Both of the above heroines
must call upon their medical skills in extreme, harsh environments. The appeal
is discovering how much they can accomplish for the injured heroes with what
little resources they have.
The third doctor heroine is Dr. Geneva MacKay from Cindy Spencer Pape’s
steampunk romance KILTS AND KRAKEN. She’s a physician at a time when female
medical professionals are much frowned upon so there’s the added bonus of
social commentary. The fourth one is heroine Kris Davenport from KC Klein’s
DARK FUTURE. She’s a medical intern.
She’s not even a full-fledged physician yet her skills are put to the test
under dire circumstances.
T.M. Roy’s DISCOVERY – A FAR OUT ROMANCE features Povre, an
alien heroine who’s a scientist. She’s stranded on Earth and is in no position
to physically defend herself against the government minions who are bent on
dissecting her. So she uses her smarts and language skills instead. In a
related vein, Elizabeth Cole from Sharon Lynn Fisher’s GHOST PLANET is a
psychologist whose analytical skills are crucial to solving the story’s central
mystery.
Heroine Ella Wilder from Leslie Dicken’s steampunk romance
THE IRON HEART runs a newspaper. Barbara J. Hancock’s cyberpunk romance GHOST IN THE MACHINE features a scavenger heroine, an ordinary woman on a quest to
rescue her brother.
Those are just a few from a selection of many. Do you have
favorite heroines of this type? What elements make them compelling for you?
Joyfully yours,
Heather