Any good series with female characters as complex as the one in ASOIAF?

[TheWhiteDevil]

I've searched through many genres and tried many books, never finding a character like Daenerys. A woman's with its own storyline and value, not a staple, not used to further other characters'plot. Not just a wife. Not just a consort, Not just a quota to fill. A full fledged co-protagonist. Many people claim her to be a cliche, ( I don't agree) and quite common in the genre, however I cannot find "her" in any other book. Any suggestion will be apreciated. Thanks you.

[SkynJay]

I am confused.  Said character must be a co-protagonist, not the main character?

I'd start by going to good reads and look for lists with titles like 'awesome female characters.'  I have seen several.

But books off the top of my head with women who are not the main character but are still awesome.

A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham

The Bone Palace bt Amanda Downum

Spirit Gate by Kate Elliott

 

 

 

 

[HexMachina]

Liveship Traders has a large cast of characters, the majority of whom (major characters I mean) are female and all very different from each other showing great diversity. They're all well developed and have their own storylines and/or character arcs. 

There are also non-human female entities which have their own personalities, which you may enjoy. 

Pits a fantasy series, but very different from ASOIAF

(Not entirely sure what you mean by co-protagonist btw. If, like ASOIAF you ar looking for a large cast where you can't really call one character THE protagonist, then yes, this series works)

edit: I also notice you are looking for someone like Dany after seeing claims she was common in the genre/cliche. What people usually mean by this in my experience is "exiled prince/princess seeking to regain their parents' lost throne/seat. Beautiful and whatnot. I don't necessarily agree with that (ymmv) but I find that is usually what people mean

[Mars447]

I really enjoy the Echoes of Empire series by Mark T Barnes.  The prose is a little awkward and purple, but the worldbuilding is great and there's a pretty awesome female character who fills the deuteragonist role.  She doesn't have her independent plot, but she does have a large role to play in the overall plot and she's not just the hot chick that the hero bangs between action set pieces.  There are also tons of active female characters playing supporting military, political, and magical roles.

 

[TheRevanchist]

Another vote for Liveship Traders. It has arguably the best set of female characters in the genre.

[polishgenius]

I'm gonna go ahead and assume that OP just said 'co-protagonist' coz of asoiaf's multi-pov thing and not because they genuinely want to write off outright female leads.

With that in mind, I highly recommend Ash: A Secret History by Mary Gentle, the titular protagonist of which is, in many ways (though not the lost princess thing), quite similar to Dany. Also: noted for her white-blonde hair.

To carry on SkynJay's Daniel Abraham rec, his Dagger and Coin series also has a couple great female PoVs. Cithrin, although her position and tools are completely different, could probably have quite a similar appeal to Dany; Clara is awesome in a very different way.

 

 

[JGP]

It's not intricate, mind [as in a ton of PoVs similar to ASoIaF] but usually when people are asking for a fantasy sci-fi with a complex female lead I recommend Nyx from Kameron Hurley's Bel Dame Apocrypha trilogy.  

[TheWhiteDevil]

Thank you all for your answers. I am going to check all the titles you mentioned. I apologize for creating confusion in my description, I said co-protagonist because Dani is part of large cast and ASOIAF doesn't have a single protagonist in my opinion.

Of course, l would have no problem with a female protagonist as long as the book is good. Quite the contrary. I would not mind if is she were part of a large ensemble as long as the book it good. I would love if all the female characters were deeply and thoughtfully written. That would be perfect. 

I love Dani, Arya, Cersei, Sansa, Brienne, Catherine and I also love all the male characters. I think they all escape being cliche, such character are hard to come by. The ladies especially. 

I read Nix and mildly enjoyed it, not a bad read. I will look up Bell Dame. Also will look up Dagger and Coin.

I am going to start with Liveship Traders and Ash: a secret History since their description seems to match exactly what I am looking for.

Thanks you guys. So much.

[Buckwheat]

2 hours ago, HelenaExMachina said:

Liveship Traders has a large cast of characters, the majority of whom (major characters I mean) are female and all very different from each other showing great diversity. They're all well developed and have their own storylines and/or character arcs.

I just came to post that, but obviously you would be here first! Another vote for Liveship Traders.

I think it is fair to tell TheWhiteDevil that it is chronologically the second trilogy set in the same world - after The Farseer Trilogy. But the first one has no female POVs (it is from a male 1st person perspective), whereas Liveships have several. You should, however, be able to read Liveships without missing information even without reading Farseer first. Just in case you would want to expand your Hobb reading later on.

[David Selig]

4 hours ago, TheWhiteDevil said:

I've searched through many genres and tried many books, never finding a character like Daenerys. A woman's with its own storyline and value, not a staple, not used to further other characters'plot. Not just a wife. Not just a consort, Not just a quota to fill. A full fledged co-protagonist.

Really? Not once? You must have had horrible luck.

A few recs from me:

The Winged Histories by Sofia Samatar

The Spiritwalker Trilogy by Kate Elliott

Paladin of Solis by Lois Bujold

The Kate Daniels novels by Ilona Andrews

I also second the recommendation of Ash: A Secret History.

 

 

 

[Larry of the Lawn]

Also try James SA Corey's Expanse series if sci-fi doesn't scare you.  That's the pen name of Ty Frank and the aforementioned Abraham.  

And Bujold too.

[End of Disc One]

The Darkness that Comes Before

[TheWhiteDevil]

Thanks Buckwheat for the information, I will most surely read Farseer as well if I love Lives Traders and it looks like I will love it very much,

Thanks for your recs David Selig, I probably did have a terrible luck or maybe I am terrible at searching. Most likely I did not research enough, the numbers of books out there is so great. Probably I only scratched the surface. The mainstream one at that. However, among your recs I did read The Kate Daniels series, I remember loving the first books greatly but for some reason my interest faded and by the end I did not feel engaged. I might give it a second read. Anyway, I  always enjoy reading your posts, I am a long time lurker. Really excited about your recs.

larrytheimp I love Sci-if! I do love all genres. I will check the Expanse and Bujold!

Thanks everybody. I cannot believe how many books I have to look forward to. 

[Mars447]

22 minutes ago, larrytheimp said:

Also try James SA Corey's Expanse series if sci-fi doesn't scare you.  That's the pen name of Ty Frank and the aforementioned Abraham.  

And Bujold too.

The female characters in The Expanse aren't that great.  Or rather, there are some that are, but they aren't really present in the series that much.

[Darth Richard II]

30 minutes ago, End of Disc One said:

The Darkness that Comes Before

I was waiting for someone to make the obvious joke.

On a serious note, yes, Robin Hobb and Kate Elliott for the win.

[The Marquis de Leech]

There's Stephen Donaldson - his second Thomas Covenant trilogy has a female main character, as does his Mordant's Need duology. His Gap series (five book space opera - literally, as it is based off Wagner) has a POV structure similar to ASOIAF, but predating it by years, and has complex female characters. Bearing in mind that with Donaldson, complex is not the same as likeable.

[Kalbear]

China Mieville's the Scar has one of the most interesting protagonist women ever.

[Hello World]

6 hours ago, Darth Richard II said:

I was waiting for someone to make the obvious joke.

 

Spoiler

Bakker's TSA has some of the best Whale Mothers female characters (whoops, auto-correct) out there.

 

[Errant Bard]

I will also add my voice to the ones recommending Ash: A secret history, and The Liveship Traders. I will actually oppose the recommendation of the SpiritWalker trilogy, seriously, or one may as well put Jeanelle Angeline of the Black Jewels trilogy forward.

If we stay in Fantasy, standalones, there is also the Iron Dragon's Daughter, the Bone Doll's Twin (don't read the others) or Deathless that work well, also stuff like Discworld or Shadows Of The Apt but:

12 hours ago, TheWhiteDevil said:

I've searched through many genres [...]

If it does not have to be fantasy, what about Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler, The Diamond Age by Neil Stephenson, or The Girl With All the Gifts by MR Carey?

[Darth Richard II]

If you can oppose The Spritwalker Trilogy then I can oppose The Girl With All The Gifts. That book's popularity baffles me.