SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Money Talks is an old adage. While authors may have confined themselves to one particular genre. Nowadays, many authors cross genres. Children books, fantasy, urban fantasy, traditional big epic books, even science fiction authors skip around writing in whatever genre they can sell books. But do you follow them to different genres.

When Andre Norton wrote fantasy, I read it even though I started with her science fiction. Similarly, I read Alan Dean Foster's foray into fantasy and Tad Williams foray into science fiction.

What do you do -- will you read anything by an author -- irrespective of genre or do you stick to the sub genre that you like -- which is more important -- an author or the subject they write about.

I pretty much stick to fantasy. I have reasons why I like what I like, and those reasons usually go beyond the author. There are a few exceptions, though. Weirdly, I loved Tad Williams's Otherland series. They're some of my favorite science fiction books, and my favorites of his books.

I enjoyed Lindsay Buroker's steampunk/fantasy series The Emperor's Edge, and though I'm not a fan of urban fantasy I've got her hew urban fantasy book on my Kindle. Camille LaGuire writes cross-genre mysteries in western, fantasy, and more contemporary settings. I've enjoyed her western-mysteries and have her other books on my TBR pile.

Also, Carol Berg could write the phone book and I'd read it.

I read multiple genres so I'm likely to follow an author. I think its getting more common. Many were doing it in trad publishing but using different names. Now both names show up on the books so people can try them if they want and more are trying them. It is such a personal thing. Some people follow an author no matter what they write others are very strict about genre. Thank goodness there are many, many readers and many authors to meet all needs.

I don't have a genre that I wouldn't try and even though I prefer some to others, if it sounds interesting to me I'll read it. Same with a beloved author switching genres, I may be more likely to try it because of the author's name but I'd have no problem trying it.

I follow authors wherever they go. Even out of fiction into non-fiction. (I consider it a good way to find Interesting Stuff.) And then sometimes I hang out in the new genre thus discovered.

I will follow an author into different genres, at least to try out the other works.

I used to but now I don't.

I read a lot of genres, so I take it on a case by case basis. If they branched out into romance novels, I'd skip it. Just about anything else would be okay with me as long as it was well-written and the characters were interesting.

I already read a lot of different genres, so it's not a stretch at all to follow an author I'm interested in. I do find that I often prefer an author in a specific genre, but I'll still give their other books a try.

I am not a fan of the concept of genres. A story is a story and I read for the characters, the plot, the setting, so I'll read anything by an author whom I enjoy.

I don't "follow" authors into different genres - I just select certain books. And there are loads of authors who work in different genres without loosing quality - take Leguin, Ursula, George R. R. Martin, Philip José Farmer as classic examples.

I pretty much read only SF (I consider it market research and there is SO much SF I haven't read yet).

So, no. I won't follow a SF author into fantasy or general fiction even if I like pretty much everything they write in SF. Cases in point: Greg Bear, Iain (M.) Banks, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, etc. I will read any SF they write/wrote...but nothing else.

One must have priorities. ;)

I'm an omnivore. I will read everything. And it is fun, to follow a really interesting author into various forms. Dorothy Sayers wrote plays, theology, and a translation of Dante, in addition to her detective novels. How could you resist?

I don't. Resist, that is.

I read whatever Lois McMaster Bujold writes. I don't usually read Romance, but her 'Sharing Knife' series that begins with Beguilement is character- driven enough to work for me.

I read whatever Michael Chabon writes, but I usually enjoy his genre- bending novels more than his literary ones like The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, Summerland and Gentlemen of the Road: A Tale of Adventure.

Tanya Huff writes urban fantasy, military science fiction and high fantasy. I like it all.

I'll read any genre if the book sounds interesting to me, but for me reading one book by an author that I liked is no guarantee that I'll like another. Yet that has nothing to do with genre. Many authors have said everything that they have to say in one book and proceed to repeat the message ad infinitum in the rest of their work. It's possible to switch genres and still be engaging in endless repetition. Some people who enjoy familiarity in their books, are very happy with authors who do this. I am not. I want authors who not only switch genres, but use it to say something new.

It depends on the author, and the reason I liked their first book. If there was something unique about their voice, say, I liked their humor, then I'm more likely to cross genres. But writing one story that works well isn't an indication that they'll be able to stay entertaining in different stories.

Of course, I'm less tied to genre than most. I'll read pretty much anything so long as there's one element that grabs me, whether that's a great character, a unique writing style, a distinctive setting, etc.

I read pretty much all genres except romance, but if China Miéville writes a love story I am sure I will follow him there too :-D

For me it depends on the author and the genre. In general I'm not that big on romance, but if Terry Pratchett for example decided to write a romance novel, I'd probably read it expecting it to be hilarious. If it turned out that it was actually a serious romance novel though, I'd probably be disappointed.

I think in a lot of cases though if I really like the author I'll be willing to give whatever they write a chance so long as it's some sort of fiction. If they write something non-fiction, I probably won't read it unless I'm actually interested in the topic.

Brenda wrote: "I'm an omnivore. I will read everything. And it is fun, to follow a really interesting author into various forms. Dorothy Sayers wrote plays, theology, and a translation of Dante, in addition to he..."

She should have picked one and stuck to it. Curse of Chalion was alright but Paladin of Souls was one I wanted to stop halfway through, and should have. I hear people've got problems with her sci-fi too, however.

@ greg, Curse was good, but her SF IMO is the best, the 'Miles Vorkosigan' Saga gets respect Mon, check out 'The Warriors Apprentice' if u like SF, there must be over 15+ books in that series, many are very good :)

Oh, I won't be reading her again.

How open-minded of u, by best I meant her best but others would disagree regarding genre.

I'm curious what problems u are talking about? since genre switching is the topic... any reasons why a person should stick to one? Albeit SF & fantasy seems one of the harder to cross & maintain quality or is it just 'she Should have stuck to one'?

I find Genre switching between good authors very entertaining, but not all authors can do so.

I just didn't like her books, is that a crime? Sheesh!

No, I didn't mean it to come across as being judgmental, I was curious about the problems with the genre switch, seeing that ur an author u have a unique perspective...

Like I said, I thought 'Curse of Chalion' was only good, nothing close to her SF

I'm another reader that's not necessarily going to like something just because I liked a previous book by the same author. If I've really liked an author in the past, I'm more likely to try something they wrote in a genre I'm ambivalent about, but there are some genres I just don't read. For instance, when J.K. Rowling wrote The Casual Vacancy, I read it and liked it a lot. But I haven't read and don't intend to read The Cuckoo's Calling, because I'm not into mystery/thrillers.

V interesting discussion. I will go most places really if I think that a book will entertain me. My degree was in English Literature and so I suppose that set me up to read widely. So I suppose it wouldn't bother me following an author who is currently writing into another genre...

I'm interested in the question of whether people mind authors doing it though. I suspect for many it's not a case of 'money talks' at all but just that they fancy trying their hand at something different, or they come up with an idea but the plot necessitates a different style/setting than they are used to - or the catalyst could be a change in their own personal reading tastes...who knows. In great art the medium used should be the medium that best suits the idea. You certainly couldn't say it was poor form of Orwell to depart from essay writing and write in several different 'genres'. Also, might an established author not make more money from another book in their established genre, rather than having to win over a new audience (unless they are switching from something with a very niche audience to something mass market) - anyone know?

The idea of genres may be useful to someone if they are marketing a book or perusing a book shop, but if they are sitting down to write, might it be too restrictive?

Yes, it is worth remembering that the concept of genre is a modern phenomenon and primarily useful for marketers. In the day, nobody cared. Certainly Orwell did not. And it was expected that great writers (Kipling, Dickens) would spray their genius out all over the place, grinding out poems, short stories, novels of all types, editorials for the papers, lyrics for hymns -- essentially anything you can imagine.

"The earliest recorded systems of genre in Western history can be traced back to Plato and Aristotle."

Sometimes. If Stephen King wrote it, and the synopsis sounds interesting, I'll probably like it. His style doesn't change much, no matter what he's writing. Charlaine Harris mostly writes mysteries and I'm not the least bit interested in trying them out. The Sookie Stackhouse books were fun, but the author's overall skill and style are kinda suck.

Miira, I am so glad that there are no more Sookie Stackhouse books! Or rather, if there are, I don't care. In her case, I'm done. It's got nothing to do with genre. Charlaine Harris bored me.

I'm more open to an author that writes in different genres now then I was a few years ago. Right now I'm reading as much of Iain Banks' output as I can get my hands on, and while most of that has been focused on his science fiction works, his non-genre fiction is just as outstanding. Peter Hamilton has a children's book coming out soon, and I'll be sure to pick that one up.

I read pretty much anything from any genre, poetry to sc-fi, but if I find an author who's style I like I will tend to read whatever work he producing. A lot of authors (like myself) have areas of interest, a gritty urban playright can also be a children's novelist and why not, if we all stayed the same and read the same wouldn't it be really dull.

There is also the point that, artistically, a creator needs to do different things. To write 20 Regency romances in a row, all the same except for the characters' names and hair color, would be depressing. Surely you would yearn to cleanse your palate by writing something about octopoid invaders oozing out of the sewers of Schenectady, or a nice arc for the Punisher for Marvel Comics.

Brenda wrote: "There is also the point that, artistically, a creator needs to do different things. To write 20 Regency romances in a row, all the same except for the characters' names and hair color, would be dep..."

The sad thing is where this effort results in their failing ignominiously because, truth be told, they really had the talent for their formula and not much else.

Brenda wrote "octopoid invaders oozing out of the sewers of Schenectady..."

I want to read this!!!

Julia wrote: "Brenda wrote "octopoid invaders oozing out of the sewers of Schenectady..."

I want to read this!!!"

We look forward to reading yours. 0:)

If I could've thought of an American town beginning with the letter O it would have been better, but this was Before Coffee.

Brenda wrote: "If I could've thought of an American town beginning with the letter O it would have been better, but this was Before Coffee."

Outer Nowheresville.

Oneonta, it's over an hour away (west) from Schenectady, near-ish to Cooperstown. Also, Oneida and Oswego.

Within any genre there is enough range to create the art that an artist needs to create, but exploration only deepens and aids the writer's craft. The reader is a similar creature.

I write in different genres, and I've wondered if that's going to be a problem. As for reading, I wouldn't have a problem following an author across genres. However, I sometimes find that I prefer one significantly. For example, I love Asimov's Sci Fi, but haven't really enjoyed his fantasy shorts or poetry, and the mysteries don't compare to the Sci Fi.