We spend a lot of time talking about sci-fi and fantasy here, and even more time talking about women who love women; but, aside from Mass Effect, a scene or two from Game of Thrones and the odd bit of Star Trek Voyager subtext (you know Janeway and Seven of Nine were totally getting it on behind the scenes), we sadly don’t get to combine the two very often. Gordion’s Knot, a brand new sci-fi novel with a lesbian protagonist, aims to change that – at least, for this week.
A recent press release calls the novel a “science fiction thriller” and it comes with a remarkably intriguing premise:
Gordion’s Knot features Leire Sanchez, a lesbian, Basque freedom fighter, who battles her way through nuclear winter in the American Southwest. She has sworn to recover the frozen remains of her people’s sacred goddess, Mari – stolen first by the Spanish government, then the Germans, and now by an American DARPA agent. Her target is located within the Texas A&M University laboratory where Dr. David Gordion, a world-renowned climatologist, is dying of cancer. He is also on the verge of reversing the nuclear winter created after India destroys Pakistan. He is supported and protected by the DARPA agent, James Allen, who is also the former lover of Dr. Gordion’s gay brother, Phillip. Sanchez and Allen are both racing against time and their determined, powerful enemies – foes that want to see Dr. Gordion fail and the goddess Mari’s ancient powers to be turned into tools for world domination.
Ancient goddesses, lesbian warriors, high-tech capers, and nuclear winter? That sounds like a fever dream I want to be a part of! You can check out the book on Amazon, though there aren’t any reviews yet.
In other nerdy news, San Diego Comic-Con is coming up very soon. This year’s show includes some excellent LGBT-inclusive programming, including the panels Diversity in Young Adult Works and Diversity and Fandom 102: How You Can Make a Difference featuring former AfterEllen.com contributor Malinda Lo. Be sure to check the show schedule for all of your scheduling needs.
In preparation, Break Media has prepared a hilarious, rather hot video masquerading as a PSA for women who cosplay as “Slave Leia.”
I know that I’ve blogged about how awesome it is that a Slave Leia costume contest exists, but this is too good to pass up!
