Hi, I was just searching for some Fantasy books in the library and I didn't find any for 2-3 pages as they are in a category which includes Science Fiction, Fantasy and Vampire books.  To me they are very different, I only read Fantasy frequently, 'pure' Science Fiction occasionally and Vampire never; so searching for my prefered genre takes ages unless I search for authors, which doesn't give me the opportunity to find new authors.

I can see that it would require all on the existing list to be re-categorised, but is there any possibility that they could be broken up into these categories from now on?  If a note were to be placed on the login page, anyone with these books on their swap list could go back to re-categorise.

What does anyone think?  Is it a really big job to add the split categories from now on in adding books to the swap list?  Are there any other Categories which might benefit from a re-think?

I am really only suggesting this as a discussion point, but it would be nice from my point of view.

In the time I've been a RISI member there have been lots of requests for Admin to increase the number of categories and for all sorts of very good reasons, but there have never been any changes made.  I don't know why, apart from the fact that the admin guys are always far too busy doing their day jobs!  But I'm afraid the best way to search on here is by author (or specific title) rather than by genre - if I want to do that I use another site first for suggestions, then come here to look for specific authors or titles.

I find searching on amazon with a book you like, it brings up new authors with the same genre. I know it's not the same but it could help you find books you want :)

Thanks, yes I do that for my Kindle but hadn't thought that it could help for RiSi.  That said, since our house flooded last December I have not been swapping. We have returned home now but I have to check the state of all my swaps before I can activate them.  When I have no more boxes to empty that will be the next job!  

Completely agree with you hilarygra about dividing up Science Fiction and Fantasy.

I am into Science Fiction so do not read Fantasy and would never ever contemplate reading Vampire.  I have a friend who is into Fantasy and would never read Science Fiction so I think it's probably not that uncommon for Science Fiction and Fantasy readers to stick to one without too much cross-over, certainly not enough to have to combine them into the same category.

I ready don't know why people insist on putting them in the same category when they are so completely different.  I know people who read neither might lump it all into the same category but a website that deals exclusively with books should know better.

kiwikoala:

I know people who read neither might lump it all into the same category but a website that deals exclusively with books should know better.

I feel that comment is very harsh really.  Quite a few genres are linked together, the reason they might not be able to split them might have been down to available space when creating the site.

I admit I don't know much about how a website works but I'm pretty certain that the decision had nothing to do with the space available as if they are lumped into one category or divided into two makes no difference to the actual number of books on the site and just means there's an extra category heading on the left of the screen that points the website to where the books are listed.  There are already approximately 30 category headings so an extra one really shouldn't make much difference and adding an extra category option when putting a book on the site also shouldn't be a problem.

There may also be a few cross-over books that link Science Fiction and Fantasy but from my Science Fiction reading experience this is not common and would only be a tiny percentage of the 12707 currently listed Science Fiction & Fantasy books.  Certainly not enough to justify putting them all in the same category.

Maybe the person who set this site up used to work in a second hand book store where they also seem to think that Science Fiction and Fantasy are one genre.  New book stores don't do this because they know better.

As there are so many books in the category now I don't imagine they are going to change it but they shouldn't have done it in the first place.  When I want a Science Fiction book I search by author or book title rather than just look at what books are in the library as like hilarygra I have to trawl through pages and pages of books I would never contemplate reading.

Sorry, rant over now.   

 Ok kiwikoala!  We do understand your point.  Unfortunately this site is owned by two guys who set it up on their own, and the list of categories has remained the same since then.  It is a free site, and they both have other, full time jobs, but they are open to suggestions.  It is the time that changes take that's the problem.

We will forward this thread to them for their information - perhaps there will be time before the end of the year for this one to be split - especially as fantasy novels have become a much larger group than they used to be.  All I can say is, keep your eyes peeled.

janetandjohn:

We will forward this thread to them for their information - perhaps there will be time before the end of the year for this one to be split - especially as fantasy novels have become a much larger group than they used to be.  All I can say is, keep your eyes peeled.

That was one reason why I thought they might have been together due to them both being smaller genres at one point and as you say Mrs Mac Fantasy novels have really taken off in the last 5 years or so. 

I may be a cynic but I'm not at all sure that splitting up the categories would really make things much easier as there seem to be more than a few members who can't tell the difference between SF and Fantasy anyway, so that books would constantly be listed in the wrong categories and searching for them would be no easier than it is now. (In fact, if you had to search two separate categories it could even be more cumbersome).  I've just had the briefest of searches among some other categories and have found David Nicholl's One Day in Historical Fiction, The Girl Who Played with Fire (Stieg Larsson) in Romance, and Anybody Out There by Marian Keyes in Horror....    I could go on, probably indefinitely, but I hope those examples make my point!!

pennyt:

Anybody Out There by Marian Keyes in Horror.... 

That's where I'd put her anyway Pennyt! only joking, Keyes lovers.... I just don't read her so DON'T ALL SHOUT AT ONCE!!

Mind you, I never look in the categories..... if I am looking for a book I just put the name in the box and click search - we either have it or we don't!  If you can't remember the name of the book, put the author's name in.....

Who's Marian Keyes?   

janetandjohn:

Mind you, I never look in the categories..... if I am looking for a book I just put the name in the box and click search - we either have it or we don't!  If you can't remember the name of the book, put the author's name in.....

Exactly!!   

tolly18:

Who's Marian Keyes?   

You mean you've never read a Marian Keyes Penny?  You don't know what you're missing!!

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/k/marian-keyes/

There you go Penny.  Take a look you might see something you fancy.  Like a tasty slice of Watermelon!!

wyres:

You mean you've never read a Marian Keyes Penny?  You don't know what you're missing!!

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/k/marian-keyes/

There you go Penny.  Take a look you might see something you fancy.  Like a tasty slice of Watermelon!!

Thanks, Bernie - I'll pass!