Dangerous Women

## Authors

 Brandon Sanderson

 Joe Abercrombie

 Sherrilyn Kenyon

  Carrie Vaughn

 S.M. Stirling

  Jim Butcher

* ebook
* Print
* Audio

### Narrator

 **Scott Brick, Jonathan Frakes, Janis Ian, Stana Katic, Lee Meriwether, Emily Rankin, Harriet Walter, Jake Weber**

## About the Book

* Genre and Sub-Genres: Urban Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy, Sci-fi, War, Westerns, Noir Crime, horror, mystery, historical fiction
* Theme: Dangerous Women

## Description

The World Fantasy Award-winning collection of stories featuring the best and the bravest females across genre fiction.

All new and original to this anthology, the twenty-one stories in Dangerous Women include work by twelve New York Times bestsellers, and seven stories set in the authors' bestselling continuities--including a new "Outlander" story by Diana Gabaldon, a tale of Harry Dresden's world by Jim Butcher, a story from Lev Grossman set in the world of The Magicians, and a 35,000-word novella by George R. R. Martin about the Dance of the Dragons, the vast civil war that tore Westeros apart nearly two centuries before the events of A Game of Thrones.

Also included are original stories by Brandon Sanderson, Joe Abercrombie, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Lawrence Block, Carrie Vaughn, S. M. Stirling, Sharon Kay Penman, and more.

Writes Gardner Dozois in his Introduction: "*Here you'll find no hapless victims who stand by whimpering in dread while the male hero fights the monster...Instead, you will find sword-wielding women warriors, intrepid women fighter pilots and far-ranging spacewomen, deadly female serial killers, formidable female superheroes, sly and seductive femmes fatale, female wizards, hard-living Bad Girls, female bandits and rebels, embattled survivors in Post-Apocalyptic futures, female Private Investigators, stern female hanging judges, haughty queens who rule nations and whose jealousies and ambitions send thousands to grisly deaths, daring dragonriders, and many more.*"

## Supernatural Elements

Wizards, Magic users, Superheroes, Time Travel, Shades, Necromancer, Zombies . . .

## Stories

*Some Desperado* by Joe Abercrombie — First Law series
* Genre: Historical Fantasy

Sly South from Red Country, set in the First Law world.
*My Heart is Either Broken* by Megan Abbott
* Genre: Crime Fiction

Set in contemporary U.S., told from the point of view of a man whose daughter disappeared while his wife was watching. Suspicions, police and boulevard press poking around, weirdness starts but ends before it is getting horrific.
*Nora’s Song* by Cecelia Holland
* Genre: Historical Fiction

Eleanor of Aquitaine's 7 year old daughter observes a catalytic moment in history which sets a long list of major historical events in motion: In 1169, king Henry II of England and Ludwig VII of France met to settle several issues - one of them was about Samuel Becket, another was the betrothal of Eleanor's 12 years old son Richard the Lionheart to Ludwig's daughter Alys and swore oath of fealty concerning Aquitaine to Ludwig. She sees how politics develop between her parents and not everything is going right.
*The Hands That Are Not There* by Melinda Snodgrass
* Genre: SciFi

Prejudice and sexual relationship between races and politics are embedded within a frame story for different perspectives of this SF story: An aristocrat develops romantic feelings for a half-breed stripper.
*Bombshells* by Jim Butcher — Dresden Files series #13.5
* Genre: UF

Takes place after Ghost Story, where Molly has been assuming the identity of the Ragged Lady, and helps to illuminate some of the elements that later turn up in Cold Days. Justine, Thomas Raith’s partner, needs help. And in Harry’s absence, she goes to Molly.
*Raisa Stepanova* by Carrie Vaughn
* Genre: historical fiction

The story of a young woman flying the most dangerous of combat missions on front lines in Russia during the darkest days of World War II, who is determined to do her duty as a soldier and keep flying them, even if it kills her—which it very well might. — Raisa worries for her brother and for her family - we see how deeply in her letters. A conflict between the state and her brother adds depth to intense fighting scenes in the air where she has to prove double as a woman.
*Wrestling Jesus* by Joe R. Lansdale
* Genre: Horror?

Coming-of-age wrestling story like "Karate Kid". The dangerous woman isn't the main protagonist, this time - she's a femme fatale in the background wielding voodoo forces to bind the two old guys to her will, fighting every 5 years for her love. She is a catalyst for the lust of the males. And the final fight was epic!
*Neighbors* by Megan Lindholm (aka Robin Hobb)
* Genre: Fantasy-Horror? / Weird-Fantasy?

Alzheimer, worried children, a weird mist with an alternate reality creeps in—slow, thoughtful, melancholically and immensely touching.
*Know How to Pick ’Em* by Lawrence Block
* Genre:  Crime / Urban Noir?

Married woman hooks up with a man in the bar. Psychological setup, the incestuous mother being the dangerous woman.
*Shadows For Silence in the Forests of Hell* by Brandon Sanderson — Warbreaker #1.5
* Genre: Post-apocalyptic fantasy

A story about a middle-aged woman fighting creatures called "shades" and fighting to keep her business. The world has been invaded by something the inhabitants call “the Evil,” a force that manifests in the Shades. These ghostly presences haunt the forest that seems to cover much of the world, and they enforce a series of Simple Rules. “Don’t kindle flame, don’t shed the blood of another, don’t run at night.” If you do any of these things, the Shades will come, and they will ruin you. The touch of a shade withers flesh, and if they catch you they will turn you into dust, allowing your spirit to rise as another Shade. Ghosts with a strong zombie theme. “Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell” | Tor.com] — Sanderson usually builds a rule-set like this for his magic wielders. Here, forest's inhabitants have to follow those rules to avoid being killed by spirits. Our dangerous woman is the inn-keeper who bounty hunts at night.
*A Queen in Exile* by Sharon Kay Penman
* Genre: Historical Fiction

Some 20 years after "Nora’s Song", the stupor mundi ("wonder of the world") is born - or the antichrist, depending who you ask: Frederick II of Hohenstaufen and Holy Roman Emperor. Much has been written about the Night at Jesi when he was given birth publicly by his mother Constance.
*The Girl in the Mirror* by Lev Grossman — Magicians series
* Genre: Fantasy / YA (college age)

follows one of the League’s schemes, a revenge prank pulled on another student who has committed an unforgivable crime: short-pouring the nightly glasses of wine the older students get with dinner. This short-pouring will, as far as Plum is concerned, not stand. The complex prank she gets the League to go along with involves lots of magic and leads Plum, who will play a major role in the forthcoming third novel The Magician’s Land, deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole. It also connects her back to characters you’ll remember from the first two books…
*Second Arabesque, Very Slowly* by Nancy Kress
* Genre: Dystopian

Decades after a decease ripping female fertility, there are only a few packs hunting and gathering in upper Manhattan's Central Park and Lincoln Theater.
*City Lazarus* by Diana Rowland
* Genre: UF (Native American Ghost Story)

New Orleans isn't the same anymore when the Mississippi changed its course. This is the setting for a noir post-apocalyptic romance. There's a femme fatale love triangle between the corrupt police officer Danny, his rich "business"-partner and stripper Delia.
*Virgins* by Diana Gabaldon - Outlander series
* Genre: Historical Adventure/Romance with time-travel

(Time Travel) A prequel story to her Outlander series, and features Jamie Fraser, who is forced out of his Scottish home and set to wandering in the world. — Jamie Fraser and his friend Ian are part of a mercenary gang convoying a Jewish bride and her dowry from 18th century Bordeaux towards her wedding in Paris. But the bride being the dangerous woman changes the course of action. — Jamie and his good friend Ian when they were young. This story begins directly after Jamie’s father is killed and after Jamie is flogged by the British. It follows Ian and Jamie as they work as mercenaries and encounter a very dangerous women.
*Hell Hath No Fury* by Sherrilyn Kenyon
* Genre: UF / ghost story

Native American ghost story
*Pronouncing Doom* by S.M. Stirling — Emberverse series

* Genre: Dystopian

Civilization is broken down, machines don't work anymore (it isn't explained why), people settle in tribes and farm their homeland. In this community, people went for pagan religion. There was a crime that the external leader has to judge - without having an established judicial system. Interesting setting, atmosphere and moral implications.
*Name the Beast* by Sam Sykes
* Genre: Fairy-tale like Fantasy

Mother and child go into the forest to complete an initiation ritual - they are hunting a **beast**. The father wants to make sure that the child accomplishes the task.
*Caretakers* by Pat Cadigan
* Genre: Mystery

Two sisters care for their dement mother in the nursing home. The younger sister volunteers at the nursing home and finds out that something is going wrong.
*Lies My Mother Told Me* by Caroline Spector - Wild Cards series
* Genre:  (Wild Cards: science fiction & superhero anthology series)

This story is set in the Wild Cards Earth during Mardi Gras in New Orleans. The female **super-hero** Bubbles (former model getting fat to develop her powers) and her daughter are attacked by **zombies**-New Orleans plus zombies. Initially they thought that it was caused by a friend-super-hero Joey is a **necromancer**.
*The Princess and the Queen* by George R.R. Martin - Song of Ice and Fire series
* Genre: Historical Fantasy

A short history tale set in Westeros, chronicling the Dance of Dragons. Being A History of the Causes, Origins, Battles, and Betrayals of that Most Tragic Bloodletting Known as the Dance of the Dragons, as set down by Archmaester Gyldayn of the Citadel of Oldtown  — Depicts the Targaryens as they were seen by the people they had conquered—remote, even magical figures, “rightly regarded as being closer to gods than the common run of men.” These characters are writ large: dragon-blooded titans plotting and clashing on a grand scale as the narrative swoops gleefully from high drama and intrigue to the basest folly and butchery. Both sides suffer horrific losses and stunning reversals of fortune, and time and time again we’re allowed to follow individual characters just long enough to get attached before some violent calamity befalls them.