The Write Stuff with... Ellan Aldryc

Today it's my pleasure to welcome author Ellan Aldryc to the blog with her suggestions of  '5 Easy Genre Starters for Those Who Want a Taste of Something New'.

As readers, we all have our favourite genres, but every once in a while, it’s good to read out of your comfort zone. The world of literature is humungous, and who knows—you might find a new favourite in an unlikely place. But dipping your toes into a new genre can be a little intimidating, especially when you don’t know what to look for. Here’s a few light genre starters that might help you discover new horizons.

Science Fiction

You might be aware that Space Opera is a sub-genre of science fiction that roughly corresponds to epic tales in the embrace of outer space, but today, I want to talk about ‘Space Opera’ - the novel. Catherynne M. Valente is a superbly funny literary mind that used her talent to ask a most important question: what if Eurosong happened in space and humanity’s survival depended on our performance?

This novel doesn’t alienate the reader with fancy technological terms and places the emphasis on real connections, exploring what it means to be sentient in a hilarious way. Beware, Space Opera might spark a real interest in the genre, and set your standards quite high.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Space-Opera ebook/dp/B0786NTJDV

Epic Fantasy

Reading about vast imaginary worlds is a worthy whole pursuit, but when a whole Tolkien-verse sounds a bit too ambitious to start with (no shame in that), it’s good to pick up a lighter fantasy read to see what kinds of characters and plots you most enjoy. My pick for a nice starter read is ‘The Innocent Mage’ by Kate Millen. It follows a young fisherman Asher as he leaves home and his family that doesn’t take him seriously to find a better life in the big city. His world, however, is ruled by a noble class of magic-wielding people who don’t really appreciate the ordinary folk like Asher, but somehow, he makes friends with the gloomy prince Gar, starting a whole lot of mysterious trouble. The characters in this two-part series are wonderfully presented and truly relatable, the plot is well-paced, and the world is beautiful and effortlessly presented.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Innocent Mage ebook/dpB0053YQN3Q