Passive or interactive - what kind of novel do you prefer?

Hi, I have always preferred for interesting novels and since it is interesting, I hardly bother whether it is inter active or traditional ones. Sometimes we feel so bored reading the same author's same style of writing.

I guess I haven't read an Interactive novel yet... can you give us a sample of it please so that we can check how it differs from the traditional one. Is Harry Potter one example of an Interactive novel. For me, I would prefer the typical traditional novel. I love how these stories were made and I guess it becomes interactive too when you think of how the story would end. Although you have no choice what ending you want it to have. But the thrill of having to wonder what if the ending would be on my way and not the author's way is something that I enjoy in novels.

The interactive novel would take more time, and also takes some effort. I like to read for entertainment, not have to work. If I wanted to help write the book, I'd just write one. And I'd probably never get finished with the story. Wouldn't quite be the same.They'd probably go in the direction of virtual reality entertainment or "holodecks" ala Star Trek.

I'm not quite sure I understand what you meant by interactive novels. Were you referring to books like Goosebumps where there are alternate endings depending on the choices you made at the end of each chapter? Either way I think I'd prefer your "passive" stories more. Sure all the readers do is just read but the reader is allowed to imagine the possibilities of what will happen while reading before getting to the end of the story. While you may get disappointed with how the writer ends it, I think it's still nice to have felt the thrill while reading.

I would have to go with the passive. Haven't experienced any interactive stuff but have heard of it. I did email an author and told her what I thought of her book. That was nice as I had wished I could do something like it in the past. I hope the traditional novel will survive as I am yet to publish mine.

I prefer traditional and I don't see it as passive. As long as I can interpret what I read, identify (or not) with the characters, have a critical opinion, come up with my own version of the story, fantasise about it and so on, I don't perceive the act of reading as passive. I don't think that the reader...just reads. I'm sure plenty of interesting things can be done with interactive novels, it sounds like an interesting concept, but I very much doubt that the traditional novel will ever disappear.

It's good to see many people here still enjoy traditional novels, and I am one of them. I do remember reading an interactive Archie comic book when I was younger. There were always three choices of what Archie would do. I picked my choice and finished the story, and then later came back and picked the second choice, then picked the third. So in a way it was like 3 stories in one, so it's more work for the author and more fun for kids. I am a teacher so an interactive storytelling activity is something I like and kids like it as well. Personally, though, I'd still prefer traditional novels. I like the excitement, or fear, or sadness and sudden happiness the twists and turns in a story can give. I read for the sake of entertainment and authors are authors because they know how to entertain people. Novels will stay, I think. Maybe more and more people will start reading e-books instead of paperbacks, but they are novels all the same.

When I read a novel or see a play or a film , I ask tell me a story, Not Let me help you tell a story. If I Have to help write this story, I expect to get royalties!

When I was a kid (and I'm sure you can still find them somewhere) I loved reading the Choose Your Own Adventure series. Each book had several twists and turns that you could choose as you read. You'd read a few pages - usually five or ten at the most - and it would have an option. If you want to do this, go to this page. If you want to do that, go to this other page...and the story would continue from there. Sometimes you'd come to another choice, other times your choice would lead to the end of the story. Then you could go back to where you made that choice and read the second option. They were a lot of fun.

I have never heard of an interactive novel. I don't see the value of that innovation. It seems to me that it is change just for the sake of change, promoted by people who are going to make money out of it. Give me printed books that I can store in my personal library.

Hi! What do you mean by passive? I think I like novels about law. Thrilling ones with a good twist of stories.

I think I'd prefer traditional novel. I prefer to read on the paper than on the screen. However we should be open to the changes and these are a lot in our time. I could be part of interactive readers too. I find interesting if we can communicate with the author and have the opportunity to write in his novel. But I think traditional novel will survive in the future.