It may sound like a simple question, but there are plenty of people out there who prefer other genres. So why is it that science fiction, fantasy or horror is YOUR genre of choice? What does it have that other genres don't? _________________ Violet "Violanthe" Kane
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Joined: 30 Mar 2006 Posts: 231 Location: Kent, England, U.K.
Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 12:59 pm
I only read genre fiction as straight fiction doesn't hold my interest (that's a generalisation). I mainly read horror and a bit of science fiction. I can read fantasy but it has to be 'Dark.'
Joined: 21 Apr 2006 Posts: 649 Location: NSW, Australia
Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:51 am
Escapism, mainly. Escapism to places that don't exist or may yet exist. Like Ian, I only read genre fiction. I've tried "mainstream" fiction, but found most it dreary.
I prefer weird fantasy over elves and dwarves type fantasy and New Wave-ish SF over hard SF.
Joined: 03 Apr 2006 Posts: 318 Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:57 pm
I don't just necessarily read these genres. I also read thrillers, such as Nelson DeMille's stuff. But I read for escapism. I find true life stories, not even sure what that genre is, the "Bridges of Madison County" and "Horse Whisperer" kind of stuff just plain boring. I haven't read any Raymond Carver or Joyce Carol Oates style stuff since I left college because I find it boring.
I need a thrill ride of sorts and fantasy, horror, and the like give me that.
I just can't give a concrete answer. I choose horror because that's just how I am. As far as I can remember I've been drawn to the dark, eery, and grotesque. Nightmares (mine and those of others) attract me. That has influenced my whole life: how I dress, my choice in music and movies, my decor, and, of course, the books I read. Any fiction I read is always for escapism. Horror just provides me with the shot of darkness I crave. I realize I could probably get that from thrillers, crime, or mystery stories but I prefer to read about the supernatural rather than the concrete.
Most Sci-Fi concepts just don't interest me, since most if the books I've come across deal with technology, mathematics, physics, time travel, etc. Feel free to educate me if I'm wrong, since I really haven't read much besides a few of the classics. However, I'm not opposed to reading sci-fi if it deals with biology-related themes. For example, a few years ago I read Dust by Charles Pellegrino and absolutely loved it. I think I've read even less Fantasy than Sci-Fi, so my commentary on that won't go beyond the fact that I just haven't come across many story lines that will make me choose a fantasy book over a horror one when I'm shopping. That's not to say I'll never read one. I do own a few that, lamentably, are in Canada and I haven't read them yet. I have a couple of Charles de Lint collections and a novel called The Book of Flying by Keith Miller. They interested me and I bought them. Someday I'll read them.
I enjoy a good Sci-Fi concept. And I enjoy character-based science fiction as well as character-based mainstream. But fantasy and historical genres have always had an inexplicable appeal to me. I'm rather fixated on medieval times for whatever reason. I'm beginning to believe it may be a rare brain disease (medieval-itis?) _________________ Violet "Violanthe" Kane
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