Further inquiry regarding female taste in sci-fi & fantasy

apokalypsis

apokalypsis

Black is back
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As a slightly different twist on the thread discussing the number of female vs. male Sf/F fans out there, I'd like to ask the female fans how (or if) their enjoyment of SF/F affects their taste in other reading.

For example, are female SF/F fans more, or less, likely to enjoy Chick Lit (e.g. Bridget Jones' Diary, Devil Wears Prada)? How about romance? Westerns? Historical non-fiction? etc.

What other writing genres do you love?

What other writing genres do you hate?

...particularly of the genres that are stereotyped as having high fem-appeal.
 
I'm a very eclectic reader...for me, it's not about favourite genres but just books that are exciting and interesting. If you have prejudices against certain genres then you could be missing out on some brilliant books because of it...

*Stuggles*

All right, all right. My favourite genre is Horror...Stephen King is without a doubt my favourite author.
...and yes, I detest 'Chick-Lit' (I also detest that phrase...ugh) Romance novels...blergh, I steer clear of them, as a rule. However, I have read a couple of books in this genre (you know the type, the ones you get free with magazines) and I have thoroughly enjoyed them, so like I said above, sometimes it's not wise to have such prejudices because you miss out on some great books.

Well, anyway to cut a long ramble short, hand me a book, any book, and I'm likely to read it!
 
I don't read "chick lit" or romance either. To me, they are a waste of time since you don't learn anything or really gain anything from reading them. Now that's not to say that all sci-fi or fantasy books are high quality, but I prefer books that make you think, that involve character and plot development. I am also highly imaginative, so I like stories with fantasy or futuristic settings.
 
Ah, no...I've only just noticed that mistake, and it's too late to edit!...usually I don't care, but this one's quite obvious...I clearly meant 'struggles', not 'stuggles'!! :p
 
Well I am a chick, but Im not very girly. I hate romantic books, my mom reads them all the time and they make me want to throw up. Bridget Jone's Diary I saw because my sister wanted to watch it on ppv and I seriously thought "dear god when is this girl going to get some cohonas and kick him in the nads?"

Im more a horror and fantasy person. I want to see more strong female characters in horror and fantasy, for example Susanne/odetta from king's dark tower, Kirsty from hellraiser (she was a wimp and then she was like, screw you!), Catabrie from the dark elf series, ect.....

Plus, being totally my father's daughter, I like stories with battles and fights and dragons and bad-guy butt-kickery! :D

PS: Im a total prude, i can't stand books with that nasty transfer of bodily fluids in them.....yuck!
 
Yes, hand me action over poor swooning women any day. I've never watched Bridget Jone's diary and I have no desire to...or the other "Chick-Flicks" (argh I hate these stupid phrases!!)

And I agree with Dustinzgirl, I'd much rather see a strong female character.
 
Iiiinteresting. [drumming fingertips against each other] So Tolkien was on the right track when he gave us more Eowyn and less Arwen, tho' Jackson tried to broaden the appeal by focusing on Arwen, and of course, Orlando Bloom.

Kind of explains the perennial appeal of characters like Trinity in The Matrix trilogy, Molly in Neuromancer, and the likes of Xena or Buffy the vampire slayer.

No Elizabeth Bennett?

I had thought that many SF/F characterizations of women were rather wooden, or designed to appeal to a certain type of guy -- but then again, I'm not well acquainted with as many of the female SF/F authors. (And it's really hard to write about this without accidentally treading on some stereotype or sounding prejudiced in one way or the other.) Is it possible that Chicks in Chain Mail and the like have as much of a female following as an adolescent-boy following?

Then again, even my guy friends who like Jane Austen aren't into SF/F as much... Maybe there's a general divide between people who like sappy, happy-ending stories and people who enjoy a good dark fantasy or post-apocalyptic dystopia. (But that wouldn't help explain my tastes in reading.)
 
HoopyFrood - Would you be okay if romances or "chick lit" (ugh, what a name...) ended with some sort of zombie apocalypse? :)

Something along the lines of Bridget Jones' Necronomicon?

Heck, I'd read that...

Now, who's gonna step up and write the thing...?
 
I enjoy a good Nora Roberts book every couple months or so! XD

LOL That's definate 'chick lit' for ya! <3 {and so so yummy!}

I also like thrillers and mysteries. I have a few Mary Higgens Clark novels, and some other random authors. I do love my sci-fi and fantasy though. I have tons of Ann McCaffery, Anne Rice, Katharine Kerr, Clive Baker {really fun and twisted!}, Kate Forsyth and Jack L Chalker! ^__^ {Those are my faves!}

OH! And how could I forget my all time favourite: Robert Jordan! <3333
 
I mainly read science-fiction, fantasy and mystery/action/crime novels. I usually steer clear of romance, although it has been said that Anne McCaffrey's characters are straight from Mills and Boon, and while I agree some of them are rather stereotypical, with plenty of "strong man tames strong woman, who no longer has anything interesting to contribute," I couldn't judge further than that, since I've never read Mills and Boon or anything written by Danielle Steel or Barbara Cartland. I never managed to finish Bridget Jones, either movie or book.
 
Generally, I can't stand chick-lit or chick-flicks. I also can't stand crime fiction.

What I do like is Sci-Fi and Fantasy with a good pace, some good battles and a good dose of humour or dark, twisted stories that make me stop and think (or Sci-Fi or fantasy with a good pace... etc that makes me stop and think :p )

I don't really think that one has affected the other, as both probably spring from me being -uhm- me.

Come to think of it, I think that the vast majority of what I read is written by men. Funny.

Edit: This is my post no. 42! Wo-hoo!
 
I like just about all of it. I'll read romance, chick-lit, historical mystery/fantasy/etc., fantasy, scifi, psychological horror (too much blood and gore and I'll toss the book), whatever. All I want is interesting characters and a good story. I don't care if they are female, male or generic.
 
I have two sons and we all read the same types of books - so it's handy to pass around and works out cheaper that way - we like Bernard Cornwell and Wilbur Smith - for those who don't know, they write novels based around actual historical events. So anything similar by other authors is fine. Like me, they both also like fantasy and SF and love SK. Hate CL (refuse to spell it out - terrible phrase) and, as my mum says "wimmins' books".:eek:
 
I generally read a little of everything (except cheesy romance like penny jordan and daniel steel - yuck). For years I was stuck in the medical thriller corner, especially if it had a bit of a sf bent, but I'm afraid my husband has finally gotten me to broaden my genre appreciation. I'll pretty much read anything if it's smart and thrilling. My 2 fav books of 2006 were The Poisonwood Bible (not sff at all) and The Time Travellers Wife(peripherally sf, but really a relationship story) , although I also enjoyed the Odd Thomas' and Cowboy Feng - maybe more traditional -

One thing I really don't care for in fantasy is the objectification of women. (you know, the perfect heroine)Don't know why it bugs me so; I have no problem with men :)

Oh - and I love the movie Bridget Jones' Diary - hello Colin Firth! Oh, and Renee Z playing a pleasantly curvey nuerotic is nice too.
 
Hate chick-lit and romance too! Much rather have a good book with lots of blood and guts! :D Also cannot stand chick flicks! Much rather have a good martial arts film! ;)
 
Definately!
Also, any book where dead people come alive and start wandering about is great! In fact, looking at my selection of books next to me on the shelf, most of them seem to have dead things that come alive in them . . .
:D
 
Mouse said:
Definately!
Also, any book where dead people come alive and start wandering about is great! In fact, looking at my selection of books next to me on the shelf, most of them seem to have dead things that come alive in them . . .
:D
Click to expand...

Hurrah for Tim Burton's Corpse Bride and Laura Moon (in Gaiman's American Gods)!
 
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