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Literary spec fic

May 4th, 2010

This all interestingly dovetails with my last post…on March 15 (really? I am that lazy a blogger, apparently).

During my stay at Hedgebrook (post on that TK, I swear), I had the pleasure of being in residence with a group of amazingly rad writers, most of whom were working in literary fiction (with the notable exception of a genius poet working in form and a delightful NF/screenwriter), who, after hearing my work, grilled me tenderly about WTF the difference was these days between literary and SFF–especially since my own work was so obviously informed by what is usually (wrongly, IMHO) considered the concerns of literary fiction over SFF (character, language vs. idea and plot). I, of course, went promising a reading list of SFF that I think effectively (and once and for all) blurs the lines between speculative and literary–which, being me, has slipped until right this freaking minute.

I chose 5, with a bonus “anything by–“ as not to overwhelm. There are many, many books and authors I am leaving off this list (including those that I think have successfully and all on their own, crossed over–Italo Calvino or Kelly Link, for example–or deny highly their involvement–*cough* Margaret Atwood. But these 5 are books that will totally convince you that you do, indeed, love speculative fiction, if you think you don’t or wouldn’t…or don’t know how to start*:
  • The Scar, China Mieville
  • City of Saints & Madmen or Veniss Underground, Jeff VanderMeer
  • The Mount, Carol Emshwiller
  • To Say Nothing of the Dog, Connie Willis
  • Pump Six (stories), Paolo Bacigalupi
  • Bonus! Any collection by John Kessel
*do leave me a comment if you think I have unjustly omitted a “must see,” plz!

 

 

4 Responses to “Literary spec fic”

  1. Kira Says:
    May 4th, 2010 at 2:44 pm

    I heard that Margaret Atwood has finally admitted she belongs to the dark side.I taught a book by her in my class this semester (Penelopiad) and when I looked up info for the obligatory “Meet the Author” lecture, I came across a more recent piece where she admitted that she writes genre fiction. I’m still not sure I agree with the distinctions she makes, but at least she is admitting that it’s complicated.

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2005/jun/17/sciencefictionfantasyandhorror.margaretatwood

  2. Theresa Says:
    May 5th, 2010 at 8:19 am

    Have you seen this article on Clarkeworld? It seems to discuss similar things.

    http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/britt_05_10/

  3. Sandra M. Odell Says:
    May 12th, 2010 at 11:29 pm

    Anything by Harlan Ellison.

    1984 & Animal Farm by George Orwell

    Character and language are as integral to SFF as they are to “literary”. Saying otherwise is much like saying sucrose isn’t a sugar because it’s not fructose.

  4. Steve Says:
    May 28th, 2010 at 4:24 am

    Have you seen this article on Clarkeworld? It seems to discuss similar things.

    http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/britt_05_10/

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