What Kinds of Fiction Do I Like

Another blog I follow asked the question “What is your favorite KIND of book?”. I stared to write a reply then realized it would be a very long reply post so I thought I would answer it here and just link my answer as a reply.

I am thriller/mystery/fantasy fan:

Thrillers: These would be works by such authors as Alistair MacLean, Robert Ludlum, Frederick Forsyth, Tom Clancy, Clive Cussler, Dan Brown, Michael Crichton (most of his novels do contain some science fiction but I would argue that only the Andromeda Strain and Terminal Man are pure Sci-Fi); James Rollins and Lincoln and Childs.

Mysteries: There are many subgenres of mysteries:

1. Classic Mysteries: Arthur Conan Doyle; Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers; Dashiell Hammett; Raymond Chandler and Harry Kemelman (The Rabbi series) I would argue to include Kemelman in the classics.

2. Straight Mysteries: These are the whodunits that can have police officers (that are not police procedurals) , private eyes, psychologists or even dog mushers as their protagonists: Authors would include: Stieg Larsson (my current favorite author); Dana Stabenow; J.A. Jance ( Some of her early Beaumont books might be considered police procedurals ) Jonathan Kellerman; Sue Henry (Jessie Arnold series) ; Nevada Barr; Robert B Parker; James Patterson ( The Alex Cross and Women’s Murder Club series); and Tony Hillerman ; Ridley Pearson ( Walt Fleming series); Elizabeth Peters; Jeffery Deaver and Janet Evanovich

3. Police Procedurals: I don’t care for the classic police procedural, al la Ed McBain and Joseph Wambaugh. I do like a few of what might be classified as procedural, works by John Sandford (both the Davenport and the Flowers series); Michael Connelly (the Harry Bosch series), Elizabeth George; P. D. James ; Sue Henry (Alex Jensen series) and Linda Fairstein

4. Forensic Science Mysteries: Kathy Reichs; Patricia Cornwell (her early works, the later books are weak) Ridley Pearson (his stand alone works and Lou Boldt series have a lot of forensics in them, though they could be considered police procedurals); and Aaron Elkins (who is writing again!)

5. Cozy Mysteries: This is a harder category to describe – there a number of definitions. Most cozies take place in small towns and usually do not involve a lot of gory details or explicit adult situations. Most of my favorite cozies involve animals these include: Sue Henry (the Maxie and Stretch series); Susan Conant; Donna Andrews and Rita Mae Brown

Fantasy:

Pure Fantasy: Tolkien; Raymond Feist; Robert Jordan ( the first 4 Wheel of Time books for sure, maybe up through 7 then they really begin to drag) ; Weis and Hickman (the Dragon Lance series); Piers Anthony (Xanth series) and Elaine Cunningham (Song of Swords series)

Alternate reality: Kim Harrison; Jim Butcher (Dresden Files series) and Laurell K. Hamilton (her early Anita Blake works – the later ones devolved into soft porn)