I am noticing more and more books about dystopian societies. Some of the first ones that came out were pretty good, even some of the ones coming out now aren’t bad. However, I can only read so many dystopian society books before I want to roll my eyes all the way back in to my head, groan, and mumble under my breadth “Again?”.
I understand that some authors or maybe the publishers (since they’re the ones who pick the books that get published) are recognizing a trend amongst readers. After all, look at how well The Hunger Games & Divergent did, to name a couple. Those books became popular to the point of becoming movies. That is quite an accomplishment and those particular books are in fact very good.
The problem is that smaller authors are attempting to do the same thing with the same results. Like plugging a formula in and waiting for the outcome. That isn’t how writing or publishing should work, (I should say because I am certain publishers have utilized formulas at times). These little writers seem to think if they just do what these bestseller writers did then they will become them.
Wrong. They are in fact misinterpreting what these bestselling writers did. They wrote their own story. They didn’t follow market trends. So when their book came out it was new and something readers could be excited about. But now when I see more dystopian books coming out I just want to cringe. “Couldn’t the writer think of anything else?” The subject is no longer new and exciting but rather becoming old and tired in my mind.
Don’t get me wrong I know that The Hunger Games was not the first dystopian novel ever written. Book genres move in cycles of popularity, but I am more than ready to move out of this particular genre and into something new. This also means that the next author to publish something new and well written will probably be the next crazy bestseller and the cycle will begin again.
What are your thoughts? Do you agree with me or think I’m totally wrong? I’d love to know. Everyone is entitled to their opinion just keep it respectful.
