In which the author continues to goof off

[rolanni]

So, yesterday was various errands, including the Getting of the Flu Shots, and tomorrow there are more errands.  Today, I believe there is cleaning, including post-writing disaster control of my office.  Which, to be fair, is Slightly Less Awful than it Often Is in terms of Sheer Volume.  On the other paw, I can't just sweep stacks of paper into trash bags, either, because there are Large Swaths of at least one other book interleaved with the pages that finally came to make up Dragon in Exile.

Speaking of Dragon in Exile, or at least, speaking of Val Con and Miri, who are more-or-less major actors in the novel, something went past my eyeballs a while ago, regarding characterization in the Liaden Universe®. The assertion of the writer was that while the authors get positive points for writing strong female characters, those points are crushed under the number of  negative points the authors get for pairing said strong, intelligent females with a male characters who are even stronger and smarter.

It probably goes without saying -- but I'll say it anyway -- that I don't see it that way.  Speaking specifically of Miri  and Val Con, what I see is two smart, capable people who have had vastly different lives, and who therefore have different strengths, and weaknesses, who happen to complement each other.

As a question of craft, I've always felt that it's a cheat to demonstrate that one's female character is strong and intelligent by deliberately pairing her with a weak or venal, less-intelligent male.  Just as it's a cheat to demonstrate that your hero is strong, smart, and morally upstanding by pairing him with Pretty Maggie Moneyeyes.

Also, just personally, I wonder why a strong, smart character of any gender you like would partner with a dummy (OK; maybe in terms of muscle or money).  But, generally, in terms of survival, wouldn't you want the smartest, strongest, most sympatico person you could get for your partner?

So, anyhow, that's what I think.  What do you think?

Comments

[reedrover]

I appreciate the idea that, the stronger the character, the stronger the contrasting/complementary character(s) must be to keep the story in balance. What I look for in a partnership - especially one built over decades of writing - is both the complementary interests and the contrasting strengths. Here's just what's on the top of my head:

Miri and Val Con are both dangerous individuals. Over the course of the books, we come to understand that Miri is a troop leader while Val Con is more of an individual operative. Val Con has more experience translating foreign cultures and manipulating personal interaction. Miri has more experience recognizing when strategy calls for her/them to throw a physical point to win a match. She also has a... unique perspective... on externally-caused mental alterations and how to combat them.

Priscilla and Sean are both magical individuals. They also came from extremely different backgrounds. When pressed, Priscilla withdraws into the formality of her training while Sean projects personality. (What's the quote? Sean's manners are appalling but his manner is pleasing? Something like that.) Sean learned the art of extroverted personal interaction while Priscilla learned the art of projections of power. While they are both pilots of note, Sean is given the edge in both major spacecraft and the art of war (admittedly through Lute's magic). Priscilla is the stronger magician on a universal scale. Priscilla can use astral projection to leave mental packages for pickup. She can also sense personal intent left on objects.

Aelliana and Daav... appears less balanced at the onset, and then an even tighter pair once their weaknesses and strengths are matched up properly. I consider endurance to be an incredible strength, and multi-space mathematics to be akin to magic, especially when the survival of your ship depends on it. Certainly, Daav has more world experience. He also suffers from impatience. Aelliana has depths of patience, a vast intellectual hunger, and curiosity that makes things new again for Daav.

[doccolt.livejournal.com]

Actually wasn't it Miri who left a mental package for pickup by Pricilla. I must reread the first four books again I think.

[reedrover]

You are correct. Miri left the package and Priscilla brought it back to share with Shan. (Priscilla did leave the signature slip.). Thanks for the correction!