''A Woman of the Iron People'' is an

anthropological Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of behavi ...

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

novel by American writer

Eleanor Arnason Eleanor Atwood Arnason (born December 28, 1942) is an American author of science fiction novels and short stories. Arnason's earliest published story, "A Clear Day in the Motor City", appeared in ''New Worlds'' in 1973. Her work often depicts cul ...

, originally published in 1991. It is a

first contact First contact may refer to: *First contact (astronomy), the moment in astronomical transit when the apparent positions of the two bodies first touch *First contact (anthropology), the first meeting of two cultures previously unaware of one another ...

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

Otherwise Award The Otherwise Award, formerly known as the James Tiptree Jr. Award, is an American annual literary prize for works of science fiction or fantasy that expand or explore one's understanding of gender. It was initiated in February 1991 by science f ...

in 1991. The later paperback edition consisted of two separate volumes, ''In the Light of Sigma Draconis'' and ''Changing Women'', split at the natural dividing point of the novel.

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

eponym An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Usage of the word The term ''epon ...

ous 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.

Sources

* Arnason, Eleanor. ''A Woman of the Iron People''. 1991: William and Morrow Company, Inc. New York.

"Precious Metals: Eleanor Arnason's ''A Woman of the Iron People''"
by John Garrison, March 29, 2004, ''Strange Horizons''

External links

2012 Review
by Jo Walton, including this little poem: :If there is a space ship :A story is therefore science fiction. :Unless it also contains the holy grail, :The presence of a space ship is sufficient :For everyone to acknowledge a story as science fiction. :Aiya, this is not very difficult, people! 1991 American novels 1991 science fiction novels American science fiction novels James Tiptree Jr. Award-winning works Novels by Eleanor Arnason Novels set on fictional planets William Morrow and Company books {{1990s-sf-novel-stub