genre: mystery and steampunk - Writers Forum

CroZ · 10-13-2006, 08:13 PM

Does the mystery genre always have to be a kind of murder mystery/detective story? Or can it be anything that involves 'a mystery'? Like following clues to find a treasure, or doing the same to find a person.

Does steampunk always have to be set in an alternate past (on earth),
or can it be in a made up fantasy style wolrd, like Middle Earth in the industrial age.

Thanks.

bob rulz · 10-14-2006, 03:40 AM

I can't call myself an expert on genre defining, but I'll see what I can do.

A murder mystery/detective story sounds to me like just an investigation story, which is a subgenre of mystery. Mystery expands out to include many other elements, and is often incorporated into other types of stories. Mystery itself includes any elements of mystery, whether or not intense investigation is involved or is the main element of the story.

The second would fit the definition of steampunk.

imrhati · 10-14-2006, 08:11 AM

mystery can be added as a sub genre to any other genre, i.e. Richard Morgan's Altered Carbon (which is a great read FYI).

Ig you wnat to you can write it in any genre, BUT you need to make sure you are aware of how the time changes the way people investigate. That is very important to making it good.

suzakugaiden · 10-15-2006, 03:42 AM

In Der Richter und Sein Henker, the actual mystery involves figuring out who murdered Ulrich Schmied, although this is completely de-emphasized after a certain point to focus on the relationship between Baerlach and Gastmann, the nature of a justice system in which the judge IS the executioner, by proxy, and also Tschanz mental collapse. In this case, the mystery is not the main point, but is rather a vehicle for the moral topics the book presents.

CroZ · 10-15-2006, 01:12 PM

Thanks.

But to clarify, what kind of mystery would you consider trying to find someone, to be? Not as a sub-genre but as part of the main story.

Like, a child finds out he was adopted/or born in a lab, then needs to follow a string of clues to found out where his real family are, while uncovering new information about himself. Or would that just be slotted in as a contemporary-mystery?

imrhati · 10-15-2006, 02:54 PM

well that is more of a plto than a setting. I don't think there is a specific name for it ut it might clasify as sci-fi depending on the tech level.