Customer Reviews

Chicks in Chainmail

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Chicks in Chainmail is one of those books that had to be a volume of irony, the title wouldn't permit anything else. Friesner's relating the (real? fictional) difficulties in getting people to get the title accepted is a good start, and the book goes right on from there, shredding stereotypes, stomping on the fragile male ego (you know, us males ARE the genetically disadvantaged ones, ask any doctor), and in general having a good time stepping on those preconceptions that people tuck away in the back of their head. Some people may not like the one-note nature of the book, but I think THAT'S THE POINT! The selective taxation story ought to be mailed direcly to our present congress, too. I read it on a plane, and again when I got home. Then my spouse captured it and giggled until about 3 in the morning.

This is a smart, funny and sexy book! Drawing from various science fiction writers both male and female, a collection of both halarious and inspiring stories portrays women as warriors, healers, and mothers, often at the same time. This is a must to slip under your little girl's pillow, and would make an excellent coming of age gift. Highly recommended.

If ever there was a book to point and make fun of generic "women in skimpy armor", this is it. Excellent approach to all types of humor (subliminal and not so subliminal) towards the standard role of women in Science Fiction novels (skimpy armor, needing to be saved, etc.)

I _like_ these ladies, they are like the "walk through anyone in the way" ladies in the R. A. Heinlein books, or Kira on Deep Space Nine, Ivanova on B5... only funny too.. Get it, get the sequel, and ask for another volume.

I thought the actual book would be terrible, but then I noticed E. Moon's name on it so I thought. Oh what the hell, and bought it. It was worth it. Very funny, and engrosing. So engrosing in fact I stayed up till 3 am to finish it, and I have a test today! Oh well.. :)

Get a sense of humor guys (and yes I mean males) All the "bashes" seam to come from men. Some great stories and laughs. Great satire. Read this book on a gloomy day (it took me anafternoon) to cheer the day up. I have read and re-read this book. Found the stories to be very readable - while I did not "love" every story and think it classical lit - I found it humorous and helpful. Let's see more ladies in chainmail. Last story left melaughing.

....and, can you believe it, from a slew of authors! That what was so disappointing to me about this collection of sci-fi and fantasy stories about liberated warrior babes. The first four were funny (and Friesner's introduction was the most clever of the lot), but after a while lines like," You're bluffing, toots. Everybody knows your 'Barbarian Code' won't let you fight a woman." (from David Vierling's "Armor/Amore") get a little tiresome. OK, there were some pretty amusing tales, like "Career Day" by Margaret Ball. Roped into taking her daughter's class to work with her, our heroinne gamely transports them to her interdimensional workplace, where she's a hired thug for a princeling. Quadratic equations save the day here, believe it or not. And E.T. Spiegelman's "Maureen Birnbaum in the MUD" got my vote as pick of the litter. In this tale told in first person the sarcastic and so-witty prep school/valley girl dialogue actually works. We get to watch Maureen Birnbaum (aka Muffy) apply copious amounts of makeups and unguents to her body as she relates the story of her adventure in a MUD. That's Multi-User Dimension to all you non-geeks out there--a sort of on-line 24-hour text-based Dungeons and Dragons; there are many on the Internet. What was so unusual--and poignant--about this one is that the ending was not funny. It wasn't even happy. Having taken a three-hour break at her best friend Bitsy's house to wash off the mud and blood and make herself stunning for her sweetie, Prince Val of Mars, Maureen Birnbaum finds that she has squandered her go-anywhere taxi ride (the grand prize for slaying the ultimate monster in the MUD). We leave her standing in the empty gravel driveway of her friend's home, literally all dressed up and no place to go. This book was not a dog--I got some chuckles out of it, and it was a nice quick summertime read. But ask me specifics a month from now, and I'll scratch my head and try to call one of these stories to mind--they just don't resonate in any meaningful way. Could Friesner have stretched the parameters a little bit and gone for an anthology with a little bit more impact? How about one of the many stories about Kali, the Hindu goddess of birth and destruction? Now THERE'S a kick-ass babe

This is one of my favorite fantasy books, and easily the best fantasy compilation I've read. It's got puns, some gender bending, strong women, and some fun, sexy scenes. (Some stories are probably PG).

This book is hysterical, and anyone who thinks that this imitates the "Xena" craze missed the point. It takes the lame fantasy stereotypes and puts them through the RoncoMatic.

Of course, the essential irony present in Xena must have missed some folks, too.

If you like irony, and you're familiar with the usual fantasy stereotype women, you'll like this.

If you have no sense of humor, skip it.

Chicks in Chainmail (1995) is first Fantasy anthology in the Chicks in Chainmail series. This humorous anthology contains twenty-one short stories about female warriors. These stories are written by both female and male authors, some famous and others not so wellknown.

- Introduction by Esther Friesner explains the origins of the book and the title. It is all her fault.

- "Lady of Steel" by Roger Zelazny tells of the man who wanted a name for himself as a female warrior.

- "And Ladies of the Club" by Elizabeth Moon relates the story of the king who taxed bras.

- "Exchange Program" by Susan Shwartz involves Hillary Clinton and the Valkyries.

- "Goddess for a Day" by Harry Turtledove exposes the election tactics of the ancient Greeks and the opinions of their goddesses.

- "Armor-Ella" by Holly Lisle speaks of a six foot maid who was visited by a prince.

- "Career Day" by Margaret Ball regards a fighting Mom who gets roped into taking a group of students -- and two adults -- to her worksite.

- "Armor/Amore" by David Vierling displays a barbarian, a princess and love at first fight.

- "The Stone of War and the Nightingale's Egg" by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough confronts a warrior maid with the trial of turning a harem into a fighting force.

- "The Growling" by Jody Lynn Nye brings a group of men intent upon rape and pillange into a village where the men have been gone for over a year.

- "The New Britomart" by eluki bes shahar builds a tale of love, magic and sidhe.

- "On the Road of Silver" by Mark Bourne intermingles museum politics with the fae.

- "Bra Melting" by Janni Lee Simner pits style against protection in female armor.

- "The Old Grind" by Laura Frankos has a young giantess leaving home to look for a good fight and a decent male.

- "The Way to a Man's Heart" by Esther Friesner considers the marriage chances of princesses when princes are in short supply.

- "Whoops!" by Nancy Springer divulges the antics of a guardian angel with a dislike of one-fingered salutes.

- "The Guardswoman" by Lawrence Watt-Evans deals with a female guard in a brothel.

- "Teacher's Pet" by Josepha Sherman introduces a woman warrior to a teacher who knows a little magic.

- "Were-Wench" by Jan Stirling takes a female soldier back home with a curse.

- "Blood Calls to Blood" by Elizabeth Waters leads a woman cop Under the Hill with some help from her family.

- "Maureen Birnbaum in the MUD" by George Alec Effinger is about eye shadow and quests.

These stories are entertaining and often funny. You should check out the interesting authors that you don't already know. Some also have full-length novels waiting for your perusal.

More adventures are coming. The next installment in this series is Did You Say Chicks?!.

Highly recommended for Friesner fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of nontraditional -- and other -- occupations for women. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin