Discussion Friday

[geraineon]

Time for Discussion Friday again!

Let's talk about modern setting/contemporary novels!

Do you read them? Why/why not? What kind of contemporary setting novels do you enjoy (e.g., showbiz, e-sports, school setting, etc.)?

And if you have not read any, do you read modern setting/contemporary novels in other languages?

Comments

[liliacs]

I've read a variety of contemporary novels, but they're not my favorite. I mainly read them if they're by an author I like, or a friend recced the novel to me.

When it comes to subgenres, I think I enjoy modern fantasy the most. I like plot-oriented novels with a lot of drama, and I feel like they're the subgenre most likely to have that. I have the lowest interest in gaming and showbiz; I was also gonna say SoL but I feel like that label is too broad... I'm not very interested in novels that are just, idk, engineer MC and doctor LI falling in love with not much else, but I really like Priest's Dage, which covers the life of the protagonist as he grows up and deals with hardships. But also, that could just be because I like Priest's writing, since I still have low interest in the genre overall (and Dage isn't even one of my favorite Priest novels).

[geraineon]

I've read some school stories, and those are fine but definitely needs to be driven by characters I can really care about quite quickly (I kinda lump that under slice-of-life too, because nothing "serious" happens).

What are some of your favourite modern fantasy novels?

[liliacs]

Yeah, I feel like that applies in general to slice-of-life novels. They need to make their characters stand out quickly, or else it can be boring to read about normal people doing normal things.

Lie Huo Jiao Chou! I love the characters, story, and angst. It also has a ship who's basically the same age but still has an age gap vibe, which I find funny.