The Gunslinger
question
Am I running out of good genre fiction?

I have a serious need for fantasy books in my life, yet I keep buying them then regretting my purchases, usually because I feel like nearly the exact same plot and characters have been done better many times already, or because I can just see a cliche coming a mile away. Things are starting to feel too formulaic to me in fantasy, specifically paranormal fantasy or anything based in modern, or at least realistic settings and times (ie, MY FAVORITE types of books!).
The thing that makes fantasy my favorite genre is that it can at least partially convince me, for a few hours, that fantasies can be real. Thing is...If this kind of book can't surprise me, the illusion is totally shattered and I lose interest. I get booted out of the story by a dawning awareness of formula and tired devices. It doesn't help that a certain few cliches get used an awful lot, as though they're being drawn out of a small hat at random then mixed and matched repeatedly.
It's just not possible that I've read "all the good ones". I've loved The Dark Tower, nearly all Gaiman, Christopher Moore, newer stuff like Hunger Games and Sookie Stackhouse, and sci-fi standouts like William Gibson, Silverberg, and Peter Clines...You can basically see my favorites by clicking on my profile.
So what should I read? I loved the aforementioned books because, to me, they were wildly original and had a solid mood and atmosphere. They begged to be read and they all gave me something that felt totally new. Now I feel like a cantankerous old hag when I flip through endless synopses, never being satisfied and feeling constantly skeptical.
Is it me? Am I being too demanding here? I feel like I have no idea how to find the books that I will love most and it's getting untenable. If only automated suggestions on book retail websites weren't total crap, amirite? If you've got any suggestions of titles I would love to hear them.
The thing that makes fantasy my favorite genre is that it can at least partially convince me, for a few hours, that fantasies can be real. Thing is...If this kind of book can't surprise me, the illusion is totally shattered and I lose interest. I get booted out of the story by a dawning awareness of formula and tired devices. It doesn't help that a certain few cliches get used an awful lot, as though they're being drawn out of a small hat at random then mixed and matched repeatedly.
It's just not possible that I've read "all the good ones". I've loved The Dark Tower, nearly all Gaiman, Christopher Moore, newer stuff like Hunger Games and Sookie Stackhouse, and sci-fi standouts like William Gibson, Silverberg, and Peter Clines...You can basically see my favorites by clicking on my profile.
So what should I read? I loved the aforementioned books because, to me, they were wildly original and had a solid mood and atmosphere. They begged to be read and they all gave me something that felt totally new. Now I feel like a cantankerous old hag when I flip through endless synopses, never being satisfied and feeling constantly skeptical.
Is it me? Am I being too demanding here? I feel like I have no idea how to find the books that I will love most and it's getting untenable. If only automated suggestions on book retail websites weren't total crap, amirite? If you've got any suggestions of titles I would love to hear them.
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You might like the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. I've heard you shouldn't start with the first one, but there are plenty to sub-series to choose from.
The ones I read in the the City Watch series were quirky, funny and just plain different while still staying in the familiar fantasy genre.
The ones I read in the the City Watch series were quirky, funny and just plain different while still staying in the familiar fantasy genre.
deleted member
Jan 14, 2017 07:21AM
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Some fantasy recs? Three Parts Dead (Max Gladstone), City of Stairs (Robert Jackson Bennett), Borderline (Mishell Baker), Mistborn (Brandon Sanderson), Julian Comstock (Robert Charles Wilson) - the last one for more western fantasy. Vermillion (Molly Tanzer) is also a fantasy western worth a shot. Try newer authors, experiment with newer books to find things that veer off the beaten path/familiar formulas a bit more. I tend to bounce between genres so I don't have the burn-out you're encountering as much, but I know what it feels like. :/
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