General Discussion of Genres

[patrickt]

For me, genre is simply a broad brush used to clear away debris so I can focus on which books to consider reading. I don't limit myself to one genre but the basics such as mystery/detective, romance novels, and science fiction work for me.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Everyone has there own opinion and many books are crossing genres. It's an interesting theoretical discussion, but in practice it is foolhardy to start nitpicking on individual genres. Thankfully the digital age has made it so we can categorize things as many different ways as we want, including pigeon-holing things into one spot on the shelf.

To me there are two genres: stuff I will read and crap.

[jgaiser]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

To me there are two genres: stuff I will read and crap.

Yep... Works for me too.

[Penforhire]

It has some use to me. I might have a hankering for a noir detective story or a political thriller or a western. Of course some of my favorite books are genre bending or breaking. The broad scope of a genre has similar value to me as saying something to eat is savory, sweet, salty, or sour.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by DrNefario

We can have an argument about it if you like?

Spoiler:

I did come up with a definition I liked after I made that post earlier:

In Space Opera, the science is there to serve the story; in Hard SF, the story is there to serve the science.

It seems to me that the tech in the HH series was initially created to emulate the navy of the early 19th Century, even down to having to fight with broadsides. It's just there to tell navy stories in SF clothes. It has become more of its own thing as the series has progressed and the technology has been developed.

Of course, it depends how you define the subdivisions, which is hard to get people to agree on, before you even get to apply them. The finer the distinctions, the less easy it is to put any given work in the right boxes.

There's a lot of really interesting stuff at the genre boundaries, too. It must be tricky to know how to shelve them in a bookstore. At least virtual stores can put the same book on many shelves.

I think space opera is more like Star Trek and Star Wars where as Hard Sci Fi is more like Forbidden Planet and The Fantastic Planet. Likewise in fiction space opera would be Ray Bradbury's "Martian Chronicles" and the John Carter books while the Hard Science Fiction would be Clarke's "The Sands of Mars," and Hamilton's "City at Worlds end."

[Nyssa]

I plan to come back and make individual replies to certain posts, when I have time. For now, as some have mentioned, I like knowing intended genres for numerous reasons:

1. I've learned that my favorite genre is Fantasy, with SciFi taking a firm 2nd place.
2. I find it easier to make and receive recommendations.
3. I have OCD tendencies when it comes to books and music.

[QuantumIguana]

Genre is like the aisles in the grocery store. It's a useful way to keep things organized. If you're looking for the applies, you probably don't expect to find them near the pasta. That doesn't mean everyone is going to agree what goes where. When I shop at a new grocery, it sometimes is confusing, because while many items unambiguously belong in a certain section, some items placement is more subjective. Subgenre (hard science fiction, space opera, etc) can be more ambiguous, becuase things can fall into more than one category. One of my favorite episodes of Star Trek: TNG is "Measure of a Man" where Data is on trial to see if he is a person or property. Star Trek does have some space opera aspects, but this episode is very hard science fiction. Space opera isn't necessarily something opposed to hard science fiction, it can be both. Star Trek isn't Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers.

Classic is hard to define. I look at a classic as a book that has stood the test of time, people are still reading it many decades after it was published. I look at Literature as anything written with words.

[DiapDealer]

A Game of Genres - "Ambiguity is coming."

[Fat Abe]

Space Opera - Dem's fighting words! From sh*t to shinola is an interesting interpretation of the development of this subgenre:

http://www.sfrevu.com/ISSUES/2003/03...ned/Review.htm

The more comical something sounds, the more insults one can hurl. You can't be serious, it's only Space Opera, or Teen Romance, or pulp (gulp). You can call me Ray, or you can call me Jay, but you dare not call me Shirley. At the end of the eclipse, I suppose it does not matter. Just keep the royalty checks flowing.

[theducks]

Space Opera: Worf singing in one of the Star Trek episodes

[usuallee]

I find genre tagging useful - in moderation. In my own calibre collection, I'll tag all fiction as "fiction", then tag with one or more of: Modern Lit (post 1945), Classic Lit (pre-1945), Thriller, Mystery, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Western, Young Adult, Juvenile, Horror. I might also add a country or region if it's not from UK/USA/Canada/Australia, such as "Scandinavia". I have no desire, personally, to further divide into subgenres, it would be too time consuming, plus I like to cast a wide net when looking for a certain type of book. Nonfiction, similar procedure.

[Nyssa]

I gave up adding my own tags in Calibre... too much maintenance, combining Romance & Love Stores , Classic, w/ Classics w/ Classical Literature, etc. So I just leave whatever Calibre comes up with.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by TGS

If you really are serious about thinking about genre, and not just resorting to a pub discussion about how one opinion is just as valid as another, then there is a useful introduction to genre theory here.

Thank you so much for this!! Much karma to you!

[LovesMacs]

Perhaps the only genre distinction that approaches an absolute is fiction vs. non-fiction. Even that distinction can break down when you talk about novels, etc. with strong (auto)biographical elements.

[Yolina]

My calibre tags are few and broad - that's enough for me. I have: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Short Stories and Reference