The IWSG queston of the month: Of all the genres you read and write, which is your favorite to write in and why? That's easy. I love both fantasy and science fiction. I love to read those genres too. There is something so appealing about visiting other worlds. The remarkable and different. The heroic and magical. The what ifs.
To check out my latest scfi short story, Between the Ticks, you can read it here.
Article worth reading: Walking is the key to creativity and productivity (It's not just a mind-clearing activity). Check out the article here. I loved it.
Standout books read last month:
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo: This one is the second part of her duology. It's amazing. I seriously loved it. Read the series if you haven't and you love fantasy. Beautifully written. A rich world. Yum. Part one is Six of Crows.
Nevernight by Jay Kristoff: This one was written by an Aussie author and won one of Australia's most prestigious book prize for fantasy. I can see why. While it's super dark, it's brilliantly written. Another fully fleshed out world. It's about a girl in a school of assassins. I loved it.
The Outcasts of Time by Ian Mortimer: If it's a book with time travel in it, I'll read it. This one was different and interesting. It's about two brothers in 1348 who have six days to live after contracting the black plague. Each of those days they live another 99 years in the future. This read is more of a vehicle to see the reactions of a 14th century person to all the changes over time. It felt historically accurate which I loved.
The Templar Cross by Paul Christopher: This is the second adventure of John Holliday. This time his niece has been kidnapped. It's a chase across the globe involving an ancient Egyptian legend. I liked it more than the first one, which I also liked (The Sword of the Templars). It's just a lot of fun.
What's your favourite genre and why? What was your favourite book last month?
Those are my favorite genres although I've only written science fiction.
ReplyDeleteI've read a mixture of the two but I've never written either. Although my current work is a bit on the fantasy side.
ReplyDeleteI loved reading and fantasy for the same reasons as you. I haven't read the first two books you recommend and will check them out. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI love reading science fiction and fantasy, and fractured fairy tales/reworked fairy tales. I love seeing/visiting new worlds where our imaginations are the only limits.
ReplyDeleteI have read Bardugo's work, but not the others. I'll have to check them out!
Your story is incredibly moving!
Thanks, I really appreciate that you took the time to read my short story. The fact you like it is a huge bonus :)
DeleteGood answers! And nice recommendations.
ReplyDeleteGood opportunity to do a book review, Lyn. My favourite genre/s are paranormal and contemporary women's fiction. I just finished the whole Game of Thrones series of books as you know. Big deep sadness while George RR Martin sits at his desk sweating over Winds of Winter so I can continue the series, LOL! Do wish he'd hurry up. But I'm also re-reading some Anne Rice to keep me in the vampire frame of mind.
ReplyDeleteHe is a slow slow writer (or at least, easily distracted)
DeleteI love the what ifs as well! Fantasy and sci-fi are so much fun. Many of my favouite books are in those genres :)
ReplyDeleteWill definitely check out that article!
ReplyDeleteRight now, I'm reading INTO THE JUNGLE by Erica Ferencik and thoroughly enjoying it. :)
My fav is sci-fi romance. The world building, fantastical characters (human and otherwise), creating different but the same scenarios. I read Veronica Scott's Egyptian mythology series. Learned so much while having fun.
ReplyDeleteI love anything to do with Egypt :)
DeleteThey sound like great reads. Happy IWSG!
ReplyDeleteThe what-ifs are what I like the best. Certainly in fantasy but even in other genres. We get to create a world to our own image.
ReplyDeleteCan't go wrong with those two genres indeed
ReplyDeleteI enjoy those genres as well. I like reading stuff with beings and things that aren't possible (at least right now) in real life. It's a nice escape.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your story; likewise, the article on walking. My favorite genre changes from time to time. It used to be historical novels (and I still like them very much); but right now I'm hooked on mysteries. I've always enjoyed mysteries, but at present, I seem to be focused completely on them as a reader.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how our tastes shift. Mine shifts to thriller sometimes or biographies, but I always return to sci-fi and fantasy.
DeleteI love the idea that walking helps with productivity. It's easy to get busy and forget to stay active and do things for our mental and physical health.
ReplyDeleteWhen you read, do you stick to the same genres you write in? Your post made it sound like you do…
With Love,
Mandy
Nope, those are my favourite, but I read a wide range including thrillers, biographies, historicals and nonfiction. Depends on my mood and what I can get my hands on.
DeleteI too enjoy sci-fi and fantasy.
ReplyDeleteLove your photograph! That book about the Templars sounds good. I'm going to look at it on Amazon. Happy June!
ReplyDeleteThanks. And the Templar book is a whole lot of light fun. There's a whole series of them. All standalones. I inherited them from my brother.
DeleteThose are my favorites to read and write as well.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I stopped by to get these recommendations, too!
Nice to see you -- sorry it's been a while!
Great to see you again too :)
DeleteI agree! Sci-fi and fantasy, for the win! :) I do prefer the lighter fare of both, though. Not the harder sci-fi or epic fantasy so much. I like the imagination and creativity of the worldbuilding, exploring new places and ideas. The reasons you said, basically.
ReplyDeleteSame, though I'll read all of it. I think that's why I particularly like the YA versions. They seem more character based.
DeleteI love all different genres and a lot of it depends on my mood. I have been reading a lot of graphic novels lately- but they tend to fall in the fantasy genre. Great to see some of your favorites. :)
ReplyDelete~Jess
Yep, I'm a mood reader too :)
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