The Readers' Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction (ALA Readers' Advisory) - Revised edition

402 Pages·2009·1.25 MB·English

by  Joyce G. Saricks

The Readers’ Advisory Guide
to Genre Fiction
ALA ReAdeRs’ AdvisoRy seRies
Research-Based Readers’ Advisory
The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Nonfiction
Serving Teens through Readers’ Advisory
The Horror Readers’ Advisory:
The Librarian’s Guide to Vampires, Killer Tomatoes,
and Haunted Houses
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Readers’ Advisory:
The Librarian’s Guide to Cyborgs, Aliens,
and Sorcerers
The Mystery Readers’ Advisory:
The Librarian’s Clues to Murder and Mayhem
The Romance Readers’ Advisory:
The Librarian’s Guide to Love in the Stacks
The Short Story Readers’ Advisory: A Guide to the Best
The Readers’ Advisory Guide
to Genre Fiction
Second Edition
Joyce G. Saricks
American Library Association
Chicago 2009
Joyce G. Saricks worked as coordinator of the Literature and Audio Services
Department at the Downers Grove Public Library from 1983 to 2004. In addition
to authoring Readers’ Advisory Service in the Public Library (3rd ed., ALA, 2005),
she has written numerous articles on readers’ advisory, presented workshops on
that topic for public libraries and library systems, and spoken at state, regional,
and national library conferences. In 1989 she won the Public Library Association’s
Allie Beth Martin Award, and in 2000 she was named Librarian of the Year by the
Romance Writers of America. Currently she serves as read-alike coordinator (and
author) for EBSCO’s NoveList and columnist and audio reviewer for Booklist. She
also teaches readers’ advisory at Dominican University’s School of Library and
Information Science (Illinois).
While extensive effort has gone into ensuring the reliability of information appearing in this
book, the publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, on the accuracy or reliability of
the information, and does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person for
any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in this publication.
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National
Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials,
ANSI Z39.48-1992.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Saricks, Joyce G.
The readers’ advisory guide to genre fiction / Joyce G. Saricks. — 2nd ed.
p. cm. — (ALA readers’ advisory series)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8389-0989-8 (alk. paper)
1. Fiction in libraries—United States. 2. Readers’ advisory services—United States.
3. Reading interests—United States. 4. Fiction genres. 5. Fiction—Bibliography.
I. Title.
Z711.5.S27 2009
025.5'4—dc22 2008051029
Copyright © 2009 by Joyce G. Saricks. All rights reserved except those which may be granted
by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976.
ISBN-13: 978-0-8389-0989-8
Printed in the United States of America
13 12 11 10 09 5 4 3 2 1
For Chris, who has always enjoyed a good story as much as I do
vii
Contents
List of Figures ix
Acknowledgments xi
1 Understanding the Appeal of Genre Fiction 1
Part 1 Adrenaline Genres
2 Adventure 15
3 Romantic Suspense 35
4 Suspense 50
5 Thrillers 71
Part 2 Emotions Genres
6 Gentle Reads 93
7 Horror 112
8 Romance 131
9 Women’s Lives and Relationships 155
Part 3 Intellect Genres
10 Literary Fiction 177
11 Mysteries 196
12 Psychological Suspense 229
13 Science Fiction 244
Part 4 Landscape Genres
14 Fantasy 265
15 Historical Fiction 290
16 Westerns 313
Appendix: The Five-Book Challenge 335
Index 351
vii

figuRes
2.1 Characteristics of Adventure 16
2.2 An Introduction to the Adventure Genre: Adventure Writers to Try,
If You Enjoy . . . 27
2.3 Expanding Readers’ Horizons: Authors to Take Readers beyond
the Adventure Genre 32
3.1 Characteristics of Romantic Suspense 37
3.2 An Introduction to the Romantic Suspense Genre: Romantic
Suspense Writers to Try, If You Enjoy . . . 45
3.3 Expanding Readers’ Horizons: Authors to Take Readers beyond
the Romantic Suspense Genre 48
4.1 Characteristics of Suspense 53
4.2 An Introduction to the Suspense Genre: Suspense Writers to Try,
If You Enjoy . . . 63
4.3 Expanding Readers’ Horizons: Authors to Take Readers beyond
the Suspense Genre 68
5.1 Characteristics of Thrillers 73
5.2 An Introduction to the Thriller Genre: Thriller Writers to Try,
If You Enjoy . . . 85
5.3 Expanding Readers’ Horizons: Authors to Take Readers beyond
the Thriller Genre 87
6.1 Characteristics of Gentle Reads 95
6.2 An Introduction to the Gentle Reads Genre: Gentle Reads
Writers to Try, If You Enjoy . . . 103
6.3 Expanding Readers’ Horizons: Authors to Take Readers beyond
the Gentle Reads Genre 109
7.1 Characteristics of Horror 113
7.2 An Introduction to the Horror Genre: Horror Writers to Try,
If You Enjoy . . . 122
7.3 Expanding Readers’ Horizons: Authors to Take Readers
beyond the Horror Genre 127
8.1 Characteristics of Romances 133
8.2 An Introduction to the Romance Genre: Romance Writers to Try,
If You Enjoy . . . 142
8.3 Expanding Readers’ Horizons: Authors to Take Readers beyond
the Romance Genre 150
9.1 Characteristics of Novels of Women’s Lives and Relationships 156
ix