Recommended female fantasy writers?

Roxxsmom

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Patricia McKillip
Robin McKinley
Seanan McGuire
Jo Walton (writes both SF and F)
C. J. Cherryh (she writes SF and F)
Lois McMasters Bujold (both SF and F)
Laura Anne Gilman

All of these and the others recommended in this thread. I've also enjoyed Marie Brennan, Katherine Addison (has also published as Sarah Monette), Jacqueline Carey, Ursula K LeGuin (of course--writes both SF and F), Lynn Flewelling, Carol Berg, Ellen Kushner, Mary Robinette Kowal, and Nnedi Okorafor.

I actually have a harder time thinking of as many male fantasy writers, but that may reflect my tastes.
 
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JetFueledCar

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These are seconding but I'm gonna add some details:

- Tamora Pierce: I consider her absolutely 100% required reading for anyone who reads YA high fantasy. She's done two separate universes, each populated with heroines. I'm currently rereading and finishing the ones I didn't finish before (one was first released as an audiobook and one is in diary form, neither of which are really my thing).
- Kate Griffin: I consider HER to be required reading for anyone who reads urban fantasy, period. She completely redefines the genre, IMO, by reshaping everything about her magical system to fit an urban setting.
- Patricia Briggs: My favorite of the "strong women" protagonists in urban fantasy (the quotes are largely because a lot of them make an effort to show how strong they are, which even if they are as badass as they think annoys me because show don't tell). Mercy wins because she's smart, she's quick, and she's got allies who will fight to the death to make sure she comes out on top.

Also I didn't see this one mentioned:

- Anne Bishop. I never read her Black Jewels saga but I am in LOVE with her Others series. Flips several urban fantasy tropes on their heads, and there's something personally satisfying to my misanthropic heart about the way those tropes are flipped. Warning: This one is fairly heavy on references to sexual assault, and it's not always handled well.
 

Luciferical

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DC Fontana wrote some of the best Star Trek episodes of all time. And she has credits with Logan's Run, Babylon V, You'll find most of her work in the realm of TV. I'd still consider her a worthy author to lookup.
 

Ancoelle

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Sarah J. Maas, Kristin Cashore, Juliet Marillier
 

sheils

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Unless I missed it, wanted to add to this list: Sabaa Tahir and Laini Taylor (both YA fantasy with great world-building)
 

HaHs

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Wow! So many recommendations. I've put them all together here for easy access for anybody who's as interested as I am! I've put the name of the author and then any particular information that was pointed out in the post that might be useful or relevant. ALSO I apologies if some names are listed twice, there were a lot of repeats!



109(ish) Female Fantasy Writers
Andre Norton
Ann Halam/Gwyneth Jones (YA)
Anne Bishop (‘Others’ series - incl. warning regarding references to sexual assault that aren’t always handled well)
Anne McCaffrey
Beth Bernobich (’The River of Souls’)
C. J. Cherryh (she writes SF and F)
C. L. Moore
Carol Berg
Caroline Stevermer
Carrie Vaughn or vaughan
Cat Rambo
Catherine M. Valente
DC Fontana (TV writer but also a worthy author to look up)
Diana Wynne Jones (‘The Merlin Conspiracy’, ‘Dark Lord of Derkholm’ (incl. male protagonist), ‘Year of the Gryphon’)
Elizabeth A. Lynn (‘Dragon's Winter’)
Elizabeth Bear (‘Range of Ghosts’ set in a world inspired by Asian cultures, particularly Mongolian)
Elizabeth Haydon (’Symphony of Ages’)
Elizabeth Moon
Ellen Kushner (‘Swordspoint’ (incl. male protagonist) and Privilege of Sword)
Emma Newman
Frances Hardinge (YA, Face Like Glass)
G. Willow Wilson (‘Alif the Unseen’)
Gail Carriger
Heather Rose Jones (‘Daughter of Mystery’, ‘Mystic Marriage’, ‘Mother of Souls’
Jacqueline Carey
Jane Yolen
Jo Graham
Jo Walton (writes SF and F - ‘Among Others’ (Hugo inner) and Lifeload)
Juliet Marillier
K. A. (Katherine) Applegate
K. J. Charles (‘The Charm of Magpies’, incl. male protagonist and sexual content)
Kameron Hurley
Kara Dalkey (‘Goa’, ‘Bijapur’, ‘Bhagavati’)
Kate Elliot
Kate Griffin (urban fantasy)
Katherine Addison/Sarah Monette
Katherine Kurtz
Kelly Link (“is weird AF”)
KJ Bishop
Kristen Britain (‘Green Rider’ series has female MC)
Kristin Cashore (Graceling)
Laini Taylor (YA fantasy)
Laura Anne Gilman
Lauren Beukes (from South Africa)
Leigh Bardugo (YA - ‘Six of Crows/The Crooked Kingdom’)
Leigh Brackett
Lindsay Buroker
Lois McMaster Bujold (‘Paladin of Souls’ and ‘Penric’s Demon’ - also a Hugo winner, incl. male protagonist)
Lois McMasters Bujold (both SF and F)
Lynn Fleweling (’Nightrunners’ series)
Madeleine L'Engle
Marie Brennan
Marion Zimmer Bradley
Martha Wells (‘Raksura’ series, first book being ’The Cloud Roads’)
Mary Robinette Kowal
Mercedes Lackey
Michelle West/Michelle Sagara (‘Hunter Lord’ duology)
N. K. Jemisin (’The Fifth Season’ - also a Hugo winner)
Nancy Springer
Naomi Novik (‘Uprooted’)
Nina Kiriki Hoffman
Nnedi Okorafor (MG fantasy, epic fantasy, SF + more)
Octavia Butler (‘Kindred’)
Patricia Briggs (urban fantasy)
Patricia C. Wrede
Patricia McKilip
Rachel Neumeier
Rainbow Rowell (Carry On and its contemporary sister, Fangirl, on loving fantasy and writing fiction about it)
Robin Hobb (The Farseer universe)
Robin McKinley
Sabaa Tahir (YA fantasy)
Sally Gardner (YA)
Sarah J. Maas
Sarah Rees Brennan (‘Wings in the Morning’ (novella-ish short story)
Seanan McGuire
Sharon Shinn
Sherri Tepper
Sherwood Smith
Stina Liecht
Tamora Pierce (YA high fantasy)
Tanith Lee
Tanya Huff
Traci Harding
Trudi Canavan
Ursula K. LeGuin (SF + F)
Ursula Le Guin


Quartzen on Twitter has Madde some moments full of female Space Opera writers:
1-100
https://twitter.com/i/moments/887032286432157696

101-200
https://twitter.com/i/moments/887025035399049217

[EDIT] - Edited to alphabetise.
 
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Roxxsmom

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I don't know if you got Jacqueline Carey (the Kushiel's dart trilogy and others) and Patricia Briggs (who writes UF, but I enjoyed some of her earlier secondary world works even more). Also, Barbara Hambley. Maria V Snyder also, who wrote the "Study" series. Oh, and Fran Wild, who wrote Updraft. Nnedi Okorafor, who writes both Afro-Futuristic SF and fantasy. Also, Emma Bull wrote War of the Oaks, which some consider the first UF novel (obviously, there is debate there).

Sorry if I'm duplicated, but the list is long and not alphabetized.
 
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ULTRAGOTHA

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Wow! So many recommendations. I've put them all together here for easy access for anybody who's as interested as I am!

What a lot of great work. Thank you!
 

sohalt

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Another vote for Tamora Pierce!

Also Susanna Clarke. Sadly not very prolific, but "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell" is one of my all-time favourite fantasy novels.

Angela Carter is famous for fairy tale retellings. My favourite of hers is "Nights at the Circus". Maybe more magical realism rather than fantasy though.

Ursula Vernon has lovely stories, in which talking animals tend to play important roles. "Summer in Orcus" can be read for free on her blog!
 
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Liz_V

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R.A. MacAvoy
Barbara Hambly

Ursula Vernon's Castle Hangnail is technically a kid's book, but IMO has plenty to keep an adult engaged; I found it absolutely delightful.
 

nelehjr

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I like Maas. Book #4 isn't that great so far... But! I've liked the rest.

*Cough* This is bold but I also write fantasy and I am a female.
 

neandermagnon

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Seeing as I said how I didn't like one of Louise Cooper's books on the other thread, I'm going to recommend her in this one because I liked all her other books. I'm surprised she's not been mentioned already but maybe she's only known on this side of the pond.