Query: 1981 Ace Books
Domain: books
Relevant documents:
Conan the Mercenary
Tomoe Gozen (novel)
Evidence from documents: Conan the Mercenary: It was first published in paperback by Ace Books in 1980, with an official publication date of January 1981.
Tomoe Gozen (novel): '''''Tomoe Gozen''''' is a novel by Jessica Amanda Salmonson, published in 1981. Set in an alternate universe resembling feudal Japan, the book combines the tale of historical female samurai Tomoe Gozen with the legends and creatures of Japanese mythology to create an action-adventure fantasy. It is the first part of the ''Tomoe Gozen Trilogy'' which met with some success in the 1980s fantasy novel market. The series is notable for its unusual, highly researched samurai background and feminist story slant.