Every now and then, I come across a blog post that asks, is there a genre you never read?
I used to say “historical fiction”; hesitatingly, of course, because in the back of my mind I know that “never” is too strong a word and I don’t know what might come my way in this genre that I might fall head over heels in love with.
But then one day I thought to myself, “Wait a minute. It’s not really true that I ‘never’ read historical fiction, is it?”
And it’s not true. While I very rarely pick up “pure” historical fiction, I have read and enjoyed many historical mysteries and historical fantasies.
That’s when I realized that I really like “blended” genres. The paranormal that’s also a mystery. The funny chick lit that has fantasy elements in it. And yes, the historical novel that features a whodunnit.
The only “blended” genre that I don’t usually pick up is is a genre in and of itself: romantic suspense. It’s simply because I like my romances to be humorous, and most romantic suspense novels don’t fall into the humor side of things. I’m sure there are romantic suspenses out there that are funny, too, and they would be right up my alley. I usually love “chick lit mysteries”, for example.
And of course, urban fantasy is, in and of itself, a blend, taking fantasy into a contemporary setting.
It also makes perfect sense, then, that many of the ideas for novels that I have running around in my head feature a blend of genres. NANTUCKET, the first draft of which I’m almost finished (I have, unfortunately, been “almost finished” for ten days now), is a mystery with paranormal elements.
My next project, which I want to launch into as soon as I get the first draft of NANTUCKET done (I don’t have a code name for it yet), is an action/spy/fantasy thing.
So here are my questions for you – I’m curious both as a reader and as a writer:
How do you feel about genre “blends”? Are you disappointed when you pick up what you think is a “straight” genre book, only to discover it incorporates elements from other genres? If you are disappointed, is this disappointment related more to the fact that it wasn’t what you expected, or is it because you simply do not like it when a novel features a blend of two or more genres?
Do you think there is a right way and a wrong way to blend genres? I find I never like it when the author throws in a fantasy element right out of the blue, when the book has been dancing its dance as a mystery, for example, for more than half its pages.
If you do like novels that blend genres, what are some of your favorite “blends”?
Related posts:
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi, this was fantastick post, it change mine life and I buy lots of what u sell, haha! ps. Want 2b Big Man? Want 2 make her skream? U want King Dongle, amazin new enhancement product!
etc.
Okay okay, I’ll be serious. Although I’m not so good at being serious.
Blended genres rock my boat. I’m an omnivorous reader nowadays and I thrive on the variety – and the surprise of reading something that isn’t what it first appears to be, or sidesteps your expectations. Great fiction is like that. The Classics are like that.
They *create* genres – by blending previous ones, usually. (Take Tolkien, the great blender of English, Breton and Norse mythology).
If it doesn’t fit into a pigeonhole, it gets left out in the open, where everyone can see it.
.-= Mikeachim´s last blog ..Orkney: What Do You Do? =-.
I like that: “If it doesn’t fit into a pigeonhole, it gets left out in the open, where everyone can see it.” You’re right about the classics being good examples of blending genres.
Oh, everyone, about the beginning of Mike’s post, it’s a Twitter joke between us
No need to avoid him like the plague. He’s got a very funny blog, too.
Why thank you.
I was perfectly serious about the male enhancement products, though. Hey, look, I’m a struggling writer – at this stage of my career I will sell out to anyone in a heartbeat.
ps. If I do ever actually sell out, you have my permission to kill me. Kthx.
.-= Mikeachim´s last blog ..Orkney: What Do You Do? =-.
I *love* blended genres! I think my favorite may be literary mystery.
.-= WordLily´s last blog ..2nd annual Book Blogger Appreciation Week =-.
I do like blended genres. I haven’t tried romantic suspense yet, but I’m willing to give it a try.
.-= Kathy´s last blog ..Wondrous Words Wednesday =-.
I like blended genres. I think that’s actually why I have trouble saying what genre a certain book falls into, or what are my favorite genres. The lines to me are all so grey. I do read romantic suspense, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, urban fantasy romance (is that one?), historical mysteries, I could go on and on.
.-= Carol´s last blog ..Wondrous Words Wednesday =-.
I like some blended genres. I don´t often buy historical fiction, ghost stories, anything supernatural or romance, but when they are blended with a really good mystery, I enjoy them all. There must be a real mystery/crime, and a proper solution, but when writers adhere to these rules I like variation.
Some readers have criticized Tana French, In the Woods, and I think part of the reason is that they fail to see it is a psychological thriller, not a real police procedural. In a psychological thriller, you can accept a different style of narration.
.-= Dorte H´s last blog ..DJ´s Bait in the Box # 27 =-.
I really like blended genres. The only problem with them is for the library or bookstore people to figure out how to shelve them. Usually they pick one or the other and that makes them hard to find. But I enjoy when I find them!
.-= rhapsodyinbooks´s last blog ..Review of “The Gods Themselves” by Isaac Asimov =-.
I never really thought of this before. But I suppose books I like could be considered blended genres. (And we need to work on this whole historical fiction thing, it being one of my faves.
Anyway, as you know, I like books dealing with other cultures so it doesn’t matter what genre they fall under I will probably like it to some extent.
I really have enjoyed James Patterson’s Maximum Ride series (and the 2 similar books that came pre-series) which are a blend of mystery and fantasy. I like mystery thrillers and romantic thrillers and romantic mysteries, lol. I also agree that classics often have blended genres. I mean, look how many The Great Gatsby has alone!
.-= Rebecca´s last blog ..The Wednesday Short Report =-.
I like blended genres. Blend away, that’s what I say! My favorite would probably be scifi mixed with romance. I love the imagination of scifi and the romance of… romance. Ahem.
.-= heidenkind´s last blog ..Tea–Comfort or Madness? =-.
I’ve never really thought about it, but it’s a good question. I don’t mind blending, or even blurring. I’d probably avoid anything with a strong Western feel (does anyone even write Westerns anymore?), but other than that, anything goes!
.-= softdrink´s last blog ..Good guessing, Julie! =-.
I guess for me, I’m more concerned about whether the book is one I am interested in and one that is good. I do tend to search out books in certain specific genres, but if I pick up a chick lit book and discover it is a chick lit mystery that doesn’t turn me off. What I don’t like are books that try to straddle genres just so that they can increase readership.
I like blended genres if it’s done well. The one thing that has been irking me lately is when I’m reading a good mystery or suspense and all of a sudden the main characters fall for each other out of no where. It’s like the author decided all of a sudden a little romance was needed. If they are going to add romance it needs to be worked up to and really a part of the story. Not something tossed in as an afterthought.
.-= Debbie´s last blog ..Free Download of Uglies by Scott Westerfeld =-.