Posted by The Professor on April 10, 1998 at 21:31:15:
In Reply to: Re: Prototypical Vance hero's Romantic Interest posted by Trusty Jules on March 23, 1998 at 02:28:51:
: : Once thing is certain, Vance's books are no guides to dealing with women or picking up girls. No matter how much I love Vance's books, his treatment of women characters (I mean literary treatment) has always failed to satisfy me. With the exception of some of his latest books there are virtually no women characters playing a role as an independent thinking active person.
: It took me many years to get my wife to appreciate Vance for this very reason. After reading the demon princes series she was almost offended by the way women characters are portrayed. In her view Vance was himself obviously unable to deal with women. I am less negative, Vance is simply just as or even more mystified than all of us by the female race, a point he makes no apology for. It was only on learning that Norma has a large influence on Vance's work that my wife became less concerned about this point.
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I don't think any fiction books, SF books in particular, should be any guide to how to behave in real life (in case your comment was half serious). In my opinion, many books (esp adventure books) are to be enjoyed at this "action" level, and if there are other levels, and other readings also, so much the better. Clearly, Vance, has more interesting female characters in his other (later books) such as the ECCE series.
I cannot attach any blame to those books which do not have
female Keith Gersen's, although I would love to read books which
did (if only Vance would have written them).
On the other hand I also love Sheri Teppers books, which were
along with Suzy McKee Charnas (Motherlines etc.) truly eye opening education on being female. Has your wife read these
authors?