The best sci-fi/fantasy books featuring fierce warrior women

There are actually two undeniably kickass women in this book: one is the perfect hybrid of humanity and technology created to pilot gargantuan killing machines, while the other is a foul-mouthed outlaw who routinely climbs inside these machines and blows them the heck up. You can imagine the chaos that ensues when these women finally join forces and set their sights on destroying the oppressive supercity of Godolia—along with its vast army of terrifying mecha gods. I was delighted by this book for a number of reasons, not the least of which being its many bloody battle scenes and its cast of endearing characters. The tenuous relationship between Sona the Pilot and Eris the Gearbreaker kept me on edge until the very end. This is an impressive debut novel from a talented young writer, and I am looking forward to the next installment.  

One of my all-time favorites, Sabriel follows the story of a young necromancer as she battles the forces of the underworld to save the Old Kingdom from a looming darkness. When her father is attacked by an evil spirit and trapped in death, Sabriel becomes the next Abhorsen—and must take up the grisly task of putting the undead to rest. I have read this book so many times that I’m surprised the pages haven’t fallen out of the spine. The world is darkly immersive, and the magic system is fantastic. Sabriel’s bravery in the face of unimaginable evil is something that resonated with me even at an early age. I think reading this book was probably the first time I was exposed to a heroine of warrior caliber, and its message has certainly stood the test of time.

I honestly can’t remember when I’ve laughed so hard reading a book! I don’t read a lot of space-themed stories, but this one had me hooked from the first sentence. The story begins when Gideon Nav (accomplished swordswoman/lovable jackass) and Lady Harrowhark (wickedly good necromancer/mildly psychotic ruler of The Ninth) are summoned off-planet by the mysterious Emperor of The First. Gideon and Harrow soon find themselves trapped in the Emperor’s decrepit mansion, along with the rulers and cavaliers of the other eight houses, and forced to compete for a chance to claim immortality. The story is a well-crafted mystery set in a darkly wrought, necromantic universe—and the fact that Gideon and Harrow absolutely hate each other adds a great deal of humor (and foul-mouthedness) to their attempts to escape the Emperor’s haunted palace.

This novel begins in the fiery aftermath of a gruesome airship battle—and it only gets better from there. Our heroine, Josette, is a scrappy, hardworking airship captain who must contend with the undermining efforts of the fleet’s dubious general and his spies, all while fighting *actual* battles against an enemy that wants to blow her crew out of the sky. What really captured my attention about this book was the incredible descriptive voice displayed by the author: from the gory battle scenes to the complex inner workings of an airship, this is a truly immersive adventure. Josette is a smart, relatable heroine who pulls no punches and doesn’t let herself get sucked into the political minutiae, which keeps the story moving at a good clip. 

Another 90’s throwback, The Witches of Eileanan is the first in a six-book series featuring a slew of warrior women. Our heroine, Isabeau, is a young witch who has spent most of her life in seclusion—honing her skills while trying to remain hidden in a world where witchcraft is outlawed. Shortly after her sixteenth birthday, Isabeau is forced to abandon the safety of her home and embark on a quest to save her kingdom from dark forces. She meets many fellow warrior women along the way, all of whom are rendered in glorious, unabashed badassness that was truly revolutionary in its day. While this series is undeniably a trailblazer in the realm of heroine-centric fantasy, and certainly an excellent read for anyone on the hunt for fierce warrior women, I do want to warn potential readers that there are a few instances where female characters suffer sexual abuse. The casualness with which these instances are transcribed is jarring, and truly an unfortunate relic of old epic fantasy.