Steampunk, Werewolves, and Spaceships—What’s All That About? by Suzanne Johnson

Hope everyone had a great weekend! :) It's genre Monday time, and Suzanne is helping us with something I know I was definitely in need of--a breakdown of all the different types and hybrids of fantasy and science fiction. There are so many genres being crossed and straddled, that it makes my head spin when I looking through book choices. So take it away, Suzanne...

Steampunk, Werewolves, and Spaceships—What’s All That About?

by Suzanne Johnson

It’s a common question we all get as authors: “So, what kind of books do you write?” I used to say “urban fantasy with a touch of romance”—to which I’d get a lot of polite, blank stares.

Then I’d try to qualify it more: “You know, my books are sort of Harry Potter and Stephanie Plum meet Stephen King, except in a real city.” Blank stares turn to the type of nodding looks usually reserved for the crazy aunts we keep locked in our attics down here in the South.

Now, I just wave my hand around and say, “oh it’s kinda like science fiction,” which seems to satisfy them.

Except, really, it’s not. So, here we go, my attempt at a Lexicon of Speculative Fiction. Next time someone throws a term like “steampunk” or “historical paranormal romance” at you, you’ll know what to expect. It’s a whole brave new world out there!

I do a series of monthly columns for my publisher’s website (the oh-so-fabulous Tor.com) called “Fiction Affliction,” in which I look at all the speculative fiction books being released the next month. So I’ll divide the speculative sub-genres here much as I do there.

First, there’s

SCIENCE FICTION

Sci-Fi is the granddaddy of speculative fiction, of course, and basically refers to any alternative reality or futuristic story that has its basis in science (as opposed to magic). All may have romantic elements, though romance is secondary to the plot in most, and books in each category are published for either adult and Young Adult (YA) readers. Common sub-genres within Sci-Fi are:

Space Opera

These are the stories set on space ships, on other planets, or that have alien critters running around on Earth.

Hard Sci-Fi

Just what it sounds like. Usually some technological advance that goes awry or is misused in some way.

Apocalyptic/Dystopian

“End of the world” stories that usually involve a radically degraded culture due to environmental negligence, a virus, or technology run amok.

Cyberpunk

Sort of a street-level science fiction, if you will. I’ve heard it called “high-tech, lowlife” fiction. Tends to be violent and dark.

Alt History

Want to find out what happened if the South won the Civil War, or if Hitler had prevailed in Europe? Alt History’s your genre.

Steampunk

Stories are set in the late 1800s, reimagining what life might have been like had the rapid (often steam-driven) technological advances of that era run amok. A newer subgenre called “Weird West” sets the wacky technological marvels in the American Wild West. (Cowboys in airships, anyone?)

Time-Travel

This is self-explanatory and can be either science fiction or fantasy, depending on whether the time-travel results from scientific advances or magic.

Sci Fi Romance

Can be any of the above subgenres, only the romance is the centerpiece of the story, and there’s at least a happily-for-now ending.

Next, leaving science fiction behind, we have

FANTASY

High fantasy, also known as epic fantasy, features stories based on the magical or supernatural, either in character or plot or setting.

Sword and Sorcery

These are the “dungeons and dragons” kinds of stories, set in imaginary realms, with lots of swordplay and magic.

Quest.

A band of oddly matched travelers, who might or might not be human-like, work to achieve something noble like saving the world. Think Lord of the Rings.

Historical Fantasy.

Often set in imaginary, medieval-like worlds, and featuring warring kingdoms or political factions.

Fantasy Romance.

Could be any of the above fantasy subgenres, only the romance is the centerpiece of the story, and there’s at least a happily-for-now ending.

Finally, we have the FANTASY HYBRIDS, the genres that have really taken over in the last two decades, beginning with Harry Potter and then Twilight and True Blood and now Hunger Games. Fantasy hybrids involve paranormal creatures such as vampires, werewolves, zombies, wizards, mermaids...you name it...but in a real-world setting.

Urban Fantasy

A head-on collision between the fantasy world and the real world. Usually set in a real urban area but with magic or paranormal creatures. Urban fantasy often has romantic elements, horror elements, or both.

Paranormal Romance

Basically, urban fantasy where the romance is the central focus of the book, with the requisite happily-for-now ending.

So there you have it—a handy guide to speculative fiction. There are other sub-sub-genres, but we’ve at least hit the high points. Now...a recommending reading list? Here are a few:

*Sci-Fi/Time-Travel/alt history:

Kill three birds with one book by reading Connie Willis’ Blackout and sequel, All Clear.

*Epic Fantasy:

You can’t go wrong with anything by George R.R. Martin, but try his A Song of Ice and Fire series, beginning with A Game of Thrones.

*Urban Fantasy:

This is my genre and there are so many I love, but try Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series, beginning with Moon Called.

* Paranormal Romance:

For hot and sexy, read J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series, beginning with Dark Lover.

For hot and funny, go for Jeaniene Frost’s Dark Huntress series, beginning with Halfway to the Grave.

Suzanne Johnson is an author of urban fantasy “with romantic elements.” Her first book, Royal Street, a magic-based fantasy set in New Orleans at the time of Hurricane Katrina, will be released by Tor Books on April 10, 2012. Two more in the series will be released in Fall 2012 and Spring 2013. Find Suzanne online at her Preternatura blog, or read about her books at her website.

*Look for more from Suzanne here every 3rd Monday of the month!

Love Scenes in Fantasy by Paul Anthony Shortt

One thing I love about having guest bloggers is that I get to hear (and share) things from people with different perspectives and expertise. I'll admit that my experience with the fantasy genre is not extensive. Beyond my love for A Wrinkle In Time and The Never Ending Story as a kid and reading some urban fantasy as an adult, I'm woefully under-read in the genre.


So when I held an impromptu "pitch me a guest post idea" contest on Twitter a few weeks ago, I was so happy to see Paul Anthony Shortt throw out this topic. I selected him as the winner (though is it really winning if I make you work and write a guest post, lol.? Not sure.) and he generously put together this fab post for us. Hope you enjoy!

 

Love Scenes in Fantasy by Paul Anthony Shortt

Although I don’t write romance, I believe sexuality is an important part of defining a character. It is one of the most driving needs people have, to feel sexually fulfilled and compatible with another person. As writers, we should take the time to understand the significance of how we choose to, or choose not to, express this need.

Fantasy artwork is filled with images of well-endowed women wearing highly impractical clothing, all manner of bits exposed to swords and arrows and evil, leering wizards. It’s safe to say that the genre hasn’t been especially kind to women in the past. As such, popular fantasy, for all its innovation and imagination, can feature some very stereotypical depictions of sex. Men are often sex-obsessed, while women are either virginal things to be conquered, or temptresses placed there to seduce the male hero away from his goal. Not that all fantasy is like this, or that these stereotypes can’t still be used effectively, but with its roots in ancient myth, it is only natural for the Fantasy genre to incorporate such elements. These motifs harken back to traditional gender roles in storytelling, where women represented two extremes: Purity or temptation. Peacemaker or obstacle. The woman was representative of the rewards the hero would receive for staying true to his goals and serving the greater good, or of the ease with which he can succumb to base desires. 

More modern titles, particularly Urban Fantasy, where women tend to receive more important roles, introduce a new side to this. Newer heroes such as Laurell K Hamilton’s Anita Blake have experienced sex as a means to gain new power, to become more than the mere mortal they were before. Similar situations crop up in The Dresden Files, by Jim Butcher, where sexual energy can be used to fuel spells, or as part of ritual magic. This treatment of sex seems to draw again on ancient myth and occultism, where sex was part of spiritual practices, a way of connecting the mortal self with higher powers. Of course, the danger here is that the spirituality of the act can be forgotten, leaving the reader with the impression of sex becoming a path to power. That said, we can examine such decisions by a writer to determine whether they may be portraying the embracing of sex as being, in and of itself, empowering. By realising their sexual natures, the characters are freed from previous limitations. 

In some cases, there is a more disturbing side shown in characters. In The Baker’s Boy, by J.V. Jones, we see many sex-focused men and just as many women who treat sex as something to be given to a man, simply as a matter of course. As a reader I found this unsettling, and spent a long time wondering exactly what the author was trying to say. These are traits often given to characters with whom we are not meant to sympathise, or who are portrayed as misguided or forced to behave a certain way. Representations of sexual servitude go back to the Gor series and beyond, but can we consider them love scenes, even when they are consensual? Is there any emotional connection between the characters, or is this as mundane to them as being served a cup of coffee?  

The risks inherent in writing love scenes are as present in Fantasy as they are in Romance, if not more so. With Romance, readers expect that relationships and emotion are the focus of the story. Characters grow through experiencing emotional upheaval, rather than by facing physical dangers. In Fantasy, there is no inherent expectation of romantic encounters. Readers may not be used to finding them, and authors may not be used to writing them. If a love scene feels added in just to titillate the reader, it loses its power, and any sense of purpose. Just as in Romance, a love scene should represent something deep and meaningful, for the good or for the ill of the characters involved. It may be the culmination of a love story, where two characters are finally united and become stronger for their new bond. It may be a sign that a character’s innocence is now over, and they must stand as an adult against the threats that come. It may even be a last desperate act to cast aside inhibition, embrace a darker part of the self, and hopefully become stronger for it. 

Then, of course, there’s no reason why it can’t just be a simple act between two lovers. An expression of their feelings as they come together at the height of the story’s tension. For all the different ways a love scene can be included in Fantasy, and all the different themes it can represent, the emotions of those involved, how they react, whether they are at first reluctant or have sought this out, should be as they are in Romance. Human. Stories are about people, and so long as the simple human responses to love and sex are held to with consistency and integrity, an author should be able to give us a scene that is engaging and satisfying to read on an emotional level.

In this way, Fantasy authors can learn an awful lot from Romance authors. Both genres deal with heightened emotions, larger than life stakes, whether internal or external, and the expectation that, in the end, all will be well. So with these similarities in mind, it stands to reason that the attention paid to personal relationships, and their highest form of expression in love scenes, in Romance should guide Fantasy authors to better understand the power that their choices can have in how the readers responds to the story they tell.

 Paul Anthony Shortt is an avid reader and lover of music and film. He lives in Ireland with his wife, who is expecting their first child in a few weeks, and their dog, Pepper. His first novel, which is still undergoing title edits, is due to be released by WiDo Publishing in 2012.

Blog: http://paulanthonyshortt.blogspot.com/

What differences do you see genre to genre with regards to love scenes and the romantic thread? 

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