What's your favorite genre to read?

Ouch, it's tough to pick just one. Fantasy edges out sci-fi on my bookshelf, so it wins.

I will always always say horror :) Splatter punk is the best genre of horror in my opinion as well :)

I don't read that much, I've always been into creating my own world. Same with guitar. I don't play other people's ****, I always rip it up freestyle.

But as long as the writer keeps it interesting (not many authors out there that do) then I'll actually read a book or two of theirs.

Gee it's kinda hard to pick between horror and fantasy.

It has got to be Fantasy for me.

I should also mention this will help determine the direction of a site's project I'm going to start come early January.

Definitely horror. I'm not really into fantasy...

fantasy

I like general fiction stories that are off the beaten path. If you're familiar with A.M. Holmes then you know exactly what I mean.

You know, it's funny. My tastes are usually so eclectic.

With music or with films I like all kinds of genres. But with reading, probably because of the huge amount of time and attention required to get through a book, I pretty much stick to what I like best - which is fantasy (a very popular choice too it seems).

I'm a fantasy junkie (which is why it's what I write). Tolkien, D&D and Fighting Fantasy are to blame - they were all a huge influence on me in my teens.

im gonna have to say stuff like
A thousand years of solitude or
the alchemist

Well-written thrillers are my favourites, although I read and enjoy quite a few genres.

Fantasy and General fiction for me.

Fantasy? Yes. Sci-fi? Yes. Comedy? Gimme. Horror? Sure, why not. Mystery? Why, of course!
But what is absolutely the best is if you can find a book that blends comedy with sci-fi, like Hitchhiker's or Discworld or Anansi Boys or the Pure Dead series.

fantasy has got my vote all the way, Eragon rocks!!!! Eldest Rocks!!!! The third book which hasn't come out yet im sure will rock!!!! Fantasy Rocks!!!!

Horror! Although I'm ultra-bias to reading only Stephen King's books. I also don't mind a bit of Michael Crichton - so I guess a science-like genre is my taste as well.

...um if i had to choose id have to say fiction of almost any type but if you want the whole cake! i would have to say anything with some action and a bit of a lovin goin down

Crime- Murders, Missing Person Cases, yeah anyone who can pull that plot off well is something I'll read. Books or fanfiction.

indeed this was a tough decision... most of what i read is fantasy, but as long as it's fiction i love it, so i said general fiction

Westerns or adventure, usually, though I probably read more non-fiction and technical manuals for purposes of research.

Westerns or adventure, usually, though I probably read more non-fiction and technical manuals for purposes of research.

Ha haaaa. I know you, you sneaky little rodent!

non-fiction...true stories

Hmmm...it used to be Fantasy but I'm not so intrigued by fantasy anymore. I like Historical Fiction a lot more and I'm surprised that isn't a chocie up there... =/ I also like Christian fiction. =D Only if they're written well, like Francine Rivers' books. Gilbert Morris's make me shudder b/c the writing is so bad...

For a good fantasy series I will happily sell my unborn children. That being said, I do really like fiction, science-fiction, and the occasional historical fiction.

I enjoy crime and thriller books. At the moment I'm reading The Godfather by Mario Puzo (that's why I chose Corleone for my username) and am really enjoying it. I'm sure being a huge fan of the movies makes me a little biased haha.
I'm not a fan of fantasy though. Horror is my second favourite, Stephen King ect. But, I will read most anything.

Mine would have to be fantasy. I enjoy other genres, especially when they're written well, but fantasy would have to be my general favorite.

I'll read just about anything, genre-wise. It has to have a front cover that doesn't make me think the publisher is trying to cash in on impulse buying, a back cover blurb that doesn't make me laugh out loud at the triteness of the premise, and a page or two selected at random that seems well-written.

I love to browse the "reshelve" carts at the library to turn up random books from everywhere. Those Penguin books with the spines that are white at the top and orange below are often really interesting, and I have fun browsing the last of the alphabet: authors whose names start with W, X, Y, or Z seem to write disproportionately interesting stuff.

I love literary fiction, but a lot of Capital-L Literature is too high-browed for me.

My vices, my "brain candy" :), mostly turn up in the "Mystery" section: Robert B. Parker's great, and I love to alternate M. C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth "Cozy Cottage" mysteries with Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus "Scotland the Squalorous" mysteries.


Should I have checked "General" or "Other"? :)

- Evelyn

Difficult to choose just one category but I went for crime/thriller :)

i read all sorts, but my favourite is either fantsasy or crime and thriller. for easy reading i like a nice childrens fantasy book which doesn't take much effort. but other times i like a book that challenges your mind and mkaes you think, so then i go for crime/thriller.
Heather

My favourite genre is probably fantasy but my guilty pleasure is romance - Not the usual sappy stuff or Mills and Boons but something well-written.

Thinking about it, I should probably write a fantasy and a romance story at some point...

I can't choose just one I can however rank them for you:
1). Thriller
2). Fantasy
3). Romance

I love having a bit of romance in all the novels I read but romance just by itself, not so much. :)

It's a toss-up between 'General Fiction' and 'Other'. I love variety...

I've gotta say, I hate most of the Fantasy I read (too much of that over immersive Olde Englishe language and outlandish magic. also everything is all Tolkien and Gygax) but it's by far my favourite genre.

The glint of steel, the blast of a flintlock, the crackling of magic in the air, the roar of a dragon...

Definitely "suspense/mystery". Love the plot twists and such. I'm also slightly getting into some sci-fi (Ender's series).

I voted for general fiction, but actually I don't have a favourite genre. In a way I'm very picky, in another way not - I don't think about literature in genres, but rather in periods. In general, a book should provoke some thoughts in me, some emotions and should let me view the world a bit different than before, that's all I require. What I can't stand is too much action, too much focus on the plot. This is why I stay away from most thrillers, fantasy and such, but I certainly don't avoid any genre per se - why would I want to restrict myself like that?

Ouch. It was really hard to pick just one, but I settled on Horror. I love a thrill and I love gore. So, horror would be an obvious pick for me.

Fantasy

*raises hand* fantasy. With historical fiction a close second. ;)


I've gotta say, I hate most of the Fantasy I read (too much of that over immersive Olde Englishe language and outlandish magic. also everything is all Tolkien and Gygax) but it's by far my favourite genre.


Edward, have you read George RR Martin's series? The first book being, A Game of Thrones? Excellent, fantastic, and totally engrossing! Try it if you haven't already. :)

Fantasy probs.
Followed by general fiction.

Fantasy, and probably romance. Suspense and thrillers are good as well as James Pattersons crime novels.

Why is there not drama on this list?

Non fiction, usually brain chemistry, medicine, or probability, also philosophy, natural history. In fiction, I like thrillers/suspense, mainstream (plot but doesn't fit in any category, like T. C. Boyle, Ian McEwan) or Literary, Isabella Allende, or Gabriel García Márquez.

i'd have to say fantasy, but i read all sorts like most people, fantasy, historical fiction, science fiction, crime/thriller.

Well, that's a tough one because I like Science Fiction Fantasy, and Fantasy and Science Fiction.:redface:

Speculative fiction--i.e., horror, fantasy and sci-fi.

Horror... give me a collection of Lovecraft's work and i'll be happy for hours.

Sci fi, and these days the harder the better. Assimov will keep me busy for days.

Fantasy and Westerns. both take me to a different place and time.

Everyone knows Science Horror Fantasy owns all XD. I'll just say Science Fiction cause Heinlein is my favorite wuthor of all time.

Crime/Thriller is closest. Suspenseful phsycological stuff. No idea what you'd call it. Crime and Punishment, The Plague, etc.

I'd say historical fiction- as it is fiction but set in a real context. I really like Christian Jacq's RAMSES books.

i like both fantasy and general fiction....but i had to go with fantasy seeing as i have more fantasy books than anything on my shelf.

I read a lot of fantasy, so I'd say fantasy was my favourite genre. I do have a soft spot for some romance novels but I'm really picky with what I like so I don't tend to read romance that much.

I love to read fantasy, I just don't like writing it...

I picked sci-fi, but really, I think it's tied with fantasy. :)

I absolutely love fantasy. And if it's fantasy and romance in one story, it's perfect.

I like the regular realistic fiction books. I used to be a fantasy girl, but it just got really old because theres only really one sort of plot it can follow. I mean I still like it, but I get bored with it.

Other: psychologial writing, dramatic plots, interesting character profiles... I don't like stories following particularly one genre.

I certainly read all of the genres listed above, but Fantasy/Sci-Fi is definitely my least favourite genre - followed by Crime/Thriller. It's too conceptional for me actually.

I've got to say that fantasy is my #1. However, a humor book can be awesome, too, if it's done well.

I like reading writers like Hemingway, Steinbeck, Faulkner, Fitzgerald, Salinger and McCarthy on one hand, but on the other I also really enjoy Vonnegut, Pynchon, Burroughs, Heller and Barthelme.

Currently enjoying Jasper Fforde's stuff. I've been overdosing on the funny side of things lately - Tom Holt, Fforde and Robert Rankin mostly. I think I need to get my teeth stuck into a gory horror novel next!

Then its Stephen King for you.

Stephen King is seriously underrated by book snobs, who dislike him because he is commercially successful. His short stories in particular are noteworthy, and in my opinion, better than his novels that have been his huge moneyspinners.

Anyways, my favourite genre to read is dystopian science-fiction.

I enjoy a bit of crime/thriller reading from time to time.

I also read Cormack's The Road recently and found it to be really enjoyable! I read half of it on a plane, and then finished it within a couple days, I couldn't put it down.

gotta love the crime/thrillers, i think Jeff Deaver's novel The Devil's Teardrop is a AWESOME read!

Just from what I had seen from the forum, fantasy and sci fi appeared to be the favourite which is why I took part in the poll, just to see. I wasn't far wrong and the thing is, I find it really tough to review such stories. I am also ****e with poetry so I don't feel I have anything to offer in reviewing poems because I just don't get them. They always seem to have some deep, hidden meaning that I just don't get. It was the same when I was studying for my degree and poetry was part of the syllabus, the class frequently laughed when I totally did not get Sylvia Plaths angst and gave some simple explaination. *sobs*

Normally fantasy and horror, but fantasy outnumbers horror greatly.

Was a toss up between Humour and Sci-Fi and eventually went for humour. I know its not technically as good but I find it more entertaining. Do like Sci Fi and Fantasy though. Never read a horror book in my life.

I'm a fantasy reader. Just something about escaping this world that makes me want to read more. :)

Was a toss up between Humour and Sci-Fi and eventually went for humour. I know its not technically as good but I find it more entertaining. Do like Sci Fi and Fantasy though. Never read a horror book in my life.

You should read www.johndiesattheend.com it's both horror and humour.


Personally, I'm all about humour and I'll read any genre so long as it's funny. Horror comedy, sci-fi comedy, fantasy comedy...especially if it can at all in any way be related to absurdist humour.

Can't pick just one.
I'll read any genre if is well-written. I possibly tend more toward sci-fi and fantasy but hate to put my reading in a single box.
Actually, I'll even read a badly written novel if the story-line intrigues me enough.
I'll do the reverse, too. Well written but bad/predictable story. I love stories that use unexpected but appropriate descriptions.

The only books I put down before finishing are ones that strike out in both respects ie no story and excruciating to read.

Hmm, I'd probably go for Fantasy and General Fiction as my favourite. Romance, sometimes, if I'm in the right mood, too.

And anything else that's good :)

Oh, I love crime novels too :D Forgot about the how Mystery Crime novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle :D

Ohh. I was sad that i had to only pick one. Fantasy and romance pretty much dominate my shelf at home and a lot of them are those two genres combined. I also like historical books. I belive the Dear America series was my favorite when I was younger. Or any book about the holocaust, old west, or the roaring 20's are good too. One of my favorite historical books is "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I read that for American Lit. and I couldn't put it down.

I like many kinds of books, but on top of it I like Fantasy the best among all genres.
The Chronicles of Narnia is what inspires me to begin writing novels from the first place.
I also like horror books, prefer it than watching horror movies. Lately I've been into crime and thriller books as well. But Fantasy remains my passion of reading, so I voted for that genre.

::JAP::

Bittersweet humor has got to be my favorite, though I also like supernatural.

I used to read only fantasy and sci-fi, and still say those are my favorite... but I keep finding romance cropping up among my library conquests... maybe I'm just acting girlish for once in my life.

I don't usually like general fiction. If I want normal crap, I'll go get a life.

I love reading humor, although I can't really write humor for my life. And I like some fantasy novels, and also general fiction -- there's not really a genre that I totally dislike.

Agh, no.

Fantasy is winning? Nothing against all you fantasy readers out there, I just could never get into it myself. The Hobbit was the only book I ever felt was a chore to read. Ruined English in Year 5 for me :p

I love sci-fi but I own more period/historical novels so its 'other' for me ;)

I go for the horror genre at the moment, but I used to read nothing but fantasy. I suppose one genre just got old after a while and I needed a new twist for reading. Huzzah for creepy, scare-the-crap-out-of-you books.

Anything that is well written, but I guess I lean towards mystery.

It depends on the story for me, I'm not too picky when it comes to genre's, I'll read anything as long as I enjoy it. Although my personal favorite has got to be Action/Drama's or Thriller's.

General fiction all the way. Fantasy isn't my thing.

Fantasy. I love fantasy, and i write fantasy. It will always be fantasy for me. It really makes my imagination run.

General fiction, although I'll settle for the occasional biography or latest scientific/mathematical essay. (I'm a nerd, what can I say?)

DEATH

Morbid I know but it entices me particulally all the emotion around it.

EL x

Horror followed closely by mystery.

All kinds of books are pretty much fine by me, BUT, I don't like it when they overdo a love scene, like describing a kiss that lasted 4 seconds but describing it like it lasted seven hours.

Out of all the listed from the poll, I read humor and general fiction the most. Other than that, I haven't delved into fiction reading that much in my life compared to how much nonfiction work I've read.

Isnt there an element of everything in one story. Your always going to find bits of everything in any percific genre. But i think Sci-fi and Fantasy are the best. They transport you to another world. More work for you imagination :D

I love to read Fantasy, but I love to write tragedy.

Thriller--

I read Jeffrey Deaver, Greg Iles, Lee Childs, Peter Straub. And political non-fiction.

I enjoy sci-fi, romance, gen-fiction and historicals (epic sagas following several generations.) Oh and children's fiction (I have 3 boys, and I get into the stories as much as they do.)

Fantasy all the way.

I've been reading fantasy forever so the choice is obvious.

Fantasy hands down. Horror would be second

I live and breathe fantasy.

Wow, lots of fantasy readers out there. I personally find it hard to get drawn into a world someone else has created. Tolkien is the only fantasy I've been able to read (and not even all his books are bearable). And Harry Potter, if that counts.

I'm more for general fiction. I also love reading memoirs and stories about people from other countries. Anything that's profoundly moving and makes me see the world in a new light.

I enjoy horror. I like to know how twisted some people's minds come be that they can create something that's frightening or just plain disgusting.

Any genre that is well written.

Adventure or Science Fiction. Occasionally I like realistic.

I read mostly science fiction and fantasy.

Horror/Thriller. I love Stephen King's novels.

Any genre that is well written.

I concur. I voted for horror, however.

Definitely fantasy. :) We own something like 600 fantasy books (about 2000 books all together). :) I'm constantly finding new, lovely books to read from that wonderful shelf. Charles de Lint is my most resent love interest.

Science fiction, I'm not even going to pretend otherwise.

Tie between Thriller and Horror. Heaven would be a mix of both <3

General fiction, although I have started to acquire a taste for post-cyberpunk.

Horror and vampire novels in specific. Oh I adore vampire romance. But I dont like reading regular romance novels. Vampire romance holds more tragedy and pain. Maybe predictable pain, but it depends on the author and how he or she shows the characters in a magnificent horrifying yet loving style.

I have a wide range of genres I like to read. I generally stick with science fiction and fantasy, mostly with authors such as Ray Bradbury, Henry Kuttner, and John Scalzi.

I also like humor and historical fiction when they're done well. Westerns are (or used to be, before I saw plots repeating themselves) fun to read, too. The psychological horror genre is excellent for secondary character study. Unfortunately, I haven't found too many good PH novels.

My favorite genre to read would have to be crime/thriller followed by general fiction