What Genre?

barnicus · Jul 3, 2007

I lurk most of the time, however, I have a question now. If Pirates of the Caribbean [the movie] were made into a novel and placed on a bookstore shelf, what genre would it be found under?

My instinct tells me fantasy, but I think fantasy is more like Lord of the Rings. My story is like Pirates in that it is historical, there is very minor fantasy involved [comparable to the pirates curse], and most of it is action.

Thanks for any help.

Sandy J · Jul 3, 2007

barnicus said:
I lurk most of the time, however, I have a question now. If Pirates of the Caribbean [the movie] were made into a novel and placed on a bookstore shelf, what genre would it be found under?

My instinct tells me fantasy, but I think fantasy is more like Lord of the Rings. My story is like Pirates in that it is historical, there is very minor fantasy involved [comparable to the pirates curse], and most of it is action.

Thanks for any help.

I definitely think it would be fantasy. Welcome to AW! Glad you came out of "lurkdom." :hi:

johnzakour · Jul 3, 2007

It would be in the movies turned into books section. ;-)

Danger Jane · Jul 3, 2007

I'd categorize it more as an adventure story--to me it is set in the real world but with...alterations.

Alexandra Little · Jul 3, 2007

I would probably look for it in the YA paranormal (fantasy) section, though if we're only talking about the first movie (where the paranormal stuff is a lot less weird) I could see it in YA or an adventure category.

ChaosTitan · Jul 3, 2007

I haven't seen the sequels (*ducks*), but I'd say the first one is definitely adventure fantasy. The fact that (do I need a spoiler warning here?) there is a ship full of cursed zombie pirates roaming the high seas makes it fantasy.

Claudia Gray · Jul 3, 2007

I'd also call it adventure fantasy or historical fantasy, for very relative values of "historical."

Alexandra Little · Jul 3, 2007

ChaosTitan said:
I haven't seen the sequels (*ducks*), but I'd say the first one is definitely adventure fantasy. The fact that (do I need a spoiler warning here?) there is a ship full of cursed zombie pirates roaming the high seas makes it fantasy.

We won't kill you--the second movie wasn't worth the price of admission and food (*ducks*) and while I've seen the third, I think it is only seeing Barbossa again and Keith Richards' little part that keeps me from flunking it (*hides behind a bush*).

Chasing the Horizon · Jul 3, 2007

*begins throwing collection of POTC memorabilia at Alexandra*
I would say fantasy. Technically it's historical fantasy adventure, but it would seem most at home in the fantasy section. I don't see why it would go in YA since the themes aren't particularly aimed at young people and all the characters are adults. The 'YA' aspect of the movies came more from Disney's marketing than the actual story.

Alexandra does have a point about the second movie not being as good as the first, but the third was AWEsome. I actually like At World's End better than Black Pearl. (Which is completely irrelevant to this topic, actually)

Siddow · Jul 3, 2007

It would be on the front table just as you walk in the door.

Chasing the Horizon · Jul 3, 2007

But even the books at the front door have to have a genre assigned by the publisher, don't they?

Siddow · Jul 3, 2007

"Commercial fiction"

and again, with a

triceretops · Jul 3, 2007

My vote's for adventure fantasy.

Betcha didn't know King Kong was adventure.

Tri

Dominic · Jul 3, 2007

I remember reading a quote from Orson Scott Card that your book will be placed in the area where the editor thinks it will sell best, unless you're established enough to warrant more of a choice. Given this, Disney could probably propel it into any and, possibly, all the categories if they wanted to.

That means that the comparison is kind of a mute point. The categories I could see most probably would be Historical Fantasy, 'Fiction' (the general catchall which publishers seem convinced is where I would look for a book related to sailing, even if it is only a background story element), or Adventure. YA? Maybe, but it would, again, depend on the editor.

Fun little exercise though. Good luck with it.

Dominic

barnicus · Sep 15, 2007

Fantasy hmm.

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desertcomet · Sep 15, 2007

I have seen a few pirate books in the YA fantasy section if that's of any help.

amber_grosjean · Sep 16, 2007

I don't think the characters being adults make a difference for YA. I've read on one of the boards here that young adults like reading about people slightly older than themselves which means adults would be fine for that genre. In fact a publisher requested that I made my MC older than 21 so she turned 25 for the beginning of the story.

I've only seen the first one too and I think it would be Fantasy as well. And knowing what happens in the movie, adventure would fit nicely as well. I don't see it being historical but your book might be if you are using real facts. But I think the editor will also tell you too so what you believe the genre is may be different when the book comes out. Stolen Identity was like that. I had it under romance at the beginning, then chaged it to erotica. When it was published, the house turned it into erotica thriller. I didn't even see the thriller in there lol. I was just writing it lol.

Amber

writermom · Sep 16, 2007

I saw it today in the MG section at B&N's.

wayndom · Sep 16, 2007

barnicus said:
I lurk most of the time, however, I have a question now. If Pirates of the Caribbean [the movie] were made into a novel and placed on a bookstore shelf, what genre would it be found under?

My instinct tells me fantasy, but I think fantasy is more like Lord of the Rings. My story is like Pirates in that it is historical, there is very minor fantasy involved [comparable to the pirates curse], and most of it is action.

It has to be fantasy. Regardless of how few words are devoted to the fantasy aspects, no novel that includes immortal characters can be historical. Even biblical stories like The Robe and The Ten Commandments are put in a separate, "biblical" genre, not historical.

Libbie · Sep 17, 2007

barnicus said:
I lurk most of the time, however, I have a question now. If Pirates of the Caribbean [the movie] were made into a novel and placed on a bookstore shelf, what genre would it be found under?

My instinct tells me fantasy, but I think fantasy is more like Lord of the Rings. My story is like Pirates in that it is historical, there is very minor fantasy involved [comparable to the pirates curse], and most of it is action.

Thanks for any help.

Pirates of the Caribbean is definitely not very historically accurate! Real pirates were NOTHING like the lovable swashbucklers that Hollywood has always portrayed.

Pirates would most definitely be in fantasy, IMO - all that sea-goddess stuff, all the curses and the walking dead...definitely fantasy.

Libbie · Sep 17, 2007

Alexandra Little said:
We won't kill you--the second movie wasn't worth the price of admission and food (*ducks*) and while I've seen the third, I think it is only seeing Barbossa again and Keith Richards' little part that keeps me from flunking it (*hides behind a bush*).

What?!

If not for the fact that you have Mal in a bonnet for your signature, I'd have to throw things at you, too!

Toothpaste · Sep 17, 2007

We are in fantasy my friend. Unless of course you have written a Patrick O'Brian-esque novel about pirates, like really accurate, no magic etc . . . it's fantasy.

Writer14 · Sep 17, 2007

Historical Adventure Pirate-On-the-Open-Sea-That-May-Include-Zombies-Who-Look-Like-People-in-the-Dark Fantasy.

=]

Okay. Joking aside (i'm in a silly mood. sorry ><) Anyway. Historical Adventure Fantasy. Probably MG depending on how much it took from the movie, I'm guessing.

Niteowl · Sep 17, 2007

MG is ?? Magical Ghoulishness? Mundane Gunnery? Mythical Gazelles?

Is there a sticky somewhere that has all the acronyms that folks use around here?

PeeDee · Sep 17, 2007

If it were a historically accurate pirate novel (I have a few on my shelf) than it would be a Historical Novel. If it were pirates but took some liberties, then it might be Alternate History, a small but wonderful sub-genre (God bless you, Harry Turtledove). If it had the fantasy trappings of PotC (and 50% better plot than PotC2 or 3) then it would be fantasy...

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