Re-discovering speculative fiction
Last Friday, I highlighted two picks for my weekend reads and announced that I don’t read much speculative fiction.
To my surprise, though, when I added them to my “paranormal and spec-elements” shelf on Goodreads, there were more than 20 books already there. As I perused the titles, I realized that I do indeed mix a healthy helping of the slightly weird in my literary diet. Also fun to note: there’s a good bit of overlap between my favorite spec-elements stories and the time-slips I so love.
I don’t think I’ve really defined spec-fic in my mind, but off the cuff, I’d say it’s the stories with some element commonly understood not to exist in the real world, such as ghosts, psychic power, and the softer side of sci-fi. However, I’d also suggest that speculative fiction, unlike fantasy or “hard” science fiction, must plant one foot firmly in reality. Speculative looks at you askance and says, “Just because you don’t believe doesn’t mean it’s not true.”
And that is precisely what is fascinating and special about it. It entertains the possibility of the impossible and unlikely, and invites you to consider the accompanying implications. Simply put, to speculate.
With that in mind, here are five favorites from my speculative fiction shelf. In no special order…
The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff
Although I read this time-slip some years ago, it still has a place on this short list. A woman goes in search of her bio-dad. Oh, and no big deal, but there’s a lake monster.
The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry
This story delves into a topic I’ve pondered on this blog–how food and home are linked–and delights on the premise alone: the main character finds she can summon ghosts, but only briefly, by cooking their recipes. Intimate and spooky… and then, one of the gaspiest twists I’ve ever read in fiction.
The Baker’s Wife by Erin Healy
The book-titling convention of using the man’s occupation to define a female lead protagonist’s identity is, I know, not everyone’s favorite. I do think it was an appropriate choice for this book, though. The main character used to be a pastor’s wife–a role that comes with a lot of expectations and responsibilities–and since Audrey has the ability to feel others’ pain, she’s supernaturally equipped for that role. So when scandal strips it from her, the dichotomy of losing her position but not her calling is where we find her when an accident tosses her into a dangerous mystery. It’s a deep, delicious story from a Christian worldview.
The Cage-maker by Nicole Seitz
I have raved about this time-slip novel in the strongest terms to anyone who will listen. The author spun the fictional story from real-life discoveries in her family tree, which I love, but I can also relate to. Where she writes in a good ol’ fashioned cursed inheritance, I shiver a little. That thing I said about entertaining possibilities? Yes, there have been moments I’ve wondered about a particular branch of my tree. What would it mean, in real life, to be cursed? Maybe we’ll talk about that some time. Maybe not.
No Less Days by Amanda G. Stevens
Absolutely yes, my latest weekend read makes the list. As mentioned, David Galloway can’t die, and the burden of that is dragging him under when he discovers he’s not the only one living this interminable life. It’s a compelling, thoughtful take on the value of life and mankind’s relationship with our Creator, again from a Christian perspective.
The fun thing here for me is that not all of these neatly fit under the speculative fiction umbrella. I don’t know if every author represented here would necessarily agree with the label, truth be told. The speculative elements in these favorites of mine may not define the story per se, but their inclusion highlights something moving below the surface, calling the abstract into question and at times, shining a light into the darkness.
