Have you ever wondered what the adults who used to watch or read Scooby-Doo Mysteries now choose to spend their leisure time with? Obviously, the intrigue of mystery likely still draws them, but how many enjoyed the supernatural aspects, that were entwined in the story. Today, we will briefly explore the genres that envelope witches, ghosts, spaceships and miracles in adult supernatural fiction. Which portal would you choose?
Fantasy Fiction may have unreal or magical settings, and are often set in a medieval universe. They may include mythical beings or supernatural forms, such as ghosts, witches, magicians, or elves, to name a few. Veteran authors in this genre include, but are not limited to David Eddings, Neil Gaiman, Robert Jordan, Terry Pratchett, Anne McCaffrey, J.R.R. Tolkien, Terry Goodkind, George R.R. Martin and Terry Brooks. Current popular authors are Kelley Armstrong, Guillermo De Toro, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Lisa Kleypas, P.C. Cast, Mercedes Lackey, Gena Showalter, Veronica Roth, Carrie Vaughn and Darynda Jones. Top 10 Fantasy reads include the Harry Potter series, The Lord of the Rings (which crosses over from Science Fiction), The Hobbit, Le Petit Prince, The Chronicles of Narnia, Twilight, The Vampire Chronicles, The Wheel of Time Series, Discworld and A Song of Ice and Fire.
Common elements in Science Fiction stories include time/space travel, teleportation, mind control, telepathy, telekinesis, aliens and fictional worlds. Modern Science Fiction has added robots and artificial intelligence to the list. Veteran authors under this category include, but are not limited to Isaac Asimov, Orson Scott Card, Arthur C. Clarke, Spider Robinson, Robert J. Sawyer and Stephen R. Donaldson. Current authors are Jodi Taylor, Pierce Brown, Gini Koch, Kate Elliot, Andy Weir, Christopher Bennett and Nicholas Sansbury Smith. The Lord of the Rings, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Ender’s Game, Dune, A Game of Thrones, 1984, Fahrenheit 451, Brave New World, Animal Farm and Foundation round out the top 10 Science Fiction Books.
Paranormal Fiction can be defined as beings and phenomena that are outside the realm of normal scientific understanding of the natural world. Included in this genre are vampires and werewolves and the odd psychic phenomenon. Some veteran authors in the paranormal field, include Jayne Castle/Jane Krentz, Mary Janice Davidson, Christine Feehan, Laurall K. Hamilton, Christopher Moore, Anne Rice, Charlaine Harris, Iris Johansen and Kelley Armstrong. Current popular authors are Jeaniene Frost, Alexandra Ivy, Dakota Cassidy, Christopher Carrolli, Kerrelyn Sparks, Melissa de la Cruz, Marjorie M. Liu, Cassandra Clare and J.R. Ward.
Normally I would have listed the top listed books in this genre too, but Paranormal Fiction is very diverse and spans a big audience. With categories such as Paranormal Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Paranormal Fantasy, Paranormal Werewolf, Paranormal Vampire, etc.; there was not enough consistent submissions to say, ‘here are the Top 10!’. I would suggest if any of the above appeal to you, use the subject heading as a search tool, and check out the rave reviews for that category. You have three new doorways to discovery…which portal will you choose?
Submitted by Paige Turner
