I’m not sure about other readers but I have to say – I’m bored. Is this a trend in m/m fiction that most of the books coming out are boring? I’m not sure what it is but I’m just sick of the same tropes without ANY invention.
Now granted, being that I am a fan of genre fiction that the same themes and ideas will pop up over and over. That is the inherent point of genre fiction and not only do I get that, I clearly enjoy it. What I enjoy about it is the author introducing a twist, a fun aspect, something new, or something interesting. I’m bored with the thing over and over.
KZ Snow mentioned how boring some of the blogs are lately with reviewing the same books ad nausea and since I’m bored with everything I read – I’m throwing this out there to my four dedicated (and blackmailed) readers.
What would YOU suggest for new books to read/review?
This can be anything within m/m fiction but it doesn’t have to be romance. Any subgenre, any author – basically anything at all.
three am 
I have absolutely nothing intelligent to say this morning, having sacrificed a significant number of brain cells to the Alcohol Gods this weekend. However, as one of your four dedicated (blackmailed) readers, I figured I’d better check in.
*yawn*
I apparently missed your alcoholic rampage through twitter. Those jello shots had legs. Please tell me there are pictures? I can offer tentacle porn in return. Fair trade.
No pictures, but apparently we have acquired a pretty little emo boy who calls us “Master,” now sleeping at the foot of our bed. I used to just get hangovers from over-imbibing, so I consider this a vast improvement.
be sure to chain the pretty emo boy up.. they tend to wander.
Ouch, this is a hard one. Yes, I think it gets boring. I get bored. Easily. (Confession: I bore myself, which is one reason I do write stuff other than what you see out under this name.) That’s why I prefer to read spec fic and stuff that’s not put out by mainstream companies. I like to roam places like Autonomedia and Scarecrow Press and McSweeney’s.
I think one hits a certain point in every genre where one catches up with the ‘fresh’ stuff and is hanging around waiting for a fix. ‘Zines are a low-commitment way to get some fresh fiction in, if you’re looking to dabble in other streams. I do believe that other genres have potential to be more varied than romance (in many aspects) due to the HEA/HFA/relationship restrictions of the genre.
Have you resorted to checking out the nominees for Lambda or Gaylactic awards or any others you might find? I always find that it’s a good way to get out of a rut, to pick an award group and go read their latest nominees or their last ten winners. I usually start with an award group that reflects my interests.
ETA: http://community.livejournal.com/50books_poc/ is a way to get out of the great white wash that still swamps much of Western fiction. I’ve happily used reviews from that group to help me find some fresh reading in or out of the LGBTQI circles.
You’re right re. romance, which is why I tend to mix my reading up with several genres and styles such as sci-fi, literature, fantasy, and so on. I’ve just noticed that specifically in m/m (and subgenre romance) – I’m bored with the offerings. I’m not sure if I’m in a rut or the books are but I’m not ready to put it on a shelf entirely in favor of other genres just yet.
Thank you(!) for the suggestion about award winners as I think I’ll start there as well as the LJ link. I’m always searching for suggestions on books that aren’t the latest and greatest. Much appreciated!
Aww, you have more than 4 dedicated readers. Some of us are just more quiet than others.
Hmm, these aren’t new books, but for something different in m/m fiction that’s not romance you could try First Person Plural by Andrew Beierle, The Brother’s Bishop by Bart Yates, or anything by Jay Quinn or Michael Thomas Ford (Looking For It is my fave of his).
For contemporary m/m romance that’s slightly different there’s Comfort and Joy by Jim Grimsley, Seventy Times Seven by Salvatore Sapienza, and Common Sons or Uncle Sean by Ronald Donaghe.
Also, I love Dan Savage’s books The Kid and The Commitment (The Kid is first), which are listed as gay fiction but are really non-fiction.
Short descriptions of some of these books (with links!) are listed on Jenre’s blog along with sev other books that may interest you. http://jenre-wellread.blogspot.com/2009/05/alternative-books-to-mm-romance.html
OOO Thank you for the link. That had missed my perusal even though I read Jenre’s site. Nice to see I’ve read several on the list too. Does that mean I have good taste? 😀
Thank you for the list of suggestions too.. those are MOST welcome!! -pats them lovingly, happily-
Can relate to the boredom. Have a TBR list that goes to the 9th circle of Hell and back, and can’t be arsed to read any of it.
Recent reads: halfway through TA Chase’s Nick of Time…it’s not sucking so far. Liked Josh Lanyon’s new book Out Of the Blue…will be out later tonight. Barb Sheridan’s Copsucker II was super sexy.
Older stuff that has been on my keeper shelf forever…sci-fi/fantasy author Fiona Patton’s The Stone Prince. I liked her The Painter Knight too. Both with m/m elements, but not romances. Also, Mercedes Lackey’s Magic series (Magic’s Pawn, Promise, Price)
Yea I want to Co*ksucker I and II. They’re on the “list”. ooooo those sci-fi’s sound good. Will have to check out Stone Prince – thanks!
Not a fan of TA Chase, which is odd. I always think I’ll like it and it ends up being meh for me.
Well, you know how I feel… 😉
It isn’t the books that bore me–not a lot of them, anyway–so much as the Internet bandwagons. That’s what bores me. Go here, see this; go there, see the same damned thing; go somewhere else, see the same shit repeated. The only difference from site to site is the arrangement of words. (Sometimes I wonder if the same person is behind all of these postings, because how can so many people’s tastes be identical?)
I’m currently entertaining myself with research. Yeehah!
LOL no I hear you and i got the boredom with the lemmings. Just kind of reminded me how bored I am with everything I’m reading too. The last 3 books I’ve wanted to pitch ~page 50 due to just not caring. But I muddled through because I had to.
oooo btw jello shots are gifts from gods.
By the way, Jello shots are insidious. Unless and until someone finds a way to gelatinize beer, I’m staying away from the buggers.
I feel you, hun. I’m bored shitless with a lot of the m/m romance at the moment, which is prob’ly one of the reasons why I’ve force fed myself tbr print the last couple of days in an attempt to refresh. Not sure it’s worked, but my tbr has been killed.
I also wonder if that’s why I’ve turned to yaoi more over the last couple of months. Yanno, as an attempt to alleviate the boredom, let’s look at piccies of pretty boys fucking each other. Whatever works, right?
A couple of recs cos I know you like dark fantasy:
Richard Morgan’s The Steel Remains (first book in a series)
Sarah Monette’s Melusine (ditto)
Oh, and don’t you think it’s a good time to read Hero. Just sayin’.
BTW, if I’m one of your four dedicated (and blackmailed) readers, I wanna know when I get my bribes and stuff.
OMG i know. Total “Hero” time. I was impressed you knocked that many off your TBR pile! In a good week I get 2-3 off my TBR pile after review crap.
I love dark fantasy (who doesn’t!? lol) so I’ll especially check those out.
I’ve been reading a bunch of Yaoi too. Pretty boys with lubricated ass always a fun, easy read. I wish there were more pictures.
Oh I’ll send a bribe. I had it ready but then something happened but it’s coming i promise!
You reminded me, Kris, that I’ve heard good things about Sarah Monette and have been meaning to check out her work.
I’ve semi-reviewed her Melsuine and A Companion of Wolves on my blog, K Z, if you’re interested.
Hi, Kassa, I know what you mean. We reviewers can get overwhelmed by the sameness of it all. I tend to pick up mainstream mysteries just for a dramatic break from m/m: Lisa Scottoline, James Lee Burke, Michael Connelly. I think Kris gave you a good suggestion with Sarah Monette — I haven’t got to her books yet, but I’ve heard good things about them. You could also try China Mieville’s SFF books which are definitely gay-friendly even if none of the main characters are gay. The books are definitely very unusual and ground-breaking. Perdido Street Station is a good place to start (they are stand-alones but they take place in the same made-up world). The Iron Council has a strong supporting character who is gay. The author is a bit of a Marxist, but he doesn’t weigh down the story with ideology or anything.
Hi Val! Yea, I read quite a few mainstream authors to keep variety high. Unfortunately it seems whenever I go back and pick up a m/m after reading mainstream or anything – even Us Weekly – I’m bored with the story that I’m reading. It’s not that I’m overwhelmed with m/m, I’ve actually been reading a lot of other genres and not reading at all some nights. I’m just bored whenever I venture back to m/m for now it seems.
Thanks for all the suggestions – they’re definitely going to good use. Much much much appreciated!!