sci-fi fantasy lit column stuff - romance!

[rm]

So as I work on the first intro article, I've been struck by a couple of ideas for future articles. One on great out-of-print stuff you should track down, and the other -- wait for it -- a Valentine's Day feature. Yes, that's right, the great (or completely compelling and utterly fucked up, to be more accurate) relationships in sci-fi and fantasy novels.

So far I've got a few on my nomination list (that is, some will make the piece and some won't) including Molly/Case from Neuromancer, Paul/Chani from Dune, Gentle/Pie from Imajica, Alec/Richard from Swordspoint, Phedre/Josclin from Kushiel's Dart, Asriel/Mrs. Coulter from HDM, Jodeau/Xas from The Vintner's Luck (this is the one most likely to get booted right now, as I'm using that book in the out-of-print piece).

But all of this speaks to my particualr biases of the moment. What am I forgetting? What haven't I read that I really should (I know, everything!)? Anyone got some f/f or poly ones for me to reference? I know they are in my brain somewhere, but they're not coming to the fore. As should be obvious from what's above, happily ever after not required. Also more hard sci-fi stuff welcome. I really like hard sci-fi, but I'm largely at a loss on it for this particular list (thank you, William Gibson for making me not look like a total pussy).

Comments

[drfardook.livejournal.com]

Nearly everything by Heinlein is poly. I read a great deal of it in high school but I don't think I could stand it now.

Dead Girls/Dead boys/Dead Things by Richard Calder (my nominee for ultimately fucked relationship)

There's also The Left Hand of Darkness for gender-free romance.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Omg, please, please let there be a poly option other than Heinlein. Please. You're right of course though. I blocked it out.

[drfardook.livejournal.com]

I'm struggling to think of something but so far the only thing I came up with is Michael Moorcock's Dancers at the End of Time series (An Alien Heat, The End of All Songs, etc) which is more a decadent anarchy society where anything goes because there's nothing left to do rather than any sort of social challenge.

Come to think of it, I can't think of any queer romances except in secondary characters.

[graene.livejournal.com]

Forbidden Tower by marion Zimmer Bradley is about a two couple/foursome situation. Oh! Courtship Rite by Donald Kingsbury. society is a base six-marriage ideal, this family winds up with seven spouses.

[realtsunamigirl.livejournal.com]

Can I put in a vote for he entire Long family from Heinlein's Future History novels. Lazarus, Ishtar, Hamadryad, Justin, Ira, Galahad, Minerva, Athene, Lor and Laz. They're an awfully great love story, if a little ovepopulated. And I'm sure that I've missed a person or two here.

[realtsunamigirl.livejournal.com]

oops. Just read the "no Heinlein please" caveat. Sorry. Why not, just out of curiosity?

[rm.livejournal.com]

I find him to often be a sloppy and repetative writer I have to make excuses for, and I hate that. yes, there's valuable and interesting stuff in many, many of his books, but giving the "don't be turned off by" speech tires me, and my own tolerance for the most perfectly brilliant and busty redheads in the entire world is perhaps lower than it should be when one considers the scope of his work.

Finally, Stranger in a Strange Land, which yes, everyone should read, is far too much the blueprint for too stuff I've run into over the years in both the pagan and poly communities, both good and bad. While I use books of all absurd sorts to help me pattern my life, any text that becomes a sole text for people alarms me -- whether it's Heinlein or the Bible. It's not Heinlein's fault really, but I find it hard to deal with.

Finally, everyone knows Heinlein and knows about poly in Heinlein. I want to make the argument that this stuff is hanging out in the genre in other places too.

[ladyofthelog.livejournal.com]

I have to admit, I adore Heinlein. But in the same way I enjoy the really bad romance novels I get at the grocery store.

Man, How to Marry a Millionare Vampire - that's the stuff!

[aynatonal.livejournal.com]

I was going to say Left Hand of Darkness too! Great minds think alike.