Jirel of Joiry

The first woman protagonist of the sword-and-sorcery genre, the strong and defiant Jirel of Joiry

A Penguin Classics Hardcover

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, distinguished themselves 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.

Penguin Speculative Fiction Special is a hardcover series of horror, science fiction, fantasy, and more published by Penguin Classics. Featuring custom endpapers, specially commissioned cover art, and introductions by scholars and notable figures, these collectible editions celebrate classics that invite us to ask, “What if?” and that, through bold imagination, alternative visions, and magical realms, transform our perception of our world.