This document provides an overview of various fiction genres for readers' advisory purposes. It discusses the key characteristics and major authors of genres such as mystery, suspense, romance, women's fiction, science fiction, fantasy, horror, adventure, westerns, historical fiction, literary fiction, Christian fiction, and graphic novels. For each genre, the document outlines typical story elements and readership appeals. It also identifies some notable subgenres and overlapping genres, as well as specialized resources for readers looking for recommendations within specific genres.

1. READER’S ADVISORY
201
All about genre fiction

2. Nice to meet you!
 Courtney has worked for BPL for 20 years as:
a page in Adult Services; a Circulation staff
member; one of the team managers at the
Towne Square Branch; and now as the lead
person for Homebound Services.
 Renee is newish to the Library! at Hillcrest
 She has worked at two public ( Durland
Alternatives in Ithaca, NY and BPL) and one
academic libraries.

3. What We’re Reading Now
 Courtney
 Deborah Crombie, Robyn Carr, Charles de Lint,
Patrick Rothfuss, Amanda Quick; Tony Hillerman
 Favorite fiction genres: mystery, urban fantasy,
women’s fiction, romance
 Renee
 Nonfiction: The Sixth Extinction (ps – I’ll be holding a
nonfiction discussion on May 23)
 Kate Morton
 Favorite genres: mystery, depressing Swedish
mysteries, literary fiction

4. Why do people read genre
fiction?
 To escape!
 To try out new experiences
 To explore the impossible
 Why do you read genre fiction?
 Handouts today include David Hartwell’s
excellent article on “Why Genre Matters”.

5. The reader’s advisory interview
 In our RA 101 training we covered the RA
interview in depth. The slides are available on the
Common Drive/Shared folder/Readers Advisory.
 In brief, RA is a conversation. When having this
conversation it’s important to use: open-ended
questions, active listening, paraphrasing and
neutral questioning.
 We also want to avoid making assumptions about
the questioner based on their appearance and
demeanor.
 Ask about these appeal characteristics: story,
setting, language, character.

6. Genre Readers Advisory
 Genre readers tend to be very specific in their
desires. Sometimes they have exhausted a
favorite author and want someone who writes just
like her.
 Mystery and thriller readers usually have a
preference for the subgenre they read. Someone
preferring an amateur sleuth is less likely to want
an Alex Cross novel. Tess Gerritsen readers may
like Kathy Reichs but dislike Greg Iles.
 The level of violence and gore a reader finds
acceptable is another factor when suggesting
genres.

7. Genre Readers Advisory
 Romance readers usually have a preferred
time period and setting for their books. The
amount of sexual content is another important
factor.
 These are just some of the challenges that
require active listening when suggesting genre
authors.
 The major authors we are suggesting for each
genre today are pulled from award winners,
readalike lists from Novelist, additional library
websites, staff and our own preferences.

8. Handouts
 List of readalikes for major genre authors – if
we have time we’ll select some to go over
 Quick reference guide to genres
 List of resources for genre RA
 We’ve included lists for some genre authors
that you can use as an exercise for RA. We’ll
be adding more to the Armfull of Books wiki.

9. Genres: Mystery and Crime
 The main characteristic of a mystery is that there
is a puzzle to solve. The detective tries to solve
the puzzle before the reader does. Traditionally,
the author provides clues for the reader instead of
obscuring them (Genreflecting 129).
 Appeal characteristics:
 Character-focused
 Solving a puzzle
 Mysteries follow a reliable format
 Subgenres: police procedurals, capers, cozy
mysteries, amateur sleuths, forensic, hardboiled
and noir, private investigator, whodunits

10. Mystery and Crime
 Overlaps with: suspense, thriller, romantic
suspense
 Major authors: Lawrence Block, Lilian
Jackson Braun, Agatha Christie, Patricia
Cornwell, Arthur Conan Doyle, Sue Grafton,
Iris Johansen, Henning Mankell, Robert B.
Parker, Jacqueline Winspear
 Special resources:
 Stop You’re Killing Me
 Crimespree
 Mystery Scene

11. Genres: Suspense and Thrillers
 The goal of suspense and thrillers is to build
up the reader’s anticipation to the point of a
single or repeated moment of emotional rush.
 Appeal characteristics:
 Engaging plot
 Solving a puzzle
 Adrenaline rush
 Subgenres: medical thrillers, legal thrillers,
conspiracy and political thrillers, techno
thrillers, romantic suspense, psychological
suspense

12. Suspense and Thrillers
 Overlaps with: mystery, romance, horror
 Major authors: Megan Abbott, David
Baldacci, Robin Cook, John Grisham, John le
Carré, Steve Martini, Michael Palmer, James
Patterson, J.D. Robb, Lisa Scottoline, Daniel
Silva
 Special resources:
 Stop You’re Killing Me
 Thriller and Adventure Fiction from PCL
 Goodreads’ Thriller List
 Double 0 Section

13. What’s the difference between
mysteries and suspense/thrillers?
 “Mysteries […] rely on an implied contract
between reader and writer, where all the
pieces are visible. Thriller writers have no such
constraints. In fact, withholding the last piece
until the crucial moment can be the triumphant
moment of the roller coaster ride the reader
has experienced to that point.” (Genreflecting,
160).

14. Genres: Romance
 A romance needs to have two characteristics: the
story should focus on a romantic relationship
between main characters, and the book should
have an optimistic ending (RWA).
 Appeal characteristics:
 Romance follows a reliable format
 Guarantee of a happy ending
 Escapism
 Subgenres: Category romance (ex Harlequin
imprints), contemporary romance, erotica, gentle
romance, gothic romance, historical romance,
paranormal romance, romantic suspense

15. Romance
 Overlaps with: Christian and inspirational fiction,
Historical fiction, literary fiction, mystery, suspense,
thriller, and women’s fiction
 Major authors: Bella Andre, Mary Balogh, Catherine
Coulter, Christine Feehan, Dorothy Garlock, Heather
Graham, Kristan Higgins, Victoria Holt, Debbie
Macomber, Carla Neggers, Lois Richer, Nora Roberts,
Sherryl Woods
 Special resources:
 All About Romance
 Regency Reader
 Romance Writers of America
 Romantic Times

16. Genres: Women’s Fiction
 “Sometimes called Women’s Fiction and
sometimes Women’s Lives and Relationships,
these are books that explore the reaches of
women’s lives; the dynamics of relationships with
family, friends, and lovers; that may end happily,
though not always; that examine issues which
confront many women, at work or at home.
 These books are usually written by women for a
female audience. They will deal with problems
and real solutions providing the reader a glimpse
into how someone else may deal with situations
they themselves are facing.” – Provo City Library

17. Genres: Women’s Fiction
 Appeal characteristics:
 Sense of realism
 Character- and plot-driven
 Identification with characters and experiences
 Subgenres: chick lit, mommy lit, domestic
fiction, humorous women’s fiction,
contemporary women’s lives, historical
women’s lives

18. Women’s Fiction
 Overlaps with: historical fiction, literary fiction,
romance
 Major authors: Elizabeth Berg, Maeve Binchy,
Emily Giffin, Jane Green, Kristin Hannah, Elin
Hilderbrand, Sophie Kinsella, Larry McMurtry,
Robin and Rosamunde Pilcher, Luanne Rice,
Graeme Simison, Adriana Trigiani, Jennifer
Weiner, Lauren Weisberger, Susan Wiggs
 Special resources:
 Women’s literature from PCL
 Goodreads’ Women’s fiction list

19. What’s the difference between
romance and women’s fiction?
 Romances always have a happy ending;
women’s fiction may have a sad or ambivalent
ending.
 Romances focus on romantic relationships;
women’s fiction may focus on platonic or
familial relationships.
 In romance, the male characters are usually
given as much time and detail as the female
protagonist; in women’s fiction, male
characters are usually secondary.

20. Genres: Science Fiction
 Science fiction can be considered the genre of
“what if?” (Genreflecting, 340). Science fiction
creates improbable worlds based on current
understanding of science and technology (AART).
 Appeal characteristics:
 Escapism
 Story-centered; often establishes a new world
 Addresses social and cultural issues in a new way
 Subgenres: apocalyptic fiction, cyberpunk,
dystopian fiction, hard SF, military science fiction,
parallel/alternate universe, space opera,
speculative fiction, steampunk, time travel, world
building

21. Science Fiction
 Major authors: Isaac Asimov, Kage Baker, Greg
Bear, Ray Bradbury, Olivia Butler, Arthur C.
Clarke, Ernest Cline, James S.A. Corey, Blake
Crouch, Cory Doctrow, Robert Heinlein, Hugh
Howey, Ann Leckie, Ursula LeGuin, Anne
McCaffrey, John Scalzi, John Varley, David Weber
 Special resources:
 Internet Speculative Fiction Database
 Locus Online
 SF Book Reviews
 SFF World

22. Genres: Fantasy
 A fantasy story must contain elements of magic.
The quantity and variety of these elements can be
highly variable.
 Appeal characteristics:
 Escapism
 Themes of transformation and journey
 Often clearly delineates good and evil
 Subgenres: apocalyptic fiction, court intrigue,
dystopian fiction, high fantasy (epic fantasy),
historical fantasy, magical realism, paranormal
fantasy, quest fantasy, science fantasy,
speculative fiction, steampunk, urban fantasy

23. Fantasy
 Overlaps with: Science fiction, horror, historical
fiction
 Major authors: Piers Anthony, Kelly Armstrong,
Marion Zimmer Bradley, Jim Butcher, Peter S. Beagle,
Charles de Lint, David Eddings, Neil Gaiman, Diana
Gabaldon, William Gibson, Kim Harrison, Deborah
Harkness, Robert Jordan, Guy Gavriel Kay, Mercedes
Lackey, George R. R. Martin, China Mieville, Tamora
Pierce, Terry Pratchett, Patrick Rothfuss, Brandon
Sanderson, J. R. R. Tolkein
 Special resources:
 Internet Speculative Fiction Database
 Locus Online
 SF Book Reviews
 SFF World

24. What’s the difference between
science fiction and fantasy?
 There are a few ways to look at it:
 Science fiction is about the improbable; fantasy is
about the impossible.
 Fantasy deals with situations in the past or present
that cannot be explained by science. Science fiction
deals with situations in the present or future that can
be explained by science.
 “[…] if it has a robot on the cover, it's science fiction. If
it has a unicorn, then it's fantasy. If it has both a robot
and a unicorn then it's fantasy. Science can work in a
fantasy setting but magic can't work in a science
fiction setting.” – Bill Edminster, McHenry Public
Library

25. Genres: Horror
 Horror seeks to elicit our negative emotions,
such as fear, anger, disgust, and terror.
 Appeal characteristics:
 Curiosity
 Enjoyment of fear – adrenaline rush
 Subgenres: classics, hauntings, monsters,
Satanic/demonic, psychological, comic, gothic
 Overlaps with: Science fiction, fantasy,
suspense, thrillers

26. Horror
 Major authors: Clive Barker, Poppy Z. Brite,
Joe Hill, Shirley Jackson, Stephen King, Dean
Koontz, Robert McCammon, Anne Rice
 Special resources:
 Internet Speculative Fiction Database
 Locus Online
 SF Book Reviews
 SFF World

27. Genres: Adventure
 Adventure’s main plot focuses on undertaking
a quest or mission with the possibility of
physical risk or danger. Plots are action-
oriented and include elements of survival,
intrigue, or espionage.
 Appeal characteristics:
 Escapism
 Identification with “one man against the world”
theme
 Clearly delineated heroes and villains
 Subgenres: exotic adventure, military

28. Adventure
 Overlaps with: fantasy, mystery, science
fiction, suspense and thriller, Westerns,
 Major authors: Dan Brown, Stephen Coonts,
Michael Crichton, Clive Cussler, Nelson
DeMille, Brian Freemantle, John Gilstrap,
Elizabeth Haynes, John Nance, Chris Pavone,
Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child,
Christopher Reich, Wilbur Smith
 Special resources:
 Thriller and Adventure Fiction from PCL

29. Genres: Westerns
 Set in the American West, usually pre-20th
century. Plot often focuses on survival, and
conflict between man and nature or man and
other men.
 Appeal characteristics:
 Independent, resourceful characters
 Escape from modern/urban life
 Stories don’t have loose ends
 Subgenres: cowboys, frontier life, lawmen,
literary, Native American, traditional (good men
vs. bad men)

30. Westerns
 Overlaps with: adventure, mystery, romance,
historical fiction, literary fiction.
 Major authors: Willa Cather, Don Coldsmith,
Zane Grey, Cynthia Haseloff, Terry C.
Johnston, William W. Johnstone, Louis
L’Amour, Cormac McCarthy, Larry McMurtry,
Robert B. Parker
 Special resources:
 Western Writers of America
 Women Writing the West
 Goodreads’ Western List

31. Genres: Historical Fiction
 Historical fiction can be considered fiction set
before the middle of the previous century. The
plot focuses not just on the protagonists but on
elements of the era during which the story
takes place (Genreflecting, 86).
 Appeal characteristics:
 Immersive experience: armchair time-travel
 Interest in time period/place

32. Historical Fiction
 Subgenres: adventure, epics, prehistoric,
ancient civilizations, romantic historical fiction
 Overlaps with: adventure, romance, literary
fiction
 Major authors: Jean Auel, Philippa Gregory,
Hilary Mantel, James Michener, Toni Morrison,
Edward Rutherford
 Special resources:
 Historical Novel Society
 The History Girls
 Reading the Past

33. Genres: Literary Fiction
 Literary fiction may be the most challenging to
define, and divisive, genre.
 Literary fiction may be called “mainstream
fiction,” as it can apply to any fiction that does
not adhere to genre conventions
(Genreflecting, 389).
 Literary fiction may also be used to specify
works of fiction that are considered to have
“literary merit.”

34. Literary Fiction
 Appeal characteristics: because literary fiction is
so broad, there are no universal appeals.
However, individual authors/titles can be
described using the four doorways: story,
character, setting, and language.
 Overlaps with: all genres – there are titles within
every genre that are considered to have “literary
merit”
 Major authors: Anthony Doerr, Jeffrey
Eugenides, Jonathan Franzen, John Irving,
Barbara Kingsolver, Ian McEwan, Donna Tartt,
Anne Tyler

35. Genres: Christian and Inspirational
Fiction
 Christian fiction includes values and morals as
explicit, dominant aspects of the story
(Genreflecting 470). Inspirational fiction focuses
on overcoming adversity, usually with the help of
some faith (AART).
 Christian fiction is always intended to be
inspirational; inspirational fiction is not always
Christian.
 Appeal characteristics:
 Relate to characters’ struggle with faith
 Lack of explicit content, i.e. sex, profanity, violence

36. Genres: Christian and Inspirational
Fiction
 Subgenres: Amish romance, apocalyptic fiction,
Christian romance, contemporary Christian life,
gentle reads, historical Christian life
 Overlaps with: historical fiction, literary fiction,
romance, Westerns
 Major authors: Mitch Albom, Terri Blackstock,
Ted Dekker, Tim LaHaye, Jan Karon, Beverly
Lewis, Tracie Peterson, Bodie and Brock Thoene,
Lori Wick
 Special resources:
 Novel Crossing
 Faithful Reader

37. Genres: Graphic Novels
 Graphic novels are long-form stories told through
sequential art and bound together, though they
may previously have been released as shorter
issues.
 The term graphic novel can be used to refer to
both fiction and non-fiction works.
 Appeal characteristics: graphic novels add the
extra appeal of visual style, which can include
drawing style, layout, and balance of text and
images
 Subgenres: superhero, memoir, fantasy, science
fiction, manga

38. Graphic Novels
 Major works: Maus, Blankets, Bone,
Persepolis, The Sandman, Watchmen, Fun
Home, Ghost World, Saga, Love and Rockets,
V for Vendetta
 Special resources:
 No Flying No Tights
 Comics Worth Reading

39. Special topics: Multicultural
Fiction
 Multicultural refers to inclusion of cultures
related to race, gender, or sexual orientation.
 Multicultural fiction provides members of
various cultures with characters they can
identify with, and provides new viewpoints for
all readers (Genreflecting 394).
 Multicultural fiction can be found in all genres,
but the stories often focus on themes of the
immigrant or minority experience.

40. Multicultural Fiction
 Major authors: Chinua Achebe, Sherman
Alexie, Isabel Allende, James Baldwin, Sandra
Cisneros, Junot Diaz, Emma Donoghue,
Louise Erdrich, Khaled Hosseini, Kazuo
Ishiguro, Jhumpa Lahiri, Toni Morrison, Haruki
Murakami, Salman Rushdie, Amy Tan, Alice
Walker, Sarah Waters, Edmund White
 Special resources:
 African American Literature Book Club
 GLBT Literature
 Multicultural Fiction from PPL

41. Special topic: emerging genres
 New Adult
 New adult fiction is also referred to as “college
fiction.” New adult is targeted toward 18 to 30
year olds.
 New adult covers many of the same topics as
young adult, such as friendship, young love and
sex, mental health, substance use, but with a
focus on the transitions from youth to adult.
 Is dystopian/apocalyptic fiction its own genre?
 Biofiction: fictionalized works about real people

42. Special topic: genre blending
 Genreblending erodes the distinction between
a book written in one genre versus another. If
a book features vampires, romance and
fantasy – how do we define it, shelve it,
discuss it? Paranormal fiction, steampunk,
futuristic mysteries (think J. D. Robb) are just
some themes that push genre boundaries
 Genre Blender
 Resource: The Reader’s Advisory Guide to
Genre Blending - Megan M. McArdle

43. Reader’s advisory resources:
readalikes for the big names
 Lee Child - Mystery, Thriller
 Debbie Macomber - Romance
 Kristin Hannah - Women’s Fiction
 Stephen King - Horror
 Louis L’Amour - Western
 Robert Heinlein - Science Fiction
 Diana Gabaldon - Fantasy/Romance
 George R.R. Martin - Fantasy
 Anthony Doerr - Literary Fiction

44. Reader’s advisory resources:
genre fiction
 Award winner lists are a good place to find
genre authors recommended by their peers or
fans.
 Genre bootcamp
 Goodreads
 Reader’s Advisory Resources from SCSU

45. Arm Full of Books
 The library has a reader’s advisory wiki at
 http://armfullofbooks.pbworks.com
 Username: askalibrarian@cityofboise.org
 Password: books
 The wiki includes an extensive list of RA
resources. We are working on updates and
additions.
 Information from today will be posted.
 Interested in contributing? Just ask one of us
how.

46. Genre Study
 Staff will have the opportunity to join a genre
study group starting this fall.
 We plan on studying one genre at a time for a
period of 4 months. More information will be
forthcoming.
 Ask your supervisor about joining if you’re
interested.