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

[geraineon]

I've read school, e-sports, showbiz, and I do enjoy them. Showbiz novels can be fun because it's like reading novels in novels, when the story goes more than surface level on the shows that they are acting in. E-sports... well, that's just sports manga in novel form XD

[aurumcalendula]

I don't tend to read a ton of contemporary setting novels in general, especially lately (I tend to prefer either historicals or sf/f).

Cnovel wise, I haven't read that many contemporary set works yet (although I keep thinking of ones as I type this), but I particularly enjoyed End of the Bridge, Top of the Tower.

[larryhammer]

I do read them, but not consistently -- mostly romances or adventures. What I'd love to find is more contemporary setting wuxia / xianxia stories, especially ones that aren't ghost hunter / tomb raider tales.

[lee_bella]

I read contemporary novels from time to time. I would read just about anything if it's by an author I like. Other than that, I tend to read suspense and mystery. It's always fun to follow along and see if I can figure out who the culprit is. I also like stories about the supernatural and stories like Drowning Sorrows in Raging Fire, where the past plays an important role in the present.

[douqi]

I've found that whether I enjoy a contemporary setting novel has nothing to do with the particular subgenre, and everything to do with whether it has messy, INTENSE emotions and a setup that allows them to be unleashed. This makes it actually very difficult to work out in advance whether I'll enjoy a particular novel or not.

[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).

[dayadhvam_triad]

I prefer mostly historical cnovels and some SF/F, which is also the case when I read English-language fiction. I'm willing to check out non-SF/F modern/contemporary setting cnovels, but I don't really go looking for them and am pretty disinterested in school, showbiz, slice-of-life, romance-centered stuff, though I'm more open to mystery/suspense. This preference carries over to my track record with cdramas too lol. (The ones I love—The King's Avatar; End of the Bridge, Top of the Tower—are very much the exception rather than the rule.)

[dayadhvam_triad]

Re: contemporary setting wuxia—there's No Pollution, No Public Harm by priest, which has a complete fan tl.

[larryhammer]

Hello — hadn’t noticed that. Will take a look.

[duckprintspress]

I do read them, tho I don't usually enjoy them quite as much. Historical stuff has always been my favorite no matter what genre I'm reading (historical mystery! historical romance! historical fantasy! historical wuxia! historical xianxia! etc.) Copaganda aside, for modern stuff I tend to like mysteries/police procedural ones best, like Modu.

[halfcactus]

I've been gravitating towards modern-day settings in Chinese-language media in general, maybe because they tend to be easier to follow and require less attention... And I think also less distracting to read in translation? I checked out the first chapter of Saye (7S translation) last week and it was a much better experience than, say, Shapolang (7S translation) which I bounced out of because I found the English translation unwieldy.

Plus lately I've found myself more compatible with books that have, idk, more barebones but straightforward writing? Something like 我五行缺你/My Five Elements Lack You by Xizixu but... better. Or something similar to those Japanese mystery/thriller novels (I am open to recs!). And standard novel length because I'm just a very slow reader lol. I'd started one of Ding Mo's novels a while back but it seemed like a multi-volume series so I didn't bother continuing. Not that any of this matters because I'm not reading much of anything these days!

[halfcactus]

Yes I also loved End of the Bridge Top of the Tower! The combination of mystery/thriller + women + ensemble cast really hit all the right buttons for me.

[halfcactus]

Your esports novels seem so much fun (you're right, they're just sports manga!)!!!!!

For showbiz canons, I think I'd need something like Skip Beat which already fulfills me hahaha. I did enjoy Gu Man's 你是我的榮耀/You Are My Glory, which was a combination of both esports and showbiz, but that one is mostly a romance, so. XD

[halfcactus]

Have you read the novel version of The Bad Kids? I'm curious if that's your type of suspense or not.

[geraineon]

Skip Beat!!! ... I can't believe it's still ongoing. I used to read it. It was so much fun, and then I didn't want her to get back with her ex and dropped XD

I should try You Are My Glory. Keep seeing it recced.

[geraineon]

I tend to lean historical or sf/f too... but it turns out I've read more contemporary than I thought XD

Would you be reading more contemporary setting cnovels, you think?

[geraineon]

Oh contemporary setting wuxia/xianxia will be fun. I think Lie Huo Jiao Chou counts, also by priest!

[geraineon]

Will check it out, thank you!

[geraineon]

It's nice to find an author whose novels mostly hit the spot! Who is your favourite?

Hm, I don't think I've read much suspense/mystery. I should change that.

[geraineon]

haha, I think the *drama* and intense emotions is what keeps me reading showbiz stories (it can fit so much drama and messiness!)

[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?

[geraineon]

*eyes* I'm curious too!

[geraineon]

I really should look into mystery/suspense novels. I feel like I have not read much of that at all!

[geraineon]

Modu is a good one! Are there others you liked?

[halfcactus]

If it helps, her ex wanting her back is one-sided! I'm pretty sure she and Ren are together now though I too wonder how much story there is left to tell (as someone who never cared about Ren's weird backstory lol).

Re: YAMG - I enjoyed the main story as a light josei novel and skipped the extras. It's good reading practice too! I just liked that the characters are in their 30s or something and that the FL was the more "successful" one and the ML who was in a somewhat relatable position of floundering in his career path didn't resent her for it.

[geraineon]

I've been wanting to read Saye and then completely forgot I wanted to read it. Thanks for the reminder and I'm glad it's a much better experience for you!

A friend also recommended My Five Elements Lack You to me before. I should get to that too... *stares at LADS*

Modern novels are definitely easier for me to listen to (unless they are modern + professional setting, then die XD)

[geraineon]

That does help! I was getting annoyed at the possibility that the ex might get another chance so I just stopped... But Ren being the endgame, I am totally okay with! Though tbh, I didn't really want her to end up with anyone. I enjoyed her throwing herself into showbiz and then watching her climb.

Re: YAMG

Oh, that's a nice flip of the usual roles, and older characters too! Will check it out!

[douqi]

Interesting! I don't read a lot of baihe showbiz in part BECAUSE they rarely seem to have much drama and messiness.

[lee_bella]

I like priest a lot; I must have read 13 or 14 of her novels by now. Lately I'm into 妄鸦 (Wang Ya), and I'm working my way slowly through their works.

[duckprintspress]

Poyun and In The Dark, which are also both in that genre.

[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.

[aurumcalendula]

I think it'll probably depend on the cnovel's subgenre (like all things being equal, I'm more likely to pick up a mystery/thriller than a slice of life story).

[dayadhvam_triad]

I love The Bad Kids cdrama! But I haven't read the novel; I was spoiled on some of the differences between novel & drama and ymmv liked the drama's ambiguity a lot more.

[dayadhvam_triad]

(see above re: The Bad Kids)

I've read relatively few compared to allll the historical setting novels on my already-read list, but if I had to pick contemporary setting there's a clear trend running through the books/dramas I've tried. XD Besides Bridge Tower, another one I've been meaning to check out is 是他 It's Him by 喜河山.

[larryhammer]

Wait, Skip Beat is still ongoing? Whee!

[larryhammer]

Ah ha -- I'll take a look.

[geraineon]

Actually, come to think of it, most of the showbiz stuff I've read are second chances type of stories (died, rebirth) so I think the messiness comes from that instead of showbiz xD