Scheherazade's Bedchamber

Heroines of Sword and Sorcery

"To C. L. Moore, who gave us Jirel of Joiry, the first woman to take up her sword against sorcery."
— "Dedication," Marion Zimmer Bradley, Sword and Sorceress

Scheherazade told tales of swords and sorcery but there were no sword-wielding heroines in her stories. Nevertheless many peoples have historical tales of women warriors. Some of these, like Mulan, Tomoe Gozen and Bradamante, may have served as inspiration for heroines of modern sword and sorcery. The first sword and sorcery heroine was likely C.L. Moore's Jirel of Joiry who first appeared in a story published in the pulp magazine Weird Tales, October 1934.

C. L. Moore's Jirel of Joiry

C.L. Moore's Jirel of Joiry was the first female swords and sorcery character who first appeared in the 1934 story "The Black God's Kiss." Jirel of Joiry appeared in six stories written by Moore:

Illustration by uncredited artist (served by ISFDB).

• "The Black God's Kiss," first appeared in Weird Tales, Vol. 24, No. 4, October 1934 (served by the Luminist Archives), pp. 402-421, with cover illustration by Margaret Brundage (image served by Pulp Covers) and interior illustration by H.R. Hammond (image served by Pulp Covers), and reprinted in:

• "Black God's Shadow," first appeared in Weird Tales, Vol. 24, No. 6, December 1934 (served by the Luminist Archives), pp. 701-718, with interior illustration by H.R. Hammond.

• "Jirel Meets Magic," first appeared in Weird Tales, Vol. 26, No. 1, July 1935, pp. 30-52, with interior illustration by Jack Binder (image served by Pulp Fiction Book Store).

• "The Dark Land," first appeared in Weird Tales, Vol. 27, No. 1, January 1936 (served by the Luminist Archives), pp. 53-70, with interior illustration by C.L. Moore (image served by Pulp Fiction Book Store).

• "Quest of the Starstone," C.L. Moore and Henry Kuttner, first appeared in Weird Tales, Vol. 30, No. 5, November 1937 (served by the Luminist Archives), pp. 556-574, with interior illustration by Virgil Finlay.

• "Hellsgarde," first appeared in Weird Tales, Vol. 33, No. 4, April 1939 (served by the Luminist Archives), pp. 37-60, with interior illustration by Virgil Finlay (image served by Pulp Fiction Book Store).

Moore's Jirel of Joiry stories, with the exception of "Quest of the Starstone" co-authored with Henry Kuttner, were first collected in Jirel of Joiry, C.L. Moore, New York: Paperback Library (Coronet Communications), 1969. "Quest of the Starstone" was first reprinted (in English) in Realms of Wizardry, Lin Carter, ed., New York: Doubleday, 1976, pp. 207-233.

Robert E. Howard's Heroines

Howard's Red Sonya of Rogatino, who inspired the Marvel Comics character Red Sonja, appeared in a single historical adventure fiction story, "The Shadow of the Vulture":

Original illustration by Roy Krenkel
(served by Artnet)

• "The Shadow of the Vulture," first appeared in The Magic Carpet Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 1, January 1934 (served by the Luminist Archives), pp. 39-65, with uncredited interior illustration by Jayem Wilcox. Most recently reprinted in Sword Woman and Other Historical Adventures, Robert E. Howard, New York: Del Rey / Ballantine, 2011.

Howard's "Dark" Agnes of Chastillon was another historical adventure fiction character but her stories were not published until after Howard's death (though the first one, "Sword Woman," is mentioned in a 1934 letter exchange between Howard and C.L. Moore). Three Dark Agnes stories, one an unfinished fragment, have been published:

Image - Dark Agnes de Chastillon by Stephen Fabian

Original illustration by Stephen Fabian
(original image served by The World of Robert E. Howard)

• "Sword Woman," first appeared in The Second Book of Robert E. Howard, Glenn Lord, ed., New York: Zebra (Kensington), 1976, pp. 21-80.

• "Blades for France," first appeared in The Sword Woman, New York: Zebra (Kensington), 1977, pp. 67-98.

• "Mistress of Death," a story fragment, first appeared in Sword Woman and Other Historical Adventures, Robert E. Howard, New York: Del Rey / Ballantine, 2011, pp. 505-514. This story fragment was completed, with the addition of sword and sorcery elements, by Gerald R. Page and first published in The Sword Woman, New York: Zebra (Kensington), 1977, pp. 99-101.

All Howard's Agnes of Chastillon stories were most recently reprinted in Sword Woman and Other Historical Adventures, Robert E. Howard, New York: Del Rey / Ballantine, 2011.

The "pirate queen" Bêlit appeared in Howard's Conan the Barbarian story "Queen of the Black Coast":

Image - Queen of the Black Coast by Robert E. Howard

Illustration by Margaret Brundage

• "Queen of the Black Coast," first appeared in Weird Tales, Vol. 23, No. 5, May 1934 (served by the Luminist Archives), pp. 530-549, with cover illustration by Margaret Brundage and interior illustration by Hugh Rankin (image extracted from the Luminist Archives).

Reprinted in The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian, Robert E. Howard, New York: Del Rey / Ballantine, 2003.

The pirate adventurer Valeria, who likely inspired the film character Valeria, appeared in Howard's Conan the Barbarian novella "Red Nails":

Illustration by Margaret Brundage

"Red Nails," first appeared as a serial in:

• Weird Tales, Vol. 28, No. 1, July 1936 (served by the Luminist Archives), pp. 16-35 (part 1 of 3 parts), with cover illustration by Margaret Brundage and interior illustration by Harold S. De Lay (image extracted from the Luminist Archives);

• Weird Tales, Vol. 28, No. 2, August-September 1936 (served by the Luminist Archives), pp. 205-221 (part 2 of 3 parts), with interior illustration by Harold S. De Lay (image extracted from the Luminist Archives); and

• Weird Tales, Vol. 28, No. 3, October 1936 (served by the Luminist Archives), pp. 334-353 (part 3 of 3 parts), with interior illustration by Harold S. De Lay (image extracted from the Luminist Archives).

Combined and reprinted in The Conquering Sword of Conan, Robert E. Howard, New York: Del Rey / Ballantine, 2005.

Pat McIntosh's Thula

Pat McIntosh is best know for writing a series of historical mysteries set in her native Scotland but she began her career writing a series of fantasy stories which first appeared professionally in The Year's Best Fantasy Stories anthologies. McIntosh wrote five stories of the mercenary swordswoman Thula:

Interior illustration for "Falcon's Mate" by Tim Kirk from Anduril #4, July 1974 (served by Darkworlds Quarterly).

• "Falcon's Mate," first appeared in The Year's Best Fantasy Stories, Lin Carter, ed., New York: DAW (#166), 1975, pp. 105-119.

• "Cry Wolf," first appeared in The Year's Best Fantasy Stories: 2, Lin Carter, ed., New York: DAW (#192), 1976, pp. 34-50.

• "Ring of Black Stone," first appeared in The Year's Best Fantasy Stories: 3, Lin Carter, ed., New York: DAW (#267), 1977, pp. 59-76.

• "The Cloak of Dreams," first appeared in The Year's Best Fantasy Stories: 4, Lin Carter, ed., New York: DAW (#318), 1978, pp. 114-127.

• "Child of Air," first appeared in The Year's Best Fantasy Stories: 5, Lin Carter, ed., New York: DAW (#370), 1980, pp. 118-135.

Charles R. Saunders's Dossouye

Charles R. Saunders has written a series of stories about Dossouye, a sword and sorcery character inspired by the real-life female warriors of the West African Kingdom of Dahomey. Saunders has written six stories of the "sword and soul" warrior Dossouye and one novel:

Cover illustration by Mshindo Kuumba (served by Pulp Fiction Reviews).

• "Agbewe's Sword," first appeared in Amazons!, Jessica Amanda Salmonson, ed., New York: DAW (#364), 1979, pp. 84-106.

• "Gimmile's Songs," first appeared in Sword and Sorceress, Marion Zimmer Bradley, ed., New York: DAW (#578), 1984, pp. 101-117.

• "Shimenege's Mask," first appeared in Sword and Sorceress II, Marion Zimmer Bradley, ed., New York: DAW (#628), 1985, pp. 119-136.

• "Marwe's Forest," first appeared in Sword and Sorceress III, Marion Zimmer Bradley, ed., New York: DAW (#678), 1986, pp. 269-282.

• "Yahimba's Choice," first appeared in Dark Matter: Reading the Bones, Sheree R. Thomas, ed., New York: Aspect / Warner Books, 2004, pp. 24-46.

• "Obenga's Drum," first appeared in Dossouye, Charles R. Saunders, Fayetteville, GA: Sword and Soul / MVmedia, 2011, pp. _____.

• Dossouye: The Dancers of Mulukau, Charles R. Saunders, Fayetteville, GA: Sword and Soul / MVmedia, 2011.

Jessica Amanda Salmonson's Amazons

Jessica Amanda Salmonson edited two collections of stories about sword and sorcery heroines:

Image - Amazons! by Jessica Amanda Salmonson

Illustration by Michael Whelan.

Amazons!, Jessica Amanda Salmonson, ed., New York: DAW (#364), 1979, with cover illustration by Michael Whelan, collects twelve original stories:

• "The Dreamstone" by C. J. Cherryh.
• "Wolves of Nakesht" by Janrae Frank.
• "Woman of the White Waste" by T. J. Morgan.
• "Morrien's Bitch" by Janet Fox.
• "Agbewe's Sword" (Dossouye) by Charles R. Saunders.
• "Jane Saint's Travails (Part One)" (Jane Saint) by Josephine Saxton.
• "The Sorrows of Witches" by Margaret St. Clair.
• "Falcon Blood" by Andre Norton.
• "The Rape Patrol" Michele Belling.
• "Bones for Dulath" by Megan Lindholm.
• "Northern Chess" (Jaisel) by Tanith Lee.
• "The Woman Who Loved the Moon" by Elizabeth A. Lynn.

Image - Amazons II by Jessica Amanda Salmonson

Illustration by Michael Whelan.

Amazons II, Jessica Amanda Salmonson, ed., New York: DAW (#485), 1982, with cover illustration by Michael Whelan, collects twelve stories:

• "For a Daughter" by F. M. Busby.
• "The Battle Crow's Daughter" by Gillian Fitzgerald.
• "Southern Lights" (Jaisel) by Tanith Lee.
• "Zroya's Trizub" by Gordon Derevanchuk.
• "The Robber Girl" by Phyllis Ann Karr.
• "Lady of the Forest End" by Gael Baudino.
• "The Ivory Comb" by Eleanor Arnason.
• "The Borders of Sabazel" by Lillian Stewart Carl.
• "Who Courts a Reluctant Maiden" by Ardath Mayhar.
• "The Soul Slayer" by Lee Killough.
• "Nightwork" by Jo Clayton.
• "In the Lost Lands" by George R. R. Martin.

Salmonson also wrote a swords & sorcery trilogy featuring the quasi-Japanese heroine Tomoe Gozen:

Illustration by Robert Florczak.

Tomoe Gozen, Jessica Amanda Salmonson, New York: Ace, 1981, with cover illustration by Robert Florczak (image served by Pinterest).

Image - The Golden Naginata by Kinuko Craft

Illustration by Kinuko Craft.

The Golden Naginata, Jessica Amanda Salmonson, New York: Ace, 1982, with cover illustration by Kinuko Craft (image served by Pinterest).

Image - Thousand Shrine Warrior by Kinuko Craft

Illustration by Kinuko Craft.

Thousand Shrine Warrior, Jessica Amanda Salmonson, New York: Ace, 1984, with cover illustration by Kinuko Craft (image served by Pinterest).

Salmonson also wrote a Tomoe Gozen story, "The Harmonious Battle," which appeared in Susan Shwartz's collection Hecate's Cauldron.

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