Quote:
Originally Posted by Ea
Thnka you  That was exactly what I was trying to say, especially this. "... It requires more effort of interpretation from the reader, but it can convey thought-structures beyond the means of conventional storytelling." This is exactly what makes it 'harder' and overall more rewarding to read - for me. |
I like a mix. I'll usually read 3-4 sci-fi or supernatural/horror novels for every 1 literary or borderline literary work. Also there are some quite idiosyncratic but also rather crap novels out there, in profusion
In film I'm also a big fan of "4th gen genre," the work that emerges after the films that started a genre have given way to endless imitation and then parody. Eventually, someone digests the previous generations, reconnects with the appeal of the source material, and makes the themes relevant again, resulting in something like
The Unforgiven, or
Millers Crossing. I'm not sure if I see the same progression in written fiction. Instead you get meta-textual works, like
"Repent, Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman, and both imitative and original works appear continuously. Has anyone read any genre work that fits the bill, that transcends imitation and parody to reinvent the genre's conventions?