A Woman of the Iron People
Encyclopedia
A Woman of the Iron People is an anthropological
science fiction
novel by Eleanor Arnason
, originally published in 1991. It is a first contact
story between peoples from a future Earth and an intelligent, furred race of people who live on an unnamed planet far from Earth.
Along with White Queen, A Woman of the Iron People won the inaugural James Tiptree, Jr. Award
. An alternate release of the novel consisted of two chapbooks, In the Light of Sigma Draconis and Changing Women.
The second part of the novel deals primarily with the question of intervention. The various factions of humans, most of whom are still in space, disagree as to how much the humans should intervene on the planet. Questions are raised about the policy of intervention.
woman of the Iron People and a native of the alien planet.
Li Lixia is a human from the expeditionary force to the planet; the bulk of the novel is written from her viewpoint.
Derek is another human from the expeditionary force. He joins up with Nia and Lixia early on.
The Voice of the Waterfall is a male of the same species as Nia. He joins Nia and Lixia when the spirit of his waterfall tells him to follow.
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel by Eleanor Arnason
Eleanor Arnason
Eleanor Atwood Arnason is an American author of science fiction novels and short stories.Arnason is the daughter of H. Harvard Arnason, who became the director of the Walker Art Center in 1951, and Elizabeth Yard Arnason, a social worker by profession who has spent her childhood in China...
, originally published in 1991. It is a first contact
First contact (science fiction)
First contact is a common science fiction theme about the first meeting between humans and extraterrestrial life, or of any sentient race's first encounter with another one....
story between peoples from a future Earth and an intelligent, furred race of people who live on an unnamed planet far from Earth.
Along with White Queen, A Woman of the Iron People won the inaugural James Tiptree, Jr. Award
James Tiptree, Jr. Award
The James Tiptree, Jr. Award is an annual literary prize for works of science fiction or fantasy that expand or explore one's understanding of gender. It was initiated in February of 1991 by science fiction authors Pat Murphy and Karen Joy Fowler, subsequent to a discussion at WisCon.- Background...
. An alternate release of the novel consisted of two chapbooks, In the Light of Sigma Draconis and Changing Women.
Plot
A Woman of the Iron People is divided into two parts. The first primarily deals with Lixia's growing understanding and involvement with life on the planet. Soon after arriving on the planet she meets Nia and starts to pick up the language of gifts, which is a sort of trade language, from her. They leave their current location and journey west, meeting Derek and the Voice of the Waterfall along the way.The second part of the novel deals primarily with the question of intervention. The various factions of humans, most of whom are still in space, disagree as to how much the humans should intervene on the planet. Questions are raised about the policy of intervention.
Characters
Nia is the eponymousEponym
An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
woman of the Iron People and a native of the alien planet.
Li Lixia is a human from the expeditionary force to the planet; the bulk of the novel is written from her viewpoint.
Derek is another human from the expeditionary force. He joins up with Nia and Lixia early on.
The Voice of the Waterfall is a male of the same species as Nia. He joins Nia and Lixia when the spirit of his waterfall tells him to follow.
Resources
- Arnason, Eleanor. A Woman of the Iron People. 1991: William and Morrow Company, Inc. New York.
- The James Tiptree, Jr. Award
- "Precious Metals: Eleanor Arnason's A Woman of the Iron People" by John Garrison, March 29, 2004, Strange Horizons