Give me solid crime fiction, an epic family saga or an easy beach read and I’ll be happy for days. I know what I’m going to get — more or less.
When I read one of those novels I am less likely to toss the book across the room in anger because it ended badly or was open-ended, with several storylines not tied up or a number of aspects left unexplained.
Sometimes crime does disappoint, though. I am still distressed about the way Gillian Flynn ended Gone Girl. I suppose that was her intention, as many years later it is still stuck in my mind and causes mild discomfort every time I think of it. It’s that itch in the middle of my back that can’t be scratched.
The beauty of reading books that are considered genre novels is that there are hardly any surprises besides the expected twists and turns. It’s comfort reading. Crime fiction such as Karen Rose’s Say No More is my vetkoek, for want of a better analogy. Psychological thrillers are my grilled cheese sandwiches. For satisfaction, try Shari Lapena’s latest, The End of Her.
It’s not to be confused with the more elite literary novels that are lauded by awards such as The Booker Prize. Those are grand dining experiences. Best to be savoured slowly.
What I am loving are the new categories of genre books which are constantly in flux.
There are a number of subgenres that are offshoots from the already difficult to understand quantum fiction. Wikipedia’s definition of this genre is one that “reflects modern experience of the material world and reality as influenced by quantum theory and new principles in quantum physics. The genre is not necessarily science-themed and blurs the line separating science fiction and fantasy.” Think The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, which deals with time-travel and the non-linearity of life, and The End of Mr Why by Scarlett Thomas, which focuses on quantum theory and the blurring of reality and fiction.
And there is something called quantum steampunk. Yes, I too am exhausted by the retro-futuristic mix of delicate Victorian with overwrought industrial mehness found everywhere in films to coffee shops. In books this exists as well — there’s Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series and, if you are looking for something really old-school, anything by Jules Verne.
Cyberpunk is the exciting genre where new things are happening. It deals with terrifying developments in technology that are crucial to our everyday lives and will eventually lead to a dystopian future. Hello 2020. Look out for the recently released Hold Up the Sky by Cixin Liu, China’s number-one sci-fi writer. This is a collection of brilliant short stories written over a number of years.
There is a reader on Reddit who has asked if there should be a genre called quantum punk. Their definition of it is “the fantasy/sci-fi subgenre that focuses on the relationship between me, mind and matter”. Examples of this would be Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell and Contact by Carl Sagan.
So many genres, so little time travel. Would be nice if there was a machine we could harness to give us more time to read.
