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A review by nenya_kanadka
The Steerswoman by Rosemary Kirstein
4.0
Loved this book! So glad the author decided to re-release it in ebook form. Fantasy world society of itinerant proto-scientists, majority female? Steerswoman protagonist with travelling partner/BFF female barbarian warrior? Suggestions that the 'magic' of the wizards (who are somewhat at odds with said steerswomen) is just a More Advanced Technology? I almost didn't even care about the quest plot--I was enjoying the characters and the worldbuilding so much. Though the quest itself was interesting, and entangled with the question of wizards and worldviews.
The one off moment for me was the point about 3/4 of the way through the book where our heroes make the decision to torture someone for information. That is never going to be a plot point I am okay with, and I'm disappointed when supposed 'heroes' do it, especially when the narrative doesn't give them consequences for it. (I also felt that since steerswomen make it their life's work to find things out, they ought to know better ways of getting information from someone. But perhaps the fact that they don't lie + they are used to simply asking and answering questions willingly meant that they aren't good at manipulating info from people. Still. Would have preferred a non-torture option.)
But this was my only real dislike about this book; I'd otherwise have rated it 5/5. I hear there are sequels and they're even better--I can't wait!
The one off moment for me was the point about 3/4 of the way through the book where our heroes make the decision to torture someone for information. That is never going to be a plot point I am okay with, and I'm disappointed when supposed 'heroes' do it, especially when the narrative doesn't give them consequences for it. (I also felt that since steerswomen make it their life's work to find things out, they ought to know better ways of getting information from someone. But perhaps the fact that they don't lie + they are used to simply asking and answering questions willingly meant that they aren't good at manipulating info from people. Still. Would have preferred a non-torture option.)
But this was my only real dislike about this book; I'd otherwise have rated it 5/5. I hear there are sequels and they're even better--I can't wait!