
I read the 100 best fantasy and sci-fi novels and they were shockingly offensive - robin_reala
http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2015/08/i-read-100-best-fantasy-and-sci-fi-novels-and-they-were-shockingly-offensive
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dudul
Of all the books mentioned, I have only read "The Forever War" and have to say
the presentation in this post is just based on lies.

There are highly ranked female officers in the book, the main protagonist for
a while serve under the orders of a woman. The promiscuity between soldiers is
enforced for both sexes. I actually think this book is heavily equalist. Men
and women are conscripted regardless of sexes (needless to say, it's not the
case today in the real world).

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GFK_of_xmaspast
It's been 20 years since I read "The Forever War", but the author's
description matches my memory. (And I have read most of the other books she
describes, and didn't see anything that was incorrect).

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dudul
I got my hand on the "extended" version less than a couple years ago (one with
some part of the story "on earth" that was removed in the first published
version) and went through it pretty recently.

I re-iterate that IMO the author is cherry-picking 2 tiny parts (literally 3
lines) to make their point while the book is filled with counter-examples. It
is made abundantly clear during the story that men and women are treated
exactly the same, the group of conscripts is equally divided 50/50, sometimes
officers are men, sometimes they are women, everyone is forced to follow the
schedule of "bed buddy", etc.

I haven't read the other books so no opinion, and I am not contesting the
point of the post, but it's a major turn-off for me to misuse an example like
that - especially when it's such a great book.

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DrScump
I doubt she _read_ all 100 novels; skimmed or read Cliff's Notes, perhaps.

Among other things, she completely ignores important female characters that
are _nonhuman_ sentient species (I know there were in "Out of the Silent
Planet", for example). This reflects her speciest prejudice.

