Welcome to the first installment of our brand new “Women and Science Fiction” series! The story of “Female Science Fiction” is also the story of women in general. Until the last decade ago or so, women SF writers were less likely to be featured or reviewed in the popular venues or to appear on must-read lists, and only very recently things are beginning to change. In this series, science fiction critic and anthologist Teruyuki Hashimoto will briefly examine and hold a spotlight on the state of gender balance and significant works by leading women science fiction writers.