The Steerswoman

These days my threshold for seriousness in fantasy fiction is dialled to 'Terry Pratchett', so I was a little dubious about picking up a wizardy quest book with no jokes. I gave it a shot only because of its impeccable lineage of recommendations - Cory Doctorow (@pluralistic@mamot.fr), Randall Munroe, and Gretchen McCulloch (@gretchenmcc@xoxo.zone) - and now I'm hooked on this surprisingly satisfying series.

Steerswomen are a guild of learned travelers, cartographers, gatherers and disseminators of knowledge. Ask a question, and a Steerswoman will always answer, and will never lie. But if she questions you, you in turn must always answer, and never lie. Or suffer the Steerwomen's Ban, which no one wants. Everyone shows them deference and respect. Except the wizards who disdain their knowledge and jealously guard their own secrets.

Rowan is a Steerswoman on a quest to understand the mysterious blue jewels that have been scattered across the known world. As she travels, gathering clues and companions - a barbarian amazon and a blacksmith's son with an unusual talent - she begins to realise that she is being hunted. Why is there a price on her head? How can she protect herself and her fellow Steerswomen? Are the very principles they live by in peril?

Rosemary Kirstein unveils her fantasy realm unhurriedly, scattering isolated clues, like strangely familiar puzzle pieces, throughout the story. Clues for Rowan, and different clues for the reader, who is allowed the exquisite satisfaction of shadowy suspicions being gradually rounded out, without ever becoming expository.

4/5

What a great story! Absolutely loved Rowan and Bel and their friendship as they travel together to understand what a set of mysterious crystals were and how they got into the strange places they were found.

The story is a true adventure with a great pair of characters who rely on each other. I love Rowan’s personality where she tries to dig into all information and uses logic and critical thinking to figure out the answers. It’s like a breath of fresh air.

Bel on the other hand is a great friend and strong woman who has her side throughout. She is courageous and just awesome and I am excited to learn more about her throughout the series.

The story has a very distinct style that’s fairly fast paced and brief in descriptions. It took a bit of getting used to but eventually it flowed well enough. There are a few sections that were a bit too ambiguous but overall it was fine.

I am also super curious about this world as it’s clearly some sort of fantasy and sci-fi hybrid but it’s hard to tell where the line is drawn. There are dragons and a basilisk and yet the characters also find thing like electric lamps and wires. It’s very unusual and makes me super curious to see where this goes next.

Overall I am really enjoying the series and will continue on with the next book!

Thoughtful, patient, reasoned, slowly revealing itself bit by bit- the book itself is much like it's protagonist. A steerswoman goes where she wants, observes and asks about anything that piques her curiosity, supplies all people she meets with the fruits of the knowledge that those of her profession have gathered through the years... unless they lie or deny her an answer.

This book is unlike any others I've read. So refreshing to have a female hero who follows her own lights, who is not motivated by love, who is instantly seen as an authority wherever she goes, who experiences the freedom almost every male protagonist takes for granted but uses it to improve the world, not just to wring her own pleasure from it. I loved how many full-fledged female characters there were, and how there were incidental female side and background characters in traditionally male jobs like sailing crews and soldiers. It's understated, but the impact is huge.

The mystery unravels slowly and the pacing is methodical, perhaps a touch slow in parts, but never dragging. The writing is capable, quietly intelligent, with moments of calm beauty. I thought of this book often when I had to put it down, and I'll definitely be reading the next book in the series- I want more of this world!