The first woman protagonist of the sword-and-sorcery genre, the strong and defiant Jirel of Joiry
In the pages of Weird Tales which introduced readers to the writings of some of the most legendary authors in the speculative genre, one heroine’s name stood out from the rest with her bravery and fierceness: Jirel of Joiry. With fiery red hair, lion-yellow eyes, and a mighty two-handed sword, Jirel’s quick wit and defiant demeanor immediately entranced readers and cemented her as one of the first and most iconic characters in the sword-and-sorcery genre.
Jirel was the creation of C.L. Moore, a secretary at a bank in Indianapolis, whose short stories published in the premier pulp fiction magazines of the 1930s stood out from others with their unique blend of engaging prose, thematic depth, rapid pacing, and sensual, lucid depictions of imagined historical and interstellar worlds. With Jirel, Moore introduced a physically and emotionally powerful warrior woman whose hot-blooded fearlessness still inspires the strong women protagonists in the genre today. Featuring seven classic Jirel tales and three of Moore’s finest short stories — “Shambleau”, “No Woman Born”, and “Vintage Season” — this collection celebrates one of the most influential speculative fiction authors who changed the rules of the game for early twentieth-century fantastic literature.
C.L. Moore (1911-1987) Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Moore published her first story, "Shambleau," in 1933 in Weird Tales, where it was an immediate success. She proceeded to write high-profile stories for Weird Tales and Astounding Science Fiction for the next decade, earning particular acclaim for her characters Jirel of Joiry, the first strong female protagonist in the sword-and-sorcery genre, and daring spaceman Northwest Smith. Moore married science fiction author Henry Kuttner in 1940, and together they collaborated on numerous stories until Kuttner's death in 1958. She received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 1981, and in 1998 was posthumously inducted in the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia (foreword) is the author of The Bewitching, The Seventh Veil of Salome, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, Mexican Gothic, and many other books. She has won the Locus, British Fantasy and World Fantasy Awards.
The first woman protagonist of the sword-and-sorcery genre, the strong and defiant Jirel of Joiry
In the pages of Weird Tales which introduced readers to the writings of some of the most legendary authors in the speculative genre, one heroine’s name stood out from the rest with her bravery and fierceness: Jirel of Joiry. With fiery red hair, lion-yellow eyes, and a mighty two-handed sword, Jirel’s quick wit and defiant demeanor immediately entranced readers and cemented her as one of the first and most iconic characters in the sword-and-sorcery genre.
Jirel was the creation of C.L. Moore, a secretary at a bank in Indianapolis, whose short stories published in the premier pulp fiction magazines of the 1930s stood out from others with their unique blend of engaging prose, thematic depth, rapid pacing, and sensual, lucid depictions of imagined historical and interstellar worlds. With Jirel, Moore introduced a physically and emotionally powerful warrior woman whose hot-blooded fearlessness still inspires the strong women protagonists in the genre today. Featuring seven classic Jirel tales and three of Moore’s finest short stories — “Shambleau”, “No Woman Born”, and “Vintage Season” — this collection celebrates one of the most influential speculative fiction authors who changed the rules of the game for early twentieth-century fantastic literature.
Creators
C.L. Moore (1911-1987) Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Moore published her first story, "Shambleau," in 1933 in Weird Tales, where it was an immediate success. She proceeded to write high-profile stories for Weird Tales and Astounding Science Fiction for the next decade, earning particular acclaim for her characters Jirel of Joiry, the first strong female protagonist in the sword-and-sorcery genre, and daring spaceman Northwest Smith. Moore married science fiction author Henry Kuttner in 1940, and together they collaborated on numerous stories until Kuttner's death in 1958. She received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 1981, and in 1998 was posthumously inducted in the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia (foreword) is the author of The Bewitching, The Seventh Veil of Salome, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, Mexican Gothic, and many other books. She has won the Locus, British Fantasy and World Fantasy Awards.
