Genre Fiction

Action and Adventure

These are stories of survival, exploration, intrigue or battle. The plots are fast moving. These novels are often set during the Cold War and cover topics such as spies and espionage; terrorism; military adventure and technological warfare.

Many novelists in this genre will also be found under Sea Stories.

Aga Sagas

These are sagas that are about middle-class families. The characters are British, the setting is often rural and the subject is usually family relationships (often infidelity).

Black and Asian Authors

This section contains contemporary and classic novels by Black and Asian authors from Britain and abroad.

Chillers

Stories that are frightening and blood curdling with elements of horror, the occult and the supernatural. These include ghosts, witches, vampires, werewolves, monsters, mummies, demonology and black magic.

Crime

These usually have a dead body and a detective – either an amateur, a private investigator or police. TV detectives such as Lovejoy, Cracker and Heartbeat come into this genre. Mysteries in historical settings will also be found here.

Family Sagas

These often have working-class settings such as slums, tenements or mills in the East End or Northern cities. The period covered is usually 1914 onwards, and often the Blitz. The stories are about families and may span several generations. The main characters suffer poverty and hardship. The stories often end in contentment although this is not always the case.

Graphic Novels

Books in comic strip format, mainly featuring Horror or Sci-Fi/ Fantasy storylines usually containing lots of action.

Historical

These are set before 1914 and recreate the atmosphere of their period. The stories involve some historical figures although they may not be the main characters in the book. Historical novels often contain romance, but there are many which do not.

Romance

These are light novels, which focus on the relationship between the couple involved, with few (if any) diversions and always have a happy ending.

Science Fiction and Fantasy

Science Fiction novels are based around imaginary future scientific discoveries generally rooted in known laws of physics and science, or logical extensions of them. They are often concerned with space travel and life on other planets.

Fantasy Fiction novels are often set in their own worlds, with their own laws, frequently populated with ‘fantastic’ creatures. They are completely products of the imagination.

Sea stories

The majority or all of the action takes place on board ship. This section includes naval adventures and warfare. Action can be on board sailing ships or battleships. The setting can be historical such as during the Napoleonic era, or more modern for example, during World War Two.

Many novelists in this genre will also be found under Action and Adventure.

Short Stories

These are collections of short stories either written by the same or different authors. Some genre specific short story collections remain in that genre.

Westerns

Westerns are usually set in the old American West with a range of plots from romance to adventure. A particular attitude – dreams of freedom and a lack of social restraints, runs through them. It is a setting of open plains and unspoiled nature, saloons, sheriffs, horses and wagons. The hero is a self-reliant and dominant figure.

Classics

Classics are shelved within general fiction at Reading Libraries. 

Bestsellers

 The top issuing bestsellers at the moment are:

1. Ian Rankin - Exit music
2. Ruth Rendell - Not in the flesh
3. Dick Francis - Dead heat
4. Kathy Reichs - Bones to ashes
5. James Patterson - Double cross