Romance and Speculative fiction

[alias_sqbr]

Romance and Speculative fiction

So, rather than poking at the whole "Sff and romance" panel idea I mentioned on my panel ideas post, I thought it would be fun to just try and think of books which have good romance AND good science fiction or fantasy, so that a reader would be moderately satisfied if they were just reading it for the romance OR if they were just reading it for the sff. As greteldragon points out, it's going to be a challenge stopping people from ranting about BAD spec fic romance.

Divided roughly by the genre they're published in.

"Good" is of course subjective, so this list is just my taste.
I prefer cheerful funny romances so that's what most of these are, feel free to rec other types. For more ideas see the post greteldragon made inspired by my post.


Science Fiction:

• Bellweather by Connie Wilis.
  
• To Say Nothing Of The Dog.
  
• Shards of Honour by Lois McMaster Bujold.
  
• "Komarr" and "A Civil Campaign" by Lois McMaster Bujold (two parts of the same romance plot) The second is a deliberate homage to regency romance.
  

Fantasy:

• "Howl's Moving Castle" by Dianna Wynne Jones
  
• Stardust by Neil Gaiman
  

Romance:

• Marjorie Lui Not spectacular but fun fantasy.
  

Other media: Movies, manga, anime, tv shows etc.

• Stardust movie
  
• Wall-E
  
• Season 1 of True Blood
  

Fanfic (I can't believe I forgot it!):

• Transfigurations Harry Potter, Harry/Draco, jossed exploration of what happens after the war. Better than Book 7 imo :)
  
• Finding Himself Harry Potter AU, Cedric/Hermione. Pokes at various interesting bits of canon, also explores disability in the wizarding world.
  
• Male Enhancement (The Soul and the Company Store Remix) Stargate Atlantis, John/Rodney. Starts as a porny sex robot story, turns into interesting exploration of AI and the soul.
  
• We're A Storm In Somebody Else's Teacup: Epilogue Merlin, Merlin/Arthur. Modern superheroes AU.
  
• Plogviehze, Baby Monstrous Regiment, Polly/Maledicta. All about vampires.
  
• A Deeper Season Vorkosigan Series, Miles/Gregor. What would it actually mean for Miles and Gregor to get together?
  

Don't quite fit my criteria:

• Fruits Basket manga. Zany and melodramatic but I'm really enjoying it. Haven't finished it yet so can't guarantee the romance ends satisfyingly.
  
• Midsummer Moon" by Laura Kinsale. This is a great romance about a regency inventor but I'm not sure how enjoyable it would be if you were only interested in the science :)
  

Books I don't recommend but think are ok and significant enough to mention (some of these I LOVED as a teenager :)):

• Moonlight. Cheesey but sweet vampire romance tv show.
  
• Dead Until Dark and Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris ("True Blood" is based on the first)
  
• Much of Anne MacAffery eg "The Ship Who Sang"
  
• "The Song of the Lioness" by Tamora Pierce
  
• "The Black Jewels Trilogy" by Anne Bishop. Intense Mary Sue crack popcorn.
  

See also: What Does Romance Bring to the Science Fiction Genre?

Comments

[capnoblivious.livejournal.com]

Coincidentally, this has been occupying my mind for a little while. I have a vague hunch that "nerd romance" is going to be a next big thing - largely because the current big things involving sff and romance together aren't satisfying to the nerd eye, but there are the occasional examples where it works.

(Also, I really want to write "Bellwether", but I keep coming up against the solid and painful fact that it has already been written.)

[alias_sqbr]

I think fanfic fills this niche to a large extent, but perhaps publishing can follow it's lead.

I forgot to mention fanfic! *goes to edit post*

[capnoblivious.livejournal.com]

I'm skeptical, but if you've stuff to recommend...

[alias_sqbr]

See above :)

[capnoblivious.livejournal.com]

Cheers. Will check it out.

[alias_sqbr]

Keep in mind these are all romances, also some assume the reader is used to fanfic conventions. As with published fiction, the really interesting spec fic stuff tends to be (but is not always) more gen-ish.

[capnoblivious.livejournal.com]

Actually, the need for knowledge of fanfic conventions was one of the reasons for my skepticism - fanfic isn't always as accessible as it seems it should be. Basically, as well as general genre literacy, you also need (or, I percieve a need for) a fairly detailed knowledge of the specific property a piece is based on, fannish conversations around that property, knowledge of fanfic conventions, etc.

For example, I'm not entirely clear on what you mean by "gen-ish". :)

So, yeah, I've no doubt that you'll find good nerd romance there, I'm skeptical that it really fills the niche.

[alias_sqbr]

Oh yes, they're not for everyone. That section is mostly aimed at people who like sff AND romance AND fanfic :)

That said, "A Deeper Season" is what got me into fanfic in the first place. I think all those stories could appeal to people who aren't particularly into fanfic but are interested in the relevant canon and type of story.

[lizbyrd.livejournal.com]

Caution: Spoilers for Komarr and A Civil Campaign

I think I'm in the minority here, but I really didn't like the way the romance played out in A Civil Campaign. I'd felt that they were on the edge of something in Komarr, that they both acknowledged (to each other!) what they felt and what was happening, and then in A Civil Campaign it was all gone and I just wanted to shake them both. Sigh.

Edit, for positive comments:
Howl's Moving Castle and Stardust are two of my absolute favourites, though. Howl and Sophie are one of my favourite fictional couples.

I am trying to think of other SFF with romances I love, but I can't even think of any other SFF novels I unequivocally love except for The Last Unicorn. (It has romance, but I think it would probably not appeal to pure romance readers...)

[alias_sqbr]

Yeah, that bugged me a bit. Though when I first read them I'd just come out of a nasty relationship with an overcontrolling man who was bad for my self esteem, so could empathise with the mix of "Yay! Nice man" "OMG DO NOT WANT".

[greteldragon.livejournal.com]

People should feel free to suggest stuff on my posts as well! I don't know enough romantically inclined readers apparently!

Though I like how you don't include Mercedes Lackey as good, despite including 'cheerful and funny' romances. Though I suppose she has a lot more angst.

Also is this a post inspired by my post inspired by your post? If it is, I sense a competition :P

[alias_sqbr]

I find Mercedes Lackey almost unreadable. Also for some reason her romances don't work for me as romances.

It's not a competition! It's a collaboration! :)

[greteldragon.livejournal.com]

Fair enough. I just find it sooo sweet. James (the sleazy one) was reading one in unisfa on friday... we all had a fantastic rant about them. It was great.

Collaboration sounds good! I can totally win me one of those. :P

[alias_sqbr]

Or at least reach a draw :)

[greteldragon.livejournal.com]

I think you won this round...

but we can draw the war, sure! :D

[danamaree.livejournal.com]

I think Flewelling's books (especially Nightrunner) would qualify as romance, especially coming into the second and fourth book in the series. It is fantasy first, but the romance is fairly important to the story.

And there are ooodle of urban fantasy romances out there currently, Charlaine Harris, Tanya Huff, Patricia Briggs etc (let's not mention Stephanie Myers)

[lizbyrd.livejournal.com]

I was just tossing up mentioning Nightrunner, but I concluded that if you were reading it just for the romance you might be a bit put off by all the really horrible things happening as part of the plot. I do love them though.

[danamaree.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, yeah, above and before Nightrunner is a fantasy adventure series. Have you read the last book, it was very much focused on the relationship.

As for all the horrible things, true, but relatively speaking I always felt that Nightrunner was a feelgood series, the characters are very likeable, even if there is *gasp* plot ;)

[lizbyrd.livejournal.com]

I haven't read the fourth book yet because I was scared off by the back cover blurb. XD

I kind of disagree with the feel-good because the books tend to end with a rather bittersweet resolution. The actual relationship parts don't, so much, but the other aspects of it seem to.

[danamaree.livejournal.com]

The last one is much more focused on the romance, and in some ways reads like a fanfiction story.

Oh, did you know that the series has been optioned to be made into a film?

[lizbyrd.livejournal.com]

I don't think I did know that! I guess they'd have to try and squeeze the first two books into one movie? It might make a good movie plotline. (Cynical me hopes they won't try to take the romance out...)

[danamaree.livejournal.com]

Flewelling said that they the first three books are being optioned. And they have already written the script for the first book 'Seregil is a gentleman and Alec is oblivious'.

And I quote from her LJ:

Charlie (the writer) has committed to maintaining the relationship between Alec and Seregil at the level that I've intended--important, but not the main point of the story.

They can't take the romance out!!! *wails* it's part of the prophecy...

I guess my fear is that they will keep it to subtext and perhaps push the Beka/Alex aspect of the series.

[alias_sqbr]

I haven't read any Lynn Flewelling, but maybe I should.

I forgot Tanya Huff! Didn't like the book of hers I read much though. I haven't read any Patricia Briggs.

[danamaree.livejournal.com]

Read Lynn Flewelling! You know you want to. Her two series are set in the same world, but the Nightrunner is the first.

I was thinking more of Huff's Vampire series, 'Blood Ties'. Patricia Briggs wrote the Mercy Thompson series, it's a werewolf romance, very similar style to Charlaine Harris, but focuses on the werewolves rather then the vampires.

[alias_sqbr]

I read the first "Blood Ties" book and while it didn't horribly offend me or anything I was not grabbed by it.

[danamaree.livejournal.com]

There is also a spinoff from that series which I like, OK, mostly I like it because of all the Forever Knight, Due South Canadian television injokes. I'm such a fan.

[alias_sqbr]

I tried the Blood Ties tv series and wasn't grabbed, though I may watch it eventually when I'm not feeling quite so saturated with vampire tv. I liked that the protagonist isn't some passive waif.

[fe2h2o.livejournal.com]

You should _definitely_ read Flewelling!

[capnoblivious.livejournal.com]

BTW, I don't know if recommending more Willis is redundant, but "Remake" and "Inside Job" are relevant books I've enjoyed.

[alias_sqbr]

I can't say why but didn't like Remake. I haven't read "Inside Job".

[capnoblivious.livejournal.com]

If you can't then I can't, but, you know, it was less polished, and the sci- didn't make a lot of sense. :)

[alias_sqbr]

That's as good a guess as any :)

[emma-in-oz.livejournal.com]

was going to rec lmb

[alias_sqbr]

She is infinitely reccable ^_^

[kadeton.livejournal.com]

Old Man's War by John Scalzi had quite a nice romance sideline, in my opinion, but I don't know enough about the conventions of romance (except in the true sense of medieval French stories about knights-errant) to say whether it's a romance in and of itself.

[alias_sqbr]

So is it a romance in the "true" sense? :) I keep being recced that book, I really should read it *adds to "to reserve at library" list*

[kadeton.livejournal.com]

Heh, not in the slightest. There's not enough questing and a little too much rejuvenation into plant-hybrid super-soldiers. :P

It's a good read though. The romance is interesting because it relies on the sci-fi elements, rather than the usual half-assed romance arc that a lot of authors stick in just because they seem to think it needs to be there.

[alias_sqbr]

Heh. Yes, it didn't sound like much of a Romance to me but you never know :)

[alias_sqbr]

Having read it: I'm not sure I'd classify it as a romance, but I did think the romantic plot was fairly well done and overall enjoyed the book. I am amused that when I wrote the review just now I was thinking "At last a book that isn't a romance!" :)

[black-samvara.livejournal.com]

Partners in Necessity by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. Trilogy. Space opera. Romance!

[ariaflame.livejournal.com]

Seconded! (That's Local Custom (http://www.webscription.net/chapters/1587870630/1587870630.htm), Scout's Progress (http://www.webscription.net/chapters/1587870657/1587870657.htm) and Conflict of Honors (http://www.webscription.net/chapters/1587870029/1587870029.htm) yes?)

[alias_sqbr]

I actually spent some time in unisfa yesterday looking for that series and couldn't find it :(

But wait: the library system has it! *adds to list*

[maharetr.livejournal.com]

It comes down much harder on the 'romance' side rather than SF, but "The Time-Traveler's Wife" is on my list. :)

[alias_sqbr]

I tried it and couldn't get into it. Not my sort of romance at all.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

May I recommend my wife's books (http://www.susankrinard.com/iMain.htm)?

[alias_sqbr]

HMM. I must admit the blurbs didn't sound like my sort of thing (though I do like the covers, the men actually look attractive rather than Fabio-ish) but the library system has some, so what the heck, I'll give them a shot. Please do not direct her towards my hypthetical review posts if I turn out not to like them :)

Any you rec in particular?

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

Nah. Don't feel obligated. There are so many books and so few hours.

[nico-wolfwood.livejournal.com]

Off the top of my head, I'd suggest the following:

Catherine Asaro is occasionally good and occasionally terrible. I enjoyed 'Primary Inversion' and hated the rest of the series except for 'The Last Hawk' which was interesting for the world building but totally screwed up romance-wise.

'Songs of Earth and Power' by Greg Bear is a fantastic fantasy novel with a love story in it.

'Enchantment' by Orson Scott Card is a fairy tale fantasy - a combination of sleeping beauty and 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' which worked really well for me. Plus, the hero is Jewish.

I second (or third) Lynn Flewelling although I admit I'm too scared to pick up book 4.

'The Lions of Al-Rassan' by Guy Gavriel Kay is a fantasy romance which I found very evocative and lovely, however I admit that I'm a sucker for his writing. 'A Song for Arbonne' is pretty good too.

'Swordspoint' by Ellen Kushner is excellent.

'Set This House in Order: A Romance of Souls' by Matt Ruff is definitely a romance but it's fantasy elements are debatable. I'd say it was fantasy but others might disagree.

Pretty much everything I've ready by Sheri S. Tepper has romance-ish elements. I'd recomend 'Six Moon Dance', 'The Family Tree' and 'The Fresco'.

Last but not least, I'd recomend Jacqueline Carey's 'Kushiel's Legacy' series to anyone except you. I really don't think it's your thing.

[alias_sqbr]

I don't remember the romance in "Songs of Earth and Power" being *that* central though: didn't he only meet her in the second book? It's been a while though.

Hmm. And every other thing you rec that I've read I didn't like :D And yes, the Kushiel series was a great big bag of Not My Thing, though it was certainly interesting.