Mass Market Paperback, 279 pages
English language
Published Aug. 13, 1989 by Del Rey.
The Steerswoman is the first novel in the Steerswoman series. Steerswomen, and a very few Steersmen, are members of an order dedicated to discovering and disseminating knowledge. Although they are foremost navigators of the high seas, Steerswomen are also explorers and cartographers upon land as well as sea. With one exception, they are pledged to always answer any question put to them with as truthful a response as is possible within their own limitations. However, they also require anyone of whom they ask questions to respond in the same manner, upon penalty of the Steerswomen's ban; those under the ban do not receive answers from the steerswomen.
Content warning for some reason the slow steady conceptual reveal here wants to be hidden, but no plot spoilers
What a curious and lovely blend of stock fantasy and overturned expectations - a trudging journey of mysterious import through rival wizards realms, a steady unwrapping of a tension in the world between academic pursuit and dispersal of knowledge versus technological hoarding of power and secrets.
Well-written if a little flat at times. If I'd discovered this series in the 90s I'd have been all about it, (TWO female leads!) but it just doesn't seem to have the social pith I'm after these days. Still, Bel is rad as hell, might give the next book a go one day.
