Huh. I always thought of mysteries and science fiction/fantasy as getting about the same level of critical respect, but that could be because I'm looking at them from the perspective of a writer with a romance manuscript to market--I mean, talk about no critical respect no matter how strong the merits of the book....
Inara: So. Would you like to lecture me on the wickedness of my ways? Book: I brought you some supper, but if you'd prefer a lecture, I've a few very catchy ones prepped. Sin and hellfire... one has lepers.
'Serenity'
We're Literary 2: To Read Makes Our Speaking English Good
There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."
Susan W. - Feb 25, 2004 2:33:55 pm PST #994 of 10002
Good Trouble and Righteous Fights
Atropa - Feb 25, 2004 2:35:09 pm PST #995 of 10002
The artist formerly associated with cupcakes.
(Nodding and pointing at What Betsy Said.)
As an aside, anything from the SF/Fantasy genres still has a better chance of a Serious Review than a book from the horror genre, unless it's written by Clive Barker or Stephan King. Neither of whom has written in that genre for a while now.
Betsy HP - Feb 25, 2004 2:37:47 pm PST #996 of 10002
If I only had a brain...
Does fantasy count? because I can think of three....
Le oops.
t resets Wayback Machine to 2004. I hate it when I'm stuck in the past like that.
deborah grabien - Feb 25, 2004 2:38:15 pm PST #997 of 10002
It really doesn't matter. It's just an opinion. Don't worry about it. Not worth the hassle.
Jilli, what about Peter Straub?
The man can flat-out write.
deborah grabien - Feb 25, 2004 2:41:41 pm PST #998 of 10002
It really doesn't matter. It's just an opinion. Don't worry about it. Not worth the hassle.
Le oops.
(giggling)
Atropa - Feb 25, 2004 2:44:17 pm PST #999 of 10002
The artist formerly associated with cupcakes.
Jilli, what about Peter Straub?
Good point. He gets Serious Reviews, too. But anyone who isn't a Big Name Author who is writing horror? Gets shunned. And frequently stuck with horrible, schlocky cover art, which doesn't help at all.
Volans - Feb 25, 2004 2:44:53 pm PST #1000 of 10002
move out and draw fire
My perspective is that it's not the authors who are dismissed, but the readers. People who read mysteries are more socially acceptable than people who read SF/Fantasy. Horror's probably somewhere in the middle, thanks to King.
Why I dropped in here, tho: A friend has talked me into joining a paperback book swap, and I'm wondering if any Buffistas would be interested? You get a list, mail a book to the first person on the list, add your name to the bottom of the list, and send the newly-updated list to new people. So you only send one book, but get several. You don't get to keep trading with the same people, though.
Anyway, if you are interested, my profile addy's good.
Atropa - Feb 25, 2004 2:47:45 pm PST #1001 of 10002
The artist formerly associated with cupcakes.
Horror's probably somewhere in the middle, thanks to King.
Nope. King, Barker, Straub, and Koontz are considered the "acceptable" faces of horror fiction. But if you ask the average sales clerk at B&N or Borders where they shelve any other horror authors, you will usually get a startled look, and a mumbled statment of "Oh, those books are just mixed in with general fiction".
Jesse - Feb 25, 2004 2:47:58 pm PST #1002 of 10002
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
People who read mysteries are more socially acceptable than people who read SF/Fantasy.
That's definitely true. As a mystery reader, I may be sheepish to pull the book out of my bag, but no one thinks I'm a freak when they see it.
Betsy HP - Feb 25, 2004 2:52:26 pm PST #1003 of 10002
If I only had a brain...
I'll just say there's a reason that bookstores specializing in romance books sell ornamental book covers at the register. (Because nobody likes being seen in public with the covers the publishers pick.)