Today's Toss Around Thursday question is: Which is your favorite genre to read and/or write and why? What are your favorite books in that genre?I'm a fantasy/sci fi girl through and through. If something can happen in real life, it's just not that interesting to me. I guess if I'm going to escape into a book, I want to escape big time, to a world that doesn't even exist. I love reading about quests, mythical creatures, prophecies, sorcerers, and magical lands. I've always considered myself more of a fantasy fan than science fiction, but my latest WIP involves time travel and a world-obliterating virus, so I would have to classify it as sci fi. I'm finding I'm enjoying this as much as fantasy and have started adding more sci fi novels to my TBR stack.
As a child I loved reading Zilpha Keatley Snyder's books and C.S. Lewis's Narnia series. Some of my new favorite series are Percy Jackson & the Olympians by Rick Riordan, Fablehaven by Brandon Mull, and Maximum Ride by James Patterson.
Okay, your turn!
13 comments:
As a child, I wasn't that interested in fantasy or sci-fi. While I still don't like sci-fi, I enjoy fantasy and anything mystical/with a sixth-sense for writing and reading.
Some of my favorites:
The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Harry Potter Series (Again, sorry!)
Chocolat
There are more, but my brain isn't cooperating. Right now I'm reading the first Percy Jackson. I'll see if it lives up to the hype. My son is reading Artemis Fowl, so I may read that next.
Theresa, I have been meaning to read The Giver forever, and I just haven't made it there yet. I've heard such great things about it. I really like Percy Jackson and all three of my kids do, too.
I'm a middle grade fantasy girl (though I also like YA). My favorite books in that genre other than HP... ;)
The Septimus Heap series (Angie Sage)
Charlie Bone (Jennie Nimmo)
The Dark Is Rising Series (Susan Cooper)
The Prydain Series (Lloyd Alexander)
I love reading....These days, I really enjoy reading cookbooks (no laughing :-) ). I don't peruse them, I actually read them. I also enjoy reading about food politics, current events, political and social issues.
I can see why folks would enjoy sci-fi what a great way to enjoy something that cannot experience in real life-at least not yet.
I love fantasy, especially Emily Rodda's Fairy Realm series.
My short stories feature a hairy legged goblin who I just adore :o)
Susan--You helped me realize I loved historical fiction. I also love realistic (ya) fiction. I'm addicted to books with screwed up main characters. You know when I read IN THE 17TH YEAR, I saw it more as a HF than a fantasy...which is really funny now that I think about it. I guess I just put myself in your world and pictured it to be in the day of kings, queens and magic. (Magic is real right?) :)
Amy - I am definitely going to try those, they sound right up my alley. I actually bought Midnight for Charlie Bone and it's been sitting in my TBR pile. I'll have to dig it out and dust it off soon. I finished 1984 last night, so I'm one step closer.
Velva - I can tell you've been reading about social and political issues - I read your guest post about the conditions of the tomato workers and learned so much. It's wonderful that you go beyond the recipes to the deeper issues.
Niki - I haven't read the Fairy Realm series yet but I remember when my daughter was reading them and absolutely loved them. It's so awesome to find a series that captures kids' imaginations like that. A hairy legged goblin - how fun!
Sharon - what a wonderful compliment - thank you! It does seem like magic might have been real in those days, doesn't it? Realistic YA is another favorite of mine, if they could just throw in the occasional wizard or vampire or magic potion. :)
Hi!
oooh! Lemme see...
Favourite genre to read.. oh so difficult, I'm much too eclectic. I do like character driven novels. Ones of Salman Rushdie, Kazuo Ishiguro, Amy Tan, Hilary Mantel, JM Coetzee...I love the epic-ness and profoundness of their stories - ones that make you realise the universality of emotions, passions, philosophies. Then I scuttle back into the safety of my beloved Terry Pratchett whose Discworld series are extremely philosophical in their own deceptively "simple" way. And of course Sci-fi/Fantasy short stories/novels. The classics of HG Wells, Harlan Ellison, Huxley and lots and lots of sci-fi anthologies. Oh biographies/autobiographies - Arthur Miller's Timebends is sublime. Barack Obama's Dreams from my Father had me hooked!
As for what I enjoy writing.... mainly character-driven but I do try different genres. For e.g., I've just finished a horror short story for my open uni course! I really enjoyed writing that.
:-)
Great Toss Around Thursday - THANK YOU!
Take care
x
Old Kitty - you are eclectic! That's wonderful - I'm sure I need to expand my horizons but I'm so happy in my little fantasy/sci fi world. I do read other genres, but I never end up enjoying them as much. Thanks for the wonderful list of fabulous authors!
I'm a late bloomer when it comes to fantasy, but now that I've found it, I'm so sad that it took me 15 years to find it! I love to read and write in the genre.
I also gravitate to Historical Fiction for YA and MG too. I loved them as a kid and I love them as an adult too!
Jackee - I think historical fiction and fantasy are similar in that they both take place in settings other than our present day world, like Sharon said she originally thought of my fantasy In the Seventeenth Year as historical rather than fantasy. So I think it makes sense that you're drawn to both of them. I wish I liked historical fiction more, what a wonderful way to learn as you enjoy a good book, but I still (usually) need that magic spell or werewolf or whatever to keep me really enthralled.
Ok - I'm afraid this is utterly predictable, but you asked. My fave is Fantasy, all the way. Followed closely by SciFi and Historical Fiction (Lonesome Dove anyone?).
I started out as most of us Fantasy lovers do with the C.S. Lewis Narnia books and just went from there. My kids are responsible for my reading list these days and they choose well! I love the Gregor, Keys to the Kingdom, and Max Ride books. The latest I'm loving are the Hunger/Catching Fire books by Suzanne Collins (#3 due soon I hope!) and the Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness. Can't hardly put it down. #3 is due in Sept. 2010. Totally original - if you haven't heard about it/read it yet - go and get it! :)
Judy - it's so good to hear from you! And yes, your kids do choose well and my kids and I love getting book suggestions from you guys. I'll add Hunger/Catching Fire books and Chaos Walking series to my TBR list - thanks!
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