| Recently I read a couple of good novels and I’ve been reflecting on what makes them entertaining and worth reading. An outstanding book or a very talented author can be enjoyed by many different readers but for the most part people like certain types of novels. Some readers like literary fiction, others like genre fiction like thrillers, detective stories, sci-fi, fantasy, or romance. But even within those categories, there are subcategories. Science fiction has the subcategories of space opera, hard sci-fi, time travel, cyberpunk, soft science fiction, apocalyptic steampunk, space warfare, sci-fi military sci-fi, and alien invasion. The list goes on. Then there is fiction that combines genres like sci-fi and romance. A novel I read recently combined literary and thriller. That’s hard to do because a thriller is suspenseful and plot-driven, often dealing with crime. Whereas, literary fiction is more a character-focused narrative and gives insights into the human condition. I read a variety of genres and authors, including books by friends, famous novels, and national bestsellers. While reading I contemplate on what qualities make a book engaging. I also examine how novel writing has changed over time. For example, The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas was written in 1844. It’s about four swashbuckling heroes living in France. What quality does it have that made it endure all these years and be translated into many languages? Part of it is probably the motto “All for one, One for all”. The Musketeers looked out for each other in dangerous situations. The book was overall a fun and exciting read. However, for the modern reader, its pace was slow in places with detailed character descriptions even for minor characters. The modern reader is used to the fast pace of movies and TV and contemporary novels have to compete with lots of other forms of entertainment.When a reader picks up a novel it should meet their expectations. If it’s a space opera, like what I write, it should have something to do with intergalactic battles or travel and risk-taking adventures on distant worlds. I try to make my books entertaining and exciting. I also want them to give people an insight into life and inspire them on their own adventures. Last week, I received an email from a reader who read one of my historical fiction novels, Red Willow’s Quest. She said it really touched her and resonated with her own journey. It’s getting feedback like this that makes writing worthwhile. What do you look for in a book? Complex characters? An exciting adventure? Space travel? Magical elements? |
