Dime novel

Heftroman (also dime novel or Grosch booklet called ) refers to a form of popular literature. These are novels in DIN A5 format, which were published in book form in low-cost high-volume and were intended as cheap consumer goods.

The term penny dreadfuls and dime novel comes from a time when they cost a dime or more. Today in book form published novels cost between one and five euros.

The format exists mainly in German-speaking countries; in the United States, for example, the respective market segment of cheap paperbacks is filled.

Romanheft

A novel stapling or stitching novel is a novel stapled in the format DIN C5. It appears in the weekly or bi- weekly basis at newsagents and thus bears no ISBN. A novel issue has always been about 64 pages ( exception: Novels by Hedwig Courths Mahler and the double volumes of the 1980s) and is printed in two columns. The paper is bleached thin and environmentally friendly, the price of 1.60 to 1.90 € still low.

Pocket guide

Pocket books are novels that have been made ​​with an adhesive bond in the format DIN B6 and its equipment corresponds approximately to the present-day paperbacks, with usually much thinner envelope paper is being used. Here, the distribution of paperbacks different in that the pocket books are not available through the book trade. Therefore, the appearance of rhythm, as in magazines is common, more weekly, not monthly. Pocket books cost around € 5 and are also called dime novels.

History

This type of literature has grown up very early, first as a broadsheet, later, distributed in the form of a simple pamphlet. The genus was created by Italian and French translations, and partly ancient sources, the themes of love and adventure was a focus. At that time, printed one designated as " chapbooks " on cheap, löschblattartigem paper and then sold the product for little money at fairs. These chapbooks enabled the survival of a variety of old legends and fairy tales. This booklet offered children and adults humorous and teaching, exciting and sad stories, served the construction as well as the entertainment and so covered a broad range of topics.

Over time, the chapbooks came more and more into oblivion, but were awakened by the German Romantics in the 19th century to life.

From the mid 19th century novels in book form can be found mostly weekly print products appearing on the book and magazine market in most countries in Europe and North America. In England and North America they were called analogous to the German term as Penny Dreadfuls and Dime Novel, in Germany were in the 19th century, the terms railroad literature, or ( by the publishers ) used Conversations and travel literature. Dime novels first appeared in " large format " (quart ), later in the octave or Duodezformat. They had according to the sheet a circumference of 24 or 32 pages, and later from 50 to 100 pages. The booklets were partially richly illustrated. It was striking a colored cover picture, which represented a dramatic scene and was provided with a lurid subtitle.

The years 1905-1914 was the heyday of the German book novel. Neither before nor after this time has there been so many pulp novel series and comparable long runs. During this time, the issue novels were able to prevail with their final series heroes. Prior to 1914, appeared in Germany around 100 book series. Were dominated by three publishers: the Publisher of Folk Literature and Art (Berlin), the Dresden novel publisher and the publisher for modern reading (Berlin).

Another precursor of the pulps can be called the " collections " or " Library Series". Were written and they are mostly from authors who write anonymously or under a pseudonym, or by writing collectives according to standardized specifications, depending on the genre. They are available in a variety of topics, so-called women's or doctor novels such as "The Mountain Doctor," " Dr. Stefan Frank " etc., Destiny, Berg/Heimat-, Castle novels, but also detective stories, science fiction, Fantasy, Horror, The soldier or Wild West novels ( Western). Some of these novel series have a continuous storyline that connects the individual novels (eg Perry Rhodan ). Several successful novel templates were filmed ( Jerry Cotton ) or as a television series went on the air ( John Sinclair).

Literary classification

The book belongs to the Roman popular fiction, a genre of stereotypes and simple linguistic means, which sometimes leads of stamping the entire genre as " pulp fiction ".

The publishers need to put reasons of business policy on proven concepts. Forms and contents are targeted reproduced and may vary slightly. Due to the low price and high support usually plays originality because of the market risks associated with a subordinate role. To Authors and replace if necessary, the framework is often defined in the form of a series synopses, are given in the recurring characters, histories and dramaturgical template.

Issue Novels appear today as a series and as series.

Usually is the focus of a series of a hero who has to repeatedly made ​​new adventures. In Germany succeeded Series with this concept to achieve cult status. These include the voltage classic novel Buffalo Bill, " the hero of the Wild West ", the book series Rolf Torring, Nick Carter, Jack Morlan, " America's greatest detective ," Nat Pinkerton or later the science fiction series Perry Rhodan, the crime series to the FBI agent Jerry Cotton or the ghosts crime series ghost hunter John Sinclair. In the romance area in particular appear the doctor novels as series ( for example, Dr. Stefan Frank, Dr. North or the Bergdoktor ).

However, Heftroman series frame self-contained stories about a particular topic. Regarding the topic of romance novels mainly find such series. In Prince Roman, for example, every week a new story from the world of high nobility is told. Another example of this is the home of novels set in the Bavarian or Austrian mountains. These romances follow the same old drama and let Roman Roman for a new potential lovers meet. This gets into a conflict, the love seems irretrievably lost, the conflict is resolved because the couple ( or one of them ) for the love of fighting, and at the end promises you eternal faithfulness.

In addition to the controversial topic adventure series Landser appear mainly Western novels.

Known authors who initially made ​​their money magazine novels and their names now gained notoriety in other contexts, are: Wolfgang hollow leg, Karl May ( = trash - Author), Stefan Wolf, Hedwig Courths Mahler, Horst Bosetzky, Anna Basener and many other more.