Description
This volume of essays continues the establishment of Lois McMaster Bujold as an important author of contemporary science fiction and fantasy. It argues persuasively that Bujold's corpus spans the distance between two full arcs of US feminism, and has anticipated or responded to several of its current concerns in ways that invite or even require theoretical exploration.
The fourteen essays collected here provide wide-ranging scholarly analyses of Bujold’s work and worlds so far, covering not only the science fiction and fantasy series, but taking into account the wealth of ancillary material inspired by her works, such as fan fiction and role-playing games. Examining the major series through a range of perspectives, including feminist readings, queer theory, and disability studies, this volume aims to establish beyond doubt the seriousness of intent behind Bujold’s various artistic projects and provide a set of rich readings of this engaging, experimental, playful, and popular author.
'Biology
and Manners: Essays on the Worlds and Works of Lois McMaster Bujold advances
scholarship on this important author by light-years. This collection covers
nearly the entire chronological range of Bujold’s work, and gives equal
attention to her Vorkosiverse science fiction and her Chalion and Sharing Knife
fantasy worlds. Lee and McCormack have gathered a set of particularly strong
essays applying queer theory and theological analysis to Chalion’s five-god
pantheon and its interactions with humanity, and the chapters on women and
reproduction are equally thought-provoking. Overall, an impressive and
essential addition to Bujold studies.'
Janet Brennan Croft,
editor of Lois McMaster Bujold: Essays on a Modern Master of Science Fiction
and Fantasy