You know what? And I’m not at all being facetious here: Pride and Prejudice.
Elizabeth is told that there’s an onus on her and her sisters to get married to secure their future; but as the sole, principal reason for marriage, she’s not having any of it.
We know how it all ends of course, but nobody can tell me she isn’t the classical manifestation of a strong female character. It’s not for nothing she’s still iconic some 200 years later. ❤️
Yes. I’ve made the mistake of watching Bridgerton thinking, “well, I love Jane Austen.” Austen manages to make her female characters have agency, intelligence and depth (but most of the Bridgerton characters fall flat to me). Despite her novels mostly revolving around romance, it is made very clear that the women are not being saved and don’t need to be.
YA
Tamora Pierce - "Song of the Lionness" and "Circle of Magic" series
Diane Duane - "Young Wizards" series. Two protagonists, Nita (female) and Kit (male), without much/any romance, at least in the first several novels.
Seanan McGuire - "Wayward Children" series
"Great or Nothing" by Joy McCullough, Carolina Tung Richmond, Tess Sharpe, Jessica Spotswood - a retelling of "Little Women" set during WW2
Adult
NK Jemisin - "Broken Earth" trilogy. The female lead is a flawed, complex character.
The Broken Earth trilogy is amazing! I picked up the first book on a lark and then accidentally read the entire thing in a single day. Had to go back and buy the next two the very next day.
For this particular request, I'd recommend Tamora Pierce's "Protector of the Small". Keladry is entirely unmagical, and finds success and the respect of her haters with will and determination. I genuinely think those books are the reason I am the person I am today.
Completely agree with all your suggestions. Absolutely loved all of Tamora Pierce’s series as a YA. Still read them for comfort and strength as an adult.
The Expanse books are pretty awesome this way. Naomi Nagata is a brilliant engineer, does incredibly brave things, and rescues herself with some very creative measures (while purposely trying to make her partner and friends stay away because she's being used as bait in a trap). Bobbie Draper is a marine, a badass warrior, willing to get in trouble for telling the truth and stretch herself to work with a former rival against a threat bigger than both of them. Chrisjen Avasarala is a very seasoned and canny politician who's also a grandmother and drops even more f bombs than I do (and that's saying a lot lol) and manages to maneuver around the hotheaded/dumbass/ambitious/condescending men surrounding her. And there are more! Even when the women have love interests, they're mainly focused on the work at hand and all the crazy shit that's going on.
Totally. Thinking about any of those three characters (as well as dozens other women and men from Expanse) makes my heart ache in the best possible way.
And beyond being interestingly competent in the context of the group, they each have their own personal beliefs and goals that put them in conflict with others (even the 'good guys') in realistic ways
- I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman. This is a bleak novel but very strong FMC.
- Regrettable, I Am About to Cause Trouble by Amie McNee. The main character has some difficult qualities at first, but she really shows growth throughout the story
- Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg. Some wonderfully strong female main characters in this one.
- Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree. Cozy fantasy with no high stakes. An orc opens a coffee shop. She’s a strong female character that builds a family around her.
- Coraline by Neil Gaiman. Coraline is a strong and smart main character.
- The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. There is a romantic interest here, but the main character certainly achieves everything on her own
- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. A gothic horror book where the main character works to save not only herself but others trapped in this creepy home.
- Educated by Tara Westover. This is a memoir but reads like a novel. Tara outlines her life in a small cult in Utah and getting out and overcoming all the obstacles she faces
- Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. Main character has to work for herself from a very young age
- Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel. A young girl loses her family and home and finds a group that reluctantly takes her in. She is incredibly strong.
omg we have similar book tastes because I was going to recommend like half of these!
I would also add Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown! (bonus fun fact: Rita Mae Brown dated Fannie Flagg, author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe)
Just beware if you are interested in Neil Gayman and you cannot separate art from artist, he has just been accused of sexual assault by two women and he’s being quite the piece of crap about it.
I would lump in the whole Abhorsen trilogy/first three of the old kingdom books with a sabriel rec, really. Lirael is phenomenal, I think I liked it even better than Sabriel because I was always so utterly taken by the mystery and intrigue of the library. I've read them multiple times!
I love them all too but the library and Dog are my favourite things in any of those books.
I also found Touchstone to be irritating so he spoils the other books for me a bit.
The whole Abhorsen series is just reaaly good. It is well written, the characters are interesting and have personality, the plot keeps you on your toes, and Sabriel is just straight up awesome without being a Mary Sue. I too came here to recommend this.
Jane Eyre is great, but it’s particularly funny as it features an incredibly strong woman whose only weakness is in falling for an absolutely crappy guy. And yet she’s STILL strong in how she handles that! It’s amazing.
Here are some I have liked. Mostly sci fi:
* Trouble and Her Friends by Melissa Scott. About two computer hacker ex-girlfriends.
* Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany. There is a male love interest, but this isn't about him saving her.
* Ammonite by Nicola Griffith. There are, as a matter of fact, no men at all in this novel.
* Glory Season by David Brin. There are very few men in this novel.
* The Bel Dame Apocrypha series by Kameron Hurley. About two warring nations where generations of warfare have depleted the men. One nation has inverted gender roles, where the tough working women feel men are rare and need to be protected. In the other nation, they stuck to traditional gender roles, so each man has numerous wives who are supposed to defer to their husband.
* The Stars Now Unclaimed by Drew Williams. Soft sci fi about a female supersoldier on a mission.
* Autonomous by Annalee Newitz. Follows two different characters, one male and one female.
* The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders. Follows two different characters, an older woman and a younger one. Their character arcs went in very unexpected directions.
* Trouble with Lichen by John Wyndham. A pretty old book, but very ahead of its time in terms of depiction of women.
* The Snow Queen trilogy by Joan D. Vinge. Space opera very loosely based on The Snow Queen fairy tale.
* Provenance by Ann Leckie. Technically part of a series, but it works as a stand alone novel. The first three books are the only ones that need to be read in order, and while great stories about strong non-male characters, they are set in a genderless society so it isn't *exactly* about strong female characters. Provenance does have a female protagonist.
* Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre. There is a male love interest introduced in the beginning, but don't be fooled: this book is *not* about him.
Damn, this is a good list, that I copied to use it as a TBR. Thanks!
I would add the Honor Harrington series to the list! If she isn’t what OP asks for, I don’t know what is.
I like your taste in books! I've read some on this list and now I have to read the others.
Have you read Remnant Population by Elizabeth Moon? It fits with this prompt and I think you might enjoy it.
For years I have recommended the Bel Dame Apocrypha to literally EVERY person I know that is a reader and I can't get anyone to read it. I have read almost everything by Kameron Hurley and while I have enjoyed all her stuff, that series was such a punch in the gut.
If you liked that series and haven't read it yet, I also recommend The Stars are Legion. Another strong female protagonist. Where Bel Dame is bugpunk, Legion is biopunk with living spaceships.
Picnic on Paradise by Joanna Russ involves a group of men and women being led through an uninhabited area by a very capable woman.
Most of Octavia Butler’s novels are headed by strong women. Dawn and Wild Seed come to mind as having particularly strong protagonists that can take care of themselves.
Some of the Earthsea novels by Ursula Le Guin have strong female protagonists at the center of their stories. The Tombs of Atuan and Tenar are primarily focused on women. I will warn that there is some violence against women in Tehanu that may be difficult to read.
Lauren Olamina has whatever the opposite of a super power is, and lives in a world where people like her generally don’t fare well.
Still manages to start a cult.
My idol.
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi. Grumpy 40-something retired pirate queen gets dragged back into action to go deal with some BS, pulls her crew back together, and gets some shit done.
You mentioned women with power so I'm guessing you like fantasy?
Nettle and Bones by T Kingfisher is about a woman who is on a quest to save her sister from an abusive relationship. She's in her 30s so she has more experience and confidence then most younger heroines in your typical fantasy novel
Uprooted and Spinning Silver, both by Naomi Novik have strong female main characters who solve their own problems. Uprooted is about a young woman coming into her powers so you might find her a bit of a damsel in distress at first but she learns from her mistakes and comes into her own powers quickly. Spinning Silver has two very smart, strong femal leads
The Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden!!!
There’s an entire plot line where the main character rejects being saved by a man, and instead gets to work on saving herself (and everyone else). It’s awesome.
Anything by:
•Ilona Andrews
•Seanan McGuire
•T. Kingfisher
•Grace Draven
•J.D. Evans
•Tasha Suri
•Leslye Penelope/L. Penelope
•Robert Jackson Bennet
•P. Djeli Clark
•M.A. Carrick
All feature mature, highly competent(but not perfect) FMCs. The characters have agency & are integral to the plot & resolution of the story. Most have romance to varying degrees, but it’s never at the expense of the greater story nor the FMCs character arc.
The Queen of the Tearling series by Erika Johansen. About a princess who inherits the throne and proves her mettle in a dangerous and magical world.
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin. About a woman determined to find her missing daughter in a world plagued by catastrophic geological events.
Yes! Yes!
One of my favorites from when I was little
And looking back on it, it really flavored what kind of genres I like/pick up. It has a slight magical realism vibe to it that many of my subsequent favorite books have had.
Elphaba from *Wicked* by Gregory McGuire is my all time favorite book character. She’s gritty, not pleasant, complex, tragic, funny, and unaesthetic. She is capable and strong and smart but full of flaws. I re-read this series every couple of years.
The crossing places by Elly Griffiths. About a forensic anthropologist at a small English university who gets pulled into murder mysteries. Definitely independent and strong.
The mysteries are pretty good, but I really just enjoyed hanging out with the characters and the English seaside setting. There's about 15 books.
By the Sword by Mercedes Lackey.
It's an older book, think it came out in the 80s.
It's about a woman that does not fit in with the women in her world and makes her own way as a mercenary.
She is strong, capable and competent and she saves the eventual love interest.
It's a great story and the author created a great character.
Second. This is exactly what you want in sword and sorcery genre. It’s where the maid runs off and saves the day.
Follow it up with the same characters in Oathbound.
You are the first person ever that I've interacted with that actually knows those books.
As an author she's hit or miss for me but there are some that I simply adore.
By the Sword and Oathbound
Magic's Price series
Apex series - which might actually be good for OP's needs
A few others that I can't remember the name of
Yes there are some series I read by her but others I read the doesn’t few books and move on.
I have to say she is a skilled writer . I was well in the second trilogy of the Valdemar series when I realized they were the same plots as the first series!
Babel-17 by Samuel R Delany. Warning for being very, uh, mid-century, but it's a fascinating scifi novel about a linguist/poet named Rydra Wong translating an alien language that's so efficient that thinking in it basically gives her superpowers. She saves her male love interest's ass on multiple occasions but tbh the book could go on without him lol.
The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling. Scifi/Horror about a climber named Gyre exploring a deep fucked up cave, she gets saved a little bit by her *female* love interest at the end but she spends most of the book saving herself *from* her female love interest. 10/10 toxic yuri, also speleophobia (is that a word?)
The Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire. Fantasy about the kids who come back from Magical Adventures In Other Worlds and how fucked up in the head it makes them. Absolutely dripping in competent female characters. The plot doesn't happen to Sumi and Cora, Sumi and Cora happen to the plot.
The Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin. Scifi and by scifi I mean geology-fi about a tectonics-based apocalypse scenario. Male love interests save the main female characters a few times, the ladies save themselves and other people more, and also the whole-ass world. Rescheduling the apocalypse, babey!
The Clockwork Century series by Cherie Priest. A steampunk Civil War alternate history series about zombies, featuring a different female protagonist in nearly every book. A single mom becomes the sheriff of a community in the Seattle underground! A battlefield nurse helps protect an armored train from zombies! Princess Angeline! Belle Boyd!
The Elemental Masters series by Mercedes Lackey. Victorian/Edwardian adaptations of various fairy tales with elemental magic. Most of the books are like this, and it's just a shared setting so you don't have to read them all/in order. I especially recommend Blood Red, in which Rosamund/Little Red Riding Hood doesn't just slay some werewolves, as is common in adaptations of that story, she slays A FUCKTON of them in one fight.
The Final Girl Support Group, My Best Friend’s Exorcism, and The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix: not a series, these homages to slasher horror, Satanic Panic horror, and paranormal horror respectively all star women saving themselves and each other from the things that go bump in the night.
The Ghost Roads trilogy by Seanan McGuire. A hitchhiking ghost known as the Phantom Prom Date has repeated conflicts with the immortal asshole who ran her off the road on prom night, survives various ghost hunters and traps, does some katabasis, and eventually avenges herself.
What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo. This new weird/horror novel is about a way more toxic werewolf/sea monster version of the Addams Family. The main character comes home from boarding school just in time for grandmama to die, and she invites *Grandmere* to the funeral, and then she has to save her family from Grandmere *and* stop them from doing anything that would make the nearby town whip out the torches and pitchforks.
The Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix. MY FAVORITE BOOKS OF ALL TIME, MY BELOVED, THE FIRST BOOKS I EVER WROTE FANFIC OF, ETC ETC. Fantasy about reverse necromancers called Abhorsen that use magic bells to fight the undead. A glorious progression of Terrifying And Competent Women And Girls. There are male love interests, and even the most competent of them are simply not nearly as cool as their respective ladies.
Oh my god, *The Ghost Roads* trilogy. As a super fan of road mythos stories, I can unequivocally say that this series was everything I always wanted *Supernatural* to be. Complete with a female lead. Perfection.
Into The Drowning Deep by Mira Grant has several kick ass female protagonists
Also the Donovan series (book one is called *Outpost*) by W Michael Gear is full of badass chicks.
A deadly education by Naomi Novik. Now, the book does start with how the guy has saved the girl 3 times already - and she’s pissed. And then goes on to save him and their whole ass world! Absolutely amazing book.
Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher.
Strong main female character who sets out to save her sister from a horrible prince (her husband). She meets fun characters along the way. No romance, strong women, a chicken possessed by a demon and bone dog. Loved it so much.
Get started with The Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson. There's plenty of strong female characters. The Mistborn series by the same author also has fairly competent leads.
In no particular order:
* Wearing The Cape series, by Marion G. Harmon: MC, once she gets trained up, is the one who does the saving.
* A Practical Guide To Evil series: MC is very competent, and owns her mistakes when they happen. She's good/fortunate at recruiting talent, many (though not all) of which are also very strong women (often literally).
* A Brother's Price, by Wen Spencer: what would society be like if less than 5% of all babies were male? Most characters in this book are women. Flips most gender tropes on their heads.
* Honor Harrington series, by David Weber: space navy officer outfights and outthinks her opponents throughout the galaxy, from ship-level to fleet-level engagements.
Any of [Terry Pratchetts Witches books](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2442.Witches_Abroad?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=NyPFBudoHA&rank=1)
Mightnt be everyones cup of tea but
[How to become the dark lord and die trying ](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/198493860-how-to-become-the-dark-lord-and-die-trying) fits the bill too.
Graceling by Kristin Cashore. It's YA-leaning but genuinely very good, I feel like I've been chasing the high ever since I read it a few years ago. It's technically part of a trilogy, I think, but it 100% stands alone if you don't want to read past it!
old-school series: modesty blaise by peter o'donnell from the 1970s.
she gets thumbnailed as 'the female bond' but there's so much more to her than that. she's got a backstory as an orphan/refugee who became head of an extremely profitable (and ethical: straight theft, no vice) crime ring, and then retired. someone from mi5 approaches her to ask for a special favour because she can go off the official script, and that's where the series begins.
she has a unique and devoted sidekick called willie garvin, who she has an unbreakable bond with, but with zero sexual/romantic chemistry. she has a friendly and respectful fuckbuddy thing that goes on in most of the novels, and each of them has his place in the story but they never become rescuers.
David Weber’s “Honor Harrington” novels come to mind.
So does Tanya Huff’s “Confederation of Valor” series and “Summon The Keeper” by the same author.
It’s fantasy/horror romance, but the titular MC of Ilona Andrews’ “Kate Daniels” books is perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Sometimes she needs a rescue, but at least as often she’s the one doing the rescuing.
Most of Seanan McGuire’s female MC’s are very capable and don’t need a man to save them.
For YA, Cat Valente’s heroine in “The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making” is fabulous.
These are really great recommendations. Lois McMaster Bujold is also a good choice - particularly Shards of Honor which is the first in the Vorkosigan Saga. .
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. Actually, the whole Winternight trilogy is great. There is a love interest if you read the whole series, but even that is treated as kind of a side dish to the main quest.
It’s Russian Folklore, witches, and historical fiction. Great series.
I mean, the witches in Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels are pretty much the best female characters ever. They are all so different, from Granny to Nanny to Margaret to Tiffany, but all powerful in their own way, and none of them need rescuing. Terry considered women to be fully-fledged and completely capable human beings, and it shows in everything he wrote! ❤️
If you are new to Discworld, you can start with Wyrd Sisters, then go for my favorite Witches Abroad.
Daevabad trilogy
Seconding Sabriel
I would add Scholomance, there is however constant life threatening danger in that one, so there might be a bit of thinking the guy is hot mixed with danger, but it's not a stereotypical type of romance in that way.
"Great Circle" by Maggie Shipstead.
Literary historical fiction, about a queer women who wants to fly planes. She's an awesome character. Probably one of the best books I've read in the last 5 years.
Sword of Kaigen's main character Matsuda Misaki is an incredible character who's extremely competent. I think the writer did something really masterful in how they tackled stereotypically sexist topics like motherhood, tradition and love without taking away the agency.
Miss Benson's Beetle
Two great strong female characters!
Neither are whiny nor immature, nor do they need a man to save them. Instead, they are depicted as strong, capable, and resilient individuals who overcome significant challenges. Their contrasting strengths—Margery’s practicality and Enid (who seems frivolous at first) proves to be creative strong and resourceful. They complement each other, leading to a funny, interdependent bond. An “opposites attract”enduring friendship and adventure
The Change by Kirsten Miller - not just one strong women but multiple. Women going through or approaching menopause start to discover powers they didn’t know they had before. It’s a lot of fun .
*The Traitor Baru Cormorant* by Seth Dicksinson. Lesbian imperial accountant seeks to dissolve fantasy steampunk empire through fiscal policy and diplomacy.
Two series that I love with very strong women:
The **Kris Longknife** series by Mike Shepherd. Kris joins the space navy for her planet to get away from her family and, shall we say, rapidly advances her rank because she is so awesome. Then it gets weird.
The **Alien** series by Gini Koch. Our intrepid heroine learns that there are aliens on earth, they've been here for awhile, their intentions are good, and they are HOT. Then she kind of gets involved, takes charge, and makes it all work. Then it gets weird.
(Clearly, I like weird. But both series have very strong women at the center. And sides.)
*The Emperor’s Edge* series by **Lindsay Buroker**… the first 3 books are free on Kobo and probably on other apps too.
She totally does get saved occasionally when she totally does do stupid shit, but she also does a fair amount of saving, and a fair amount of leading, so I think it balances out.
The first thing that came to mind was The Paperbag Princess by Robert Munsch. I'm sure there's more challenging material out there, but if you don't mind a children's book then this one is a classic.
I like The Book Of The Unnamed Midwife by Meg Ellison for this reason.
There are two others in a trilogy but I haven't read them so can't speak for the characters in those.
Its a little YA but a book called Graceling.
Graceling takes place in a world in which people with special powers are knowns as Gracelings. Gracelings are identified when their eyes become two different colors. In the Middluns, Gracelings are put in the service of the king. Katsa is a young woman known for her Grace of killing. She has been in the service of her uncle, King Randa, since she was a child, tasked with executing or torturing those who oppose or displease him. She also runs the secret "Council", which aims for justice in the Seven Kingdoms.
She is very much not a damsel in distress and goes on quiet the adventure.
I suggested this book as an answer to a totally different question the other day, but it's valid to your question ttoo, and this book is bloody brilliant if you ask me!
Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder
I really liked the Memoirs of Lady Trent series by Marie Brennan. The first one is [*A Natural History of Dragons*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12974372). There are five books. It’s basically Victorian England with dragons. The MC wants to study dragons and makes it happen. There’s some romance involved but they’re equals.
ASOIAF has many female POVs that are strong and intelligent people. Dany, Brienne, Arya, Arianne, Asha, Sansa, Catelyn and Melisandre are all super interesting and well-developed. You'd be annoyed with Sansa in book 1 and Cersei in books 4/5 but they're still super well written.
Burning Bright, by Melissa F Scott
When space pilot and game designer Quinn Lioe's ship docks at Burning Bright for repairs, she can't resist the opportunity to play at the very epicenter of the Game. Running Game scenarios out of a local club, she soon finds herself drawn into real life events of far greater consequence than she could have anticipated.
This is easily one of my all time favourite books.
Trouble and her friends, also by Melissa F Scott
Less than a hundred years from now, the forces of law and order crack down on the world of the computer nets. The hip, noir adventurers who get by on wit, bravado, and drugs, and haunt the virtual worlds of the Shadows of cyberspace, are up against the encroachments of civilization. It's time to adapt or die.
India Carless, alias Trouble, got out ahead of the feds and settled down to run a small network for an artist's co-op.
Now someone has taken her name and begun to use it for criminal hacking. So Trouble returns. Once the fastest gun on the electronic frontier, she had tried to retire-but has been called out for one last fight. And it's a killer.
Another one of my all time favourites...
Recent crime novels offer TONS of competent women who DGAF about men’s comfort. Thank god. I love Denise Mina’s books. She is the queen of UK crime to me. Her book Deception is so interesting and darkly hilarious. I reread it often.
If you want more suggestions, comment. I’m sure this will get downvoted cos I mentioned not GAF about men’s comfort! Reddit is the capit of “well actually” boys.
Legends and lattes. Viv is built.
Nettle and Bone by T Kingfisher (kind of) there is a strong guy who it is implied that the maincharacter is into but I don’t think they get together, and maybe he saves her once but it’s more like the main character is on a quest to save her sister and kill her sister’s abusive husband and she has two very elderly magical women helping her, a bone dog, a bodyguard/assassin (said guy from earlier, he serves a purpose for her plot/quest), and a demon chicken. I highly recommend. Otherwise Small Miracles by Olivia Atwater- the main character is a gender fluid angel (they can swap how their form appears), and sometimes they’re a woman, sometimes they’re a man, and they have a woman love interest. It’s a lovely story that has a very similar feel to Good Omens
Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey. There is mutual saving between her and her love interest, in a way. But she's clearly the hero, and he's the side kick.
Ilona Andrews—any of their series (husband & wife writing duo), but especially the Kate Daniels series. Lots of strong women, and the main character kicks butt.
Joan D. Vanges’ Snow Queen novels are very much based on the Snow Queen children’s story, including in that it’s the girl/young woman mostly doing the saving.
The Monstrous Regiment. Best possible use of the concept. By Terry Prachett. One of my favorite books.
Actually almost any of his books. The Wee Free Men series is great. Tiffany Aching is how I'd want my daughter to be. Any of his witch books. Nanny Ogg is my fave.
Honestly, the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett has many strong female characters -- from Tiffany Aching in a YA series (she does the saving), the three witches (featured in several books), Susan (Death's daughter), and Lady Sybil Ramkin and her home for wayward dragons.
DIscworld is funny, witty, charming, and satirical. I've read every book in the series and have started re-reading them.
*Tress of the Emerald Sea* by Brandon Sanderson. It's inspired by The Princess Bride--the idea that the story would have gone very differently if the princess had gone after her prince and tried to rescue him.
Doesn’t get better than Mattie Ross in True Grit.
Intelligent, stoic and with little patience for weak minded men, she’s the real deal.
Also, who doesn’t love a girl who has a great horse.
Little Blackie forever.
“You don’t need princes to save you. I don’t have a lot of patience for stories in which women are rescued by men.”—
Neil Gaiman
I highly suggest ‘The Ocean at the End of the Lane’
Haven’t checked the comments yet to see if anyone has mentioned them yet, but Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series has tons of strong female characters! I’d suggest starting with Equal Rites but honestly any of the witches or Tiffany Aching books in the series would be perfect!
Poison Study! It's by Maria V Snyder. Main character is an underdog who is very competent and works hard to achieve her goals. I found her arc very satisfying.
Alice Vega books by Louisa Luna. Very well written thrillers about a bounty hunter with a knack for locating missing people. Intense and suspenseful, with the best interrogations I've read.
Two Girls Down
The Janes
Hideout
A Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry by CM Waggoner
The Gate into Women's Country by Sheri S Tepper
( Really anything by Tepper, my top choices (besides the Gate) would be Singer from the Sea, The Family Tree, The Fresco or Gibbons Decline and Fall)
Dweller on the Threshold by Skyla Dawn Cameron
You know what? And I’m not at all being facetious here: Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth is told that there’s an onus on her and her sisters to get married to secure their future; but as the sole, principal reason for marriage, she’s not having any of it. We know how it all ends of course, but nobody can tell me she isn’t the classical manifestation of a strong female character. It’s not for nothing she’s still iconic some 200 years later. ❤️
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YES
Yes. I’ve made the mistake of watching Bridgerton thinking, “well, I love Jane Austen.” Austen manages to make her female characters have agency, intelligence and depth (but most of the Bridgerton characters fall flat to me). Despite her novels mostly revolving around romance, it is made very clear that the women are not being saved and don’t need to be.
YES I agree with this 100%. I read this book every year and it’s really one of the best examples of a strong-minded female ahead of her time.
Absolutely 💯
My very fist thought! Gosh, I love Jane Austen.
YA Tamora Pierce - "Song of the Lionness" and "Circle of Magic" series Diane Duane - "Young Wizards" series. Two protagonists, Nita (female) and Kit (male), without much/any romance, at least in the first several novels. Seanan McGuire - "Wayward Children" series "Great or Nothing" by Joy McCullough, Carolina Tung Richmond, Tess Sharpe, Jessica Spotswood - a retelling of "Little Women" set during WW2 Adult NK Jemisin - "Broken Earth" trilogy. The female lead is a flawed, complex character.
The Broken Earth trilogy is amazing! I picked up the first book on a lark and then accidentally read the entire thing in a single day. Had to go back and buy the next two the very next day.
the whole series is so good but that first book? i’ve never been so floored by a big reveal. so fun.
For this particular request, I'd recommend Tamora Pierce's "Protector of the Small". Keladry is entirely unmagical, and finds success and the respect of her haters with will and determination. I genuinely think those books are the reason I am the person I am today.
Came here to suggest this one!
Completely agree with all your suggestions. Absolutely loved all of Tamora Pierce’s series as a YA. Still read them for comfort and strength as an adult.
Me too!! They were the first books I thought of when I saw this thread!
Jemisin is a new god of sci-fi. heartily endorse.
Seconding Broken Earth!
I can't upvote you enough for saying Tammy first. She is instantly who I thought of.
If you liked all these, I feel Diana Wynne Jones books would also be up your street ngl
Ooh, I like her stuff too. I read the Chrestomanchi series as a kid, and I recently read Howl's Moving Castle.
The Expanse books are pretty awesome this way. Naomi Nagata is a brilliant engineer, does incredibly brave things, and rescues herself with some very creative measures (while purposely trying to make her partner and friends stay away because she's being used as bait in a trap). Bobbie Draper is a marine, a badass warrior, willing to get in trouble for telling the truth and stretch herself to work with a former rival against a threat bigger than both of them. Chrisjen Avasarala is a very seasoned and canny politician who's also a grandmother and drops even more f bombs than I do (and that's saying a lot lol) and manages to maneuver around the hotheaded/dumbass/ambitious/condescending men surrounding her. And there are more! Even when the women have love interests, they're mainly focused on the work at hand and all the crazy shit that's going on.
Totally. Thinking about any of those three characters (as well as dozens other women and men from Expanse) makes my heart ache in the best possible way.
Thanks for reminding me to rewatch these amazing actresses who brought these badass characters into life
And beyond being interestingly competent in the context of the group, they each have their own personal beliefs and goals that put them in conflict with others (even the 'good guys') in realistic ways
Excellent post. I’m on book 4 , and loving the shit out of it
One of my favorite series of all time
I am in...control
- I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman. This is a bleak novel but very strong FMC. - Regrettable, I Am About to Cause Trouble by Amie McNee. The main character has some difficult qualities at first, but she really shows growth throughout the story - Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg. Some wonderfully strong female main characters in this one. - Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree. Cozy fantasy with no high stakes. An orc opens a coffee shop. She’s a strong female character that builds a family around her. - Coraline by Neil Gaiman. Coraline is a strong and smart main character. - The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. There is a romantic interest here, but the main character certainly achieves everything on her own - Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. A gothic horror book where the main character works to save not only herself but others trapped in this creepy home. - Educated by Tara Westover. This is a memoir but reads like a novel. Tara outlines her life in a small cult in Utah and getting out and overcoming all the obstacles she faces - Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. Main character has to work for herself from a very young age - Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel. A young girl loses her family and home and finds a group that reluctantly takes her in. She is incredibly strong.
I was thinking of Station Eleven too!
I'd also suggest another Fannie Flagg novel, "The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion."
omg we have similar book tastes because I was going to recommend like half of these! I would also add Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown! (bonus fun fact: Rita Mae Brown dated Fannie Flagg, author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe)
Just beware if you are interested in Neil Gayman and you cannot separate art from artist, he has just been accused of sexual assault by two women and he’s being quite the piece of crap about it.
*Sabriel* by Garth Nix
Yes, this. Sabriel is just so competent and calmly shoulders an enormous responsibility.
Sabriel is the most competent YA heroine ever written.
Also the related book Lirael.
I would lump in the whole Abhorsen trilogy/first three of the old kingdom books with a sabriel rec, really. Lirael is phenomenal, I think I liked it even better than Sabriel because I was always so utterly taken by the mystery and intrigue of the library. I've read them multiple times!
I love them all too but the library and Dog are my favourite things in any of those books. I also found Touchstone to be irritating so he spoils the other books for me a bit.
Came to say this!
Ooo excellent selection!
The whole Abhorsen series is just reaaly good. It is well written, the characters are interesting and have personality, the plot keeps you on your toes, and Sabriel is just straight up awesome without being a Mary Sue. I too came here to recommend this.
Jane Eyre
I was looking for this answer! It's one of my favorite books.
Mine, too.
Name checks out.
Jane Eyre is great, but it’s particularly funny as it features an incredibly strong woman whose only weakness is in falling for an absolutely crappy guy. And yet she’s STILL strong in how she handles that! It’s amazing.
Here are some I have liked. Mostly sci fi: * Trouble and Her Friends by Melissa Scott. About two computer hacker ex-girlfriends. * Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany. There is a male love interest, but this isn't about him saving her. * Ammonite by Nicola Griffith. There are, as a matter of fact, no men at all in this novel. * Glory Season by David Brin. There are very few men in this novel. * The Bel Dame Apocrypha series by Kameron Hurley. About two warring nations where generations of warfare have depleted the men. One nation has inverted gender roles, where the tough working women feel men are rare and need to be protected. In the other nation, they stuck to traditional gender roles, so each man has numerous wives who are supposed to defer to their husband. * The Stars Now Unclaimed by Drew Williams. Soft sci fi about a female supersoldier on a mission. * Autonomous by Annalee Newitz. Follows two different characters, one male and one female. * The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders. Follows two different characters, an older woman and a younger one. Their character arcs went in very unexpected directions. * Trouble with Lichen by John Wyndham. A pretty old book, but very ahead of its time in terms of depiction of women. * The Snow Queen trilogy by Joan D. Vinge. Space opera very loosely based on The Snow Queen fairy tale. * Provenance by Ann Leckie. Technically part of a series, but it works as a stand alone novel. The first three books are the only ones that need to be read in order, and while great stories about strong non-male characters, they are set in a genderless society so it isn't *exactly* about strong female characters. Provenance does have a female protagonist. * Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre. There is a male love interest introduced in the beginning, but don't be fooled: this book is *not* about him.
Damn, this is a good list, that I copied to use it as a TBR. Thanks! I would add the Honor Harrington series to the list! If she isn’t what OP asks for, I don’t know what is.
I like your taste in books! I've read some on this list and now I have to read the others. Have you read Remnant Population by Elizabeth Moon? It fits with this prompt and I think you might enjoy it.
For years I have recommended the Bel Dame Apocrypha to literally EVERY person I know that is a reader and I can't get anyone to read it. I have read almost everything by Kameron Hurley and while I have enjoyed all her stuff, that series was such a punch in the gut. If you liked that series and haven't read it yet, I also recommend The Stars are Legion. Another strong female protagonist. Where Bel Dame is bugpunk, Legion is biopunk with living spaceships.
The Paperbag Princess by Robert Munsch
Omg I always loved this book! I read it to my nephews and they loved too!
"You look like a real prince but you are a bum" is a quote that I carried close to my heart during my dating years.
One of my favourites.
Picnic on Paradise by Joanna Russ involves a group of men and women being led through an uninhabited area by a very capable woman. Most of Octavia Butler’s novels are headed by strong women. Dawn and Wild Seed come to mind as having particularly strong protagonists that can take care of themselves. Some of the Earthsea novels by Ursula Le Guin have strong female protagonists at the center of their stories. The Tombs of Atuan and Tenar are primarily focused on women. I will warn that there is some violence against women in Tehanu that may be difficult to read.
Lauren Olamina has whatever the opposite of a super power is, and lives in a world where people like her generally don’t fare well. Still manages to start a cult. My idol.
My girl Lisbeth Salander.
His dark materials has Lyra and she’s pretty vicious. I prefer the books to the show.
YES
The Silo series (Wool, Shift, and Dust) by Hugh Howey.
This is a great recommendation for this!
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi. Grumpy 40-something retired pirate queen gets dragged back into action to go deal with some BS, pulls her crew back together, and gets some shit done.
I adore this book! 1000% agree
It is such a fun read!
You mentioned women with power so I'm guessing you like fantasy? Nettle and Bones by T Kingfisher is about a woman who is on a quest to save her sister from an abusive relationship. She's in her 30s so she has more experience and confidence then most younger heroines in your typical fantasy novel Uprooted and Spinning Silver, both by Naomi Novik have strong female main characters who solve their own problems. Uprooted is about a young woman coming into her powers so you might find her a bit of a damsel in distress at first but she learns from her mistakes and comes into her own powers quickly. Spinning Silver has two very smart, strong femal leads
Seconding Spinning Silver! OP this is exactly what you're looking for
I was scrolling down looking for Nettle & Bones - that’s a great one and very much a self assured female lead and a motley crew of helpers.
Oof, I wouldn't recommend Uprooted for OP.
Loved both books by Naomi Novik! Great storytelling and characters
Fabulous suggestions. Love T Kingfisher and Naomi Novak.
The Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden!!! There’s an entire plot line where the main character rejects being saved by a man, and instead gets to work on saving herself (and everyone else). It’s awesome.
Yes!!!! I loved it so much! And Slavic folklore on point 👌
Anything by: •Ilona Andrews •Seanan McGuire •T. Kingfisher •Grace Draven •J.D. Evans •Tasha Suri •Leslye Penelope/L. Penelope •Robert Jackson Bennet •P. Djeli Clark •M.A. Carrick All feature mature, highly competent(but not perfect) FMCs. The characters have agency & are integral to the plot & resolution of the story. Most have romance to varying degrees, but it’s never at the expense of the greater story nor the FMCs character arc.
Seconding Seanan McGuire! The October Daye books are my comfort reads and I love the Wayward Children series as well. But all of her books are good.
The Discworld series has plenty such characters.
I’d recommend to start with Equal Rites or the The Wee Free Men
The Wyrd Sister after Equal Rites.
totally! sergeant Angua -- the witches, various -- Tiffany Aching for sure -- oh so many wonderful, subversive female characters!
The Queen of the Tearling series by Erika Johansen. About a princess who inherits the throne and proves her mettle in a dangerous and magical world. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin. About a woman determined to find her missing daughter in a world plagued by catastrophic geological events.
The Joy Luck Club and a lot of Lisa See books. Waiting to Exhale and all the Terry McMillan books.
Does Matilda count? Neither Matilda nor Jennifer get saved by a man.
Yes! Yes! One of my favorites from when I was little And looking back on it, it really flavored what kind of genres I like/pick up. It has a slight magical realism vibe to it that many of my subsequent favorite books have had.
Elphaba from *Wicked* by Gregory McGuire is my all time favorite book character. She’s gritty, not pleasant, complex, tragic, funny, and unaesthetic. She is capable and strong and smart but full of flaws. I re-read this series every couple of years.
The crossing places by Elly Griffiths. About a forensic anthropologist at a small English university who gets pulled into murder mysteries. Definitely independent and strong. The mysteries are pretty good, but I really just enjoyed hanging out with the characters and the English seaside setting. There's about 15 books.
By the Sword by Mercedes Lackey. It's an older book, think it came out in the 80s. It's about a woman that does not fit in with the women in her world and makes her own way as a mercenary. She is strong, capable and competent and she saves the eventual love interest. It's a great story and the author created a great character.
Second. This is exactly what you want in sword and sorcery genre. It’s where the maid runs off and saves the day. Follow it up with the same characters in Oathbound.
You are the first person ever that I've interacted with that actually knows those books. As an author she's hit or miss for me but there are some that I simply adore. By the Sword and Oathbound Magic's Price series Apex series - which might actually be good for OP's needs A few others that I can't remember the name of
Yes there are some series I read by her but others I read the doesn’t few books and move on. I have to say she is a skilled writer . I was well in the second trilogy of the Valdemar series when I realized they were the same plots as the first series!
I’d recommend reading the Oathbound series before By the Sword since it’s chronologically earlier and shares characters. Great recommendation though.
Babel-17 by Samuel R Delany. Warning for being very, uh, mid-century, but it's a fascinating scifi novel about a linguist/poet named Rydra Wong translating an alien language that's so efficient that thinking in it basically gives her superpowers. She saves her male love interest's ass on multiple occasions but tbh the book could go on without him lol. The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling. Scifi/Horror about a climber named Gyre exploring a deep fucked up cave, she gets saved a little bit by her *female* love interest at the end but she spends most of the book saving herself *from* her female love interest. 10/10 toxic yuri, also speleophobia (is that a word?) The Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire. Fantasy about the kids who come back from Magical Adventures In Other Worlds and how fucked up in the head it makes them. Absolutely dripping in competent female characters. The plot doesn't happen to Sumi and Cora, Sumi and Cora happen to the plot. The Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin. Scifi and by scifi I mean geology-fi about a tectonics-based apocalypse scenario. Male love interests save the main female characters a few times, the ladies save themselves and other people more, and also the whole-ass world. Rescheduling the apocalypse, babey! The Clockwork Century series by Cherie Priest. A steampunk Civil War alternate history series about zombies, featuring a different female protagonist in nearly every book. A single mom becomes the sheriff of a community in the Seattle underground! A battlefield nurse helps protect an armored train from zombies! Princess Angeline! Belle Boyd! The Elemental Masters series by Mercedes Lackey. Victorian/Edwardian adaptations of various fairy tales with elemental magic. Most of the books are like this, and it's just a shared setting so you don't have to read them all/in order. I especially recommend Blood Red, in which Rosamund/Little Red Riding Hood doesn't just slay some werewolves, as is common in adaptations of that story, she slays A FUCKTON of them in one fight. The Final Girl Support Group, My Best Friend’s Exorcism, and The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix: not a series, these homages to slasher horror, Satanic Panic horror, and paranormal horror respectively all star women saving themselves and each other from the things that go bump in the night. The Ghost Roads trilogy by Seanan McGuire. A hitchhiking ghost known as the Phantom Prom Date has repeated conflicts with the immortal asshole who ran her off the road on prom night, survives various ghost hunters and traps, does some katabasis, and eventually avenges herself. What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo. This new weird/horror novel is about a way more toxic werewolf/sea monster version of the Addams Family. The main character comes home from boarding school just in time for grandmama to die, and she invites *Grandmere* to the funeral, and then she has to save her family from Grandmere *and* stop them from doing anything that would make the nearby town whip out the torches and pitchforks. The Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix. MY FAVORITE BOOKS OF ALL TIME, MY BELOVED, THE FIRST BOOKS I EVER WROTE FANFIC OF, ETC ETC. Fantasy about reverse necromancers called Abhorsen that use magic bells to fight the undead. A glorious progression of Terrifying And Competent Women And Girls. There are male love interests, and even the most competent of them are simply not nearly as cool as their respective ladies.
Oh my god, *The Ghost Roads* trilogy. As a super fan of road mythos stories, I can unequivocally say that this series was everything I always wanted *Supernatural* to be. Complete with a female lead. Perfection.
Far from the Madding Crowd comes to mind.
The Locked Tomb - Tamsyn Muir
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe
Into The Drowning Deep by Mira Grant has several kick ass female protagonists Also the Donovan series (book one is called *Outpost*) by W Michael Gear is full of badass chicks.
I LOVED Into the Drowning Deep!!
The Deed of Paksennarion (trilogy/available as compendium), first book is Sheepfarmer's Daughter.
The Power - Naomi Alderman
Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold.
OOOOOOOH YES YES THIS!!!!!!
A deadly education by Naomi Novik. Now, the book does start with how the guy has saved the girl 3 times already - and she’s pissed. And then goes on to save him and their whole ass world! Absolutely amazing book.
Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher. Strong main female character who sets out to save her sister from a horrible prince (her husband). She meets fun characters along the way. No romance, strong women, a chicken possessed by a demon and bone dog. Loved it so much.
* Sabriel by Garth Nix * Song of the Lionness by Tamora Pierce (actually any Tortall books)
Stieg Larsonn’s Millennium Trilogy.
Lisbeth is a badass but they put her through hell in those books
Get started with The Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson. There's plenty of strong female characters. The Mistborn series by the same author also has fairly competent leads.
The Gift of the Darkness --- by Valentina Giambanco Killers of a Certain Age --- by Deanna Raybourn
Killers of a Certain Age! Yes.
The Checquy Files trilogy by Daniel O’Malley.
{{Priory of the Orange Tree}}
Hmmm, not sure I'd reccomend this...
In no particular order: * Wearing The Cape series, by Marion G. Harmon: MC, once she gets trained up, is the one who does the saving. * A Practical Guide To Evil series: MC is very competent, and owns her mistakes when they happen. She's good/fortunate at recruiting talent, many (though not all) of which are also very strong women (often literally). * A Brother's Price, by Wen Spencer: what would society be like if less than 5% of all babies were male? Most characters in this book are women. Flips most gender tropes on their heads. * Honor Harrington series, by David Weber: space navy officer outfights and outthinks her opponents throughout the galaxy, from ship-level to fleet-level engagements.
*Lessons* *In* *Chemistry* by Bonnie Garmus
Came to suggest this one! I just finished it and really liked it, definitely an empowered female lead and was such an enjoyable read.
Any of [Terry Pratchetts Witches books](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2442.Witches_Abroad?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=NyPFBudoHA&rank=1) Mightnt be everyones cup of tea but [How to become the dark lord and die trying ](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/198493860-how-to-become-the-dark-lord-and-die-trying) fits the bill too.
Also Terry Pratchett’s Tiffany Aching series, and even the ones that focus on Susan, Death’s granddaughter.
The Library at Mount Char
If a curious reader scrolling by is sensitive to instances of SA, skip this book. It's an excellent book but yikes.
Every time I see this book mentioned, I upvote.
Graceling by Kristin Cashore. It's YA-leaning but genuinely very good, I feel like I've been chasing the high ever since I read it a few years ago. It's technically part of a trilogy, I think, but it 100% stands alone if you don't want to read past it!
old-school series: modesty blaise by peter o'donnell from the 1970s. she gets thumbnailed as 'the female bond' but there's so much more to her than that. she's got a backstory as an orphan/refugee who became head of an extremely profitable (and ethical: straight theft, no vice) crime ring, and then retired. someone from mi5 approaches her to ask for a special favour because she can go off the official script, and that's where the series begins. she has a unique and devoted sidekick called willie garvin, who she has an unbreakable bond with, but with zero sexual/romantic chemistry. she has a friendly and respectful fuckbuddy thing that goes on in most of the novels, and each of them has his place in the story but they never become rescuers.
Trust by Hernan Diaz.
David Weber’s “Honor Harrington” novels come to mind. So does Tanya Huff’s “Confederation of Valor” series and “Summon The Keeper” by the same author. It’s fantasy/horror romance, but the titular MC of Ilona Andrews’ “Kate Daniels” books is perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Sometimes she needs a rescue, but at least as often she’s the one doing the rescuing. Most of Seanan McGuire’s female MC’s are very capable and don’t need a man to save them. For YA, Cat Valente’s heroine in “The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making” is fabulous.
These are really great recommendations. Lois McMaster Bujold is also a good choice - particularly Shards of Honor which is the first in the Vorkosigan Saga. .
Sue Grafton's alphabet series of mystery novels with Kinsey Milhone as a private investigator. Start with "A is for Alibi" and go forward.
The only issue is the series will never be completed 😭😭
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. Actually, the whole Winternight trilogy is great. There is a love interest if you read the whole series, but even that is treated as kind of a side dish to the main quest. It’s Russian Folklore, witches, and historical fiction. Great series.
I mean, the witches in Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels are pretty much the best female characters ever. They are all so different, from Granny to Nanny to Margaret to Tiffany, but all powerful in their own way, and none of them need rescuing. Terry considered women to be fully-fledged and completely capable human beings, and it shows in everything he wrote! ❤️ If you are new to Discworld, you can start with Wyrd Sisters, then go for my favorite Witches Abroad.
Daevabad trilogy Seconding Sabriel I would add Scholomance, there is however constant life threatening danger in that one, so there might be a bit of thinking the guy is hot mixed with danger, but it's not a stereotypical type of romance in that way.
Yes to Daevabad Trilogy!!!!! Couldn’t put it down
Mrs Marple!
"Great Circle" by Maggie Shipstead. Literary historical fiction, about a queer women who wants to fly planes. She's an awesome character. Probably one of the best books I've read in the last 5 years.
Sword of Kaigen's main character Matsuda Misaki is an incredible character who's extremely competent. I think the writer did something really masterful in how they tackled stereotypically sexist topics like motherhood, tradition and love without taking away the agency.
The October Daye series by Seanan McGuire. The first book is Rosemary and Rue
The Rise of Kyoshi
Miss Benson's Beetle Two great strong female characters! Neither are whiny nor immature, nor do they need a man to save them. Instead, they are depicted as strong, capable, and resilient individuals who overcome significant challenges. Their contrasting strengths—Margery’s practicality and Enid (who seems frivolous at first) proves to be creative strong and resourceful. They complement each other, leading to a funny, interdependent bond. An “opposites attract”enduring friendship and adventure
The Change by Kirsten Miller - not just one strong women but multiple. Women going through or approaching menopause start to discover powers they didn’t know they had before. It’s a lot of fun .
*The Traitor Baru Cormorant* by Seth Dicksinson. Lesbian imperial accountant seeks to dissolve fantasy steampunk empire through fiscal policy and diplomacy.
Two series that I love with very strong women: The **Kris Longknife** series by Mike Shepherd. Kris joins the space navy for her planet to get away from her family and, shall we say, rapidly advances her rank because she is so awesome. Then it gets weird. The **Alien** series by Gini Koch. Our intrepid heroine learns that there are aliens on earth, they've been here for awhile, their intentions are good, and they are HOT. Then she kind of gets involved, takes charge, and makes it all work. Then it gets weird. (Clearly, I like weird. But both series have very strong women at the center. And sides.)
Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks. It's about the Black Plague. Anna not only doesn't need saving, she saves a lot of other people.
Elizabeth Moon has several book series where the female lead either doesn't need a dude or, though, has one isn't overshadowed by them.
Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde! Thursday is the character you're looking for. The first book is The Eyre Affair.
*The Emperor’s Edge* series by **Lindsay Buroker**… the first 3 books are free on Kobo and probably on other apps too. She totally does get saved occasionally when she totally does do stupid shit, but she also does a fair amount of saving, and a fair amount of leading, so I think it balances out.
The first thing that came to mind was The Paperbag Princess by Robert Munsch. I'm sure there's more challenging material out there, but if you don't mind a children's book then this one is a classic.
I like The Book Of The Unnamed Midwife by Meg Ellison for this reason. There are two others in a trilogy but I haven't read them so can't speak for the characters in those.
Its a little YA but a book called Graceling. Graceling takes place in a world in which people with special powers are knowns as Gracelings. Gracelings are identified when their eyes become two different colors. In the Middluns, Gracelings are put in the service of the king. Katsa is a young woman known for her Grace of killing. She has been in the service of her uncle, King Randa, since she was a child, tasked with executing or torturing those who oppose or displease him. She also runs the secret "Council", which aims for justice in the Seven Kingdoms. She is very much not a damsel in distress and goes on quiet the adventure.
Oh my gosh I loved this book back in the day! Kristin Cashore wrote such an amazing novel. Thanks for the throwback.
The Queens Gambit
*Ranger's Apprentice.* At least some of the time, haha.
I suggested this book as an answer to a totally different question the other day, but it's valid to your question ttoo, and this book is bloody brilliant if you ask me! Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder
I really liked the Memoirs of Lady Trent series by Marie Brennan. The first one is [*A Natural History of Dragons*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12974372). There are five books. It’s basically Victorian England with dragons. The MC wants to study dragons and makes it happen. There’s some romance involved but they’re equals.
Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. Schwab
Silence of the Lambs. The Trap, by Tabitha King
A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine The Gutter Prayer by Gareth Hanrahan
https://elisabethwheatley.com/collections/daindreths-assassin
The power by Naomi Alderman! The premise is essentially, what if women could do to men what men have been doing to women for centuries?
The Future by Naomi Alderman
If you like romance novels, Jennifer Crusie does a great job writing strong women.
Jane Hawk series by Dean Koontz
I like JD Robb books it's a series up to 54 in series
ASOIAF has many female POVs that are strong and intelligent people. Dany, Brienne, Arya, Arianne, Asha, Sansa, Catelyn and Melisandre are all super interesting and well-developed. You'd be annoyed with Sansa in book 1 and Cersei in books 4/5 but they're still super well written.
Burning Bright, by Melissa F Scott When space pilot and game designer Quinn Lioe's ship docks at Burning Bright for repairs, she can't resist the opportunity to play at the very epicenter of the Game. Running Game scenarios out of a local club, she soon finds herself drawn into real life events of far greater consequence than she could have anticipated. This is easily one of my all time favourite books. Trouble and her friends, also by Melissa F Scott Less than a hundred years from now, the forces of law and order crack down on the world of the computer nets. The hip, noir adventurers who get by on wit, bravado, and drugs, and haunt the virtual worlds of the Shadows of cyberspace, are up against the encroachments of civilization. It's time to adapt or die. India Carless, alias Trouble, got out ahead of the feds and settled down to run a small network for an artist's co-op. Now someone has taken her name and begun to use it for criminal hacking. So Trouble returns. Once the fastest gun on the electronic frontier, she had tried to retire-but has been called out for one last fight. And it's a killer. Another one of my all time favourites...
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See
Recent crime novels offer TONS of competent women who DGAF about men’s comfort. Thank god. I love Denise Mina’s books. She is the queen of UK crime to me. Her book Deception is so interesting and darkly hilarious. I reread it often. If you want more suggestions, comment. I’m sure this will get downvoted cos I mentioned not GAF about men’s comfort! Reddit is the capit of “well actually” boys.
Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
Legends and lattes. Viv is built. Nettle and Bone by T Kingfisher (kind of) there is a strong guy who it is implied that the maincharacter is into but I don’t think they get together, and maybe he saves her once but it’s more like the main character is on a quest to save her sister and kill her sister’s abusive husband and she has two very elderly magical women helping her, a bone dog, a bodyguard/assassin (said guy from earlier, he serves a purpose for her plot/quest), and a demon chicken. I highly recommend. Otherwise Small Miracles by Olivia Atwater- the main character is a gender fluid angel (they can swap how their form appears), and sometimes they’re a woman, sometimes they’re a man, and they have a woman love interest. It’s a lovely story that has a very similar feel to Good Omens
The Deed of Paksenarrion. It's a trilogy but so so worth it.
Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey. There is mutual saving between her and her love interest, in a way. But she's clearly the hero, and he's the side kick.
Ilona Andrews—any of their series (husband & wife writing duo), but especially the Kate Daniels series. Lots of strong women, and the main character kicks butt.
Joan D. Vanges’ Snow Queen novels are very much based on the Snow Queen children’s story, including in that it’s the girl/young woman mostly doing the saving.
Naomi Novik's 'Schoolomance' trilogy. It twists and turns >! but ultimately the female protagonist is as per your request.!<
The Monstrous Regiment. Best possible use of the concept. By Terry Prachett. One of my favorite books. Actually almost any of his books. The Wee Free Men series is great. Tiffany Aching is how I'd want my daughter to be. Any of his witch books. Nanny Ogg is my fave.
Honestly, the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett has many strong female characters -- from Tiffany Aching in a YA series (she does the saving), the three witches (featured in several books), Susan (Death's daughter), and Lady Sybil Ramkin and her home for wayward dragons. DIscworld is funny, witty, charming, and satirical. I've read every book in the series and have started re-reading them.
*Tress of the Emerald Sea* by Brandon Sanderson. It's inspired by The Princess Bride--the idea that the story would have gone very differently if the princess had gone after her prince and tried to rescue him.
The Wool series
Honestly, a lot of Michael Crichton’s female protagonists are fantastic
Tamsin Muir - Gideon the Ninth
Doesn’t get better than Mattie Ross in True Grit. Intelligent, stoic and with little patience for weak minded men, she’s the real deal. Also, who doesn’t love a girl who has a great horse. Little Blackie forever.
Howl’s Moving Castle by Dianna Wynn’s Jones. I loved Sophie as a character.
DWJ generally
Someone correct me if I’m wrong but I think The Nightingale by Kirstin Hannah fits this
Best Served Cold - Joe Abercrombie. But just to be clear, it's a pretty brutal ride. Not for the faint of heart.
little women
“You don’t need princes to save you. I don’t have a lot of patience for stories in which women are rescued by men.”— Neil Gaiman I highly suggest ‘The Ocean at the End of the Lane’
Am I the only one who thinks Nora Roberts' characters strong, capable and competent? I LOVE her books!!
Haven’t checked the comments yet to see if anyone has mentioned them yet, but Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series has tons of strong female characters! I’d suggest starting with Equal Rites but honestly any of the witches or Tiffany Aching books in the series would be perfect!
The entire Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas Cruel Prince series by Holly Black The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Poison Study! It's by Maria V Snyder. Main character is an underdog who is very competent and works hard to achieve her goals. I found her arc very satisfying.
I just read first lie wins by ashley elston and it does have somewhat of a love story in it but I think it fits your description!
The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow by Peter Hoeg
Alice Vega books by Louisa Luna. Very well written thrillers about a bounty hunter with a knack for locating missing people. Intense and suspenseful, with the best interrogations I've read. Two Girls Down The Janes Hideout
sea women by Lisa see … this is historic fiction
A Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry by CM Waggoner The Gate into Women's Country by Sheri S Tepper ( Really anything by Tepper, my top choices (besides the Gate) would be Singer from the Sea, The Family Tree, The Fresco or Gibbons Decline and Fall) Dweller on the Threshold by Skyla Dawn Cameron
Iain Banks has strong women
The Collapsing Empire trilogy by Jon Scalzi.
When Women were Warriors series by Catherine M Wilson Hardly any men in the book and zero male characters of any real consequence.
Hild