There are no stars at all for some of us

[sovay]

Hey! Internet! I've just been talking about how much it sucks when a novel kills off its queer characters. Especially when there's, like, one of them and they're the one who doesn't make it. Can someone point me toward a list of books where that doesn't happen? Spoilers, whatever.

Comments

[genarti]

I was going to mention Diane Duane's Middle Kingdoms (Door Into...) books as well. The mentioned trigger warning for the second book absolutely is worth mentioning, but the world in general seems to run on a pansexual default assumption, and I can't think of a single character who's confirmed straight. Or confirmed exclusively gay, for that matter.

I've only read the first of Tanya Huff's Quarters series, Sing The Four Quarters, although I believe bookelfe has read and reviewed all of them. But that first features a bisexual protagonist, who is a) married to another woman, and b) pregnant by a man (they have an open relationship at least in terms of one night stands while traveling, but this one featured some unexpected consequences). And all three of them survive the book just fine, IIRC.

[skygiants]

Gen is correct, lots of characters who are not straight in Tanya Huff! In addition to the first book with the bisexual protagonist and eventual stable threesome, the second book had a lesbian who was courted by a handsome prince and kept having to politely tell him that, no, she was still a lesbian and still not interested and would much rather run off with this hot lady assassin, thank you. (The hot lady assassin was also sadly not interested, but this was because she generally made poor romantic choices.)

Checking through my recentish reads: the heroine of Hild is bisexual and is the protagonist, so therefore seems likely to survive at least 'til the end of the series. Alaya Dawn Johnson's The Summer Prince does kill off one of its queer characters but a.) that is kind of inherent in the premise and b.) there are at least four more who make it to the end. Melina Marchetta's Finnikin of the Rock series is one of those book series where everyone ends up as part of a Designated Couple, and there is only one Designated Gay Couple, but BY GOD is that Designated Gay Couple going to have a decades-spanning romance and a happy ending!

[sovay]

The hot lady assassin was also sadly not interested, but this was because she generally made poor romantic choices.)

I am very fond of the first three Quarters books, which I re-read this past summer for the first time since high school. They have a kind of idfic intensity that held up very well combined with the genuine fucking creepiness of everything relating to the fifth kigh. I could have used a little more numinous, but I am particular that way.

the heroine of Hild is bisexual and is the protagonist, so therefore seems likely to survive at least 'til the end of the series.

Agreed, and Hild is awesome. I actually thought of it while writing about Mary Stewart earlier today—its closest relative in many ways is, I think, The Crystal Cave. Although Hild has a lot more sex than Stewart's Merlin.

a.) that is kind of inherent in the premise

Year-kings, huh?

and b.) there are at least four more who make it to the end.

Sweet. I will check that novel out; I have not read it.

Melina Marchetta's Finnikin of the Rock series is one of those book series where everyone ends up as part of a Designated Couple, and there is only one Designated Gay Couple, but BY GOD is that Designated Gay Couple going to have a decades-spanning romance and a happy ending!

And I've never even heard of this series! Thank you.

[skygiants]

The Quarters books are my FAVORITE nineties idfic. I'm still not over the scene in which Bannon comes up with a complex ploy to get his body back, which is then revealed just to be a complex ploy to have sex with himself. And all the INCREDIBLY CREEPY SAD ZOMBIES. ;___; Did you ever read the fourth one? I also reread the first books recently, but I never read the fourth and I'm wavering on whether it's worth it for completionism...

Yep, The Summer Prince is year-kings -- it's about the intersection of art and politics, and the impact that can be made with short-term power. I highly recommend it.

I also super enjoyed the Finnikin books, but for the record the gay characters don't appear until Book 2, which is coincidentally the same time that the trilogy takes a left-turn from Serious Second-World Fantasy About National Trauma into something more akin to the unholy offspring of Gormenghast and a Wes Anderson movie...which is of course when I love it best, it's AMAZING.

[sovay]

I also reread the first books recently, but I never read the fourth and I'm wavering on whether it's worth it for completionism...

rosefox hated it for what sounded like very good reasons, so I don't plan to.

the intersection of art and politics, and the impact that can be made with short-term power. I highly recommend it.

Awesome. Thank you!

the trilogy takes a left-turn from Serious Second-World Fantasy About National Trauma into something more akin to the unholy offspring of Gormenghast and a Wes Anderson movie...

Whaaaaaaaaa.

I'll try to read that, then.