u/Some-Increase-5869

Dark fantasy series that switches sub gennre

Ok so I have an ongoing dark fantasy vampire series that starts in modern day America, with a very gothic vibe. Books two through four are more of a classic quest/historical fantasy (still dark). Then back to the gothic/modern feel for books five and six.

My betas have called it blade like, into the Witcher, and back.

Readers have left good reviews, but I've had far fewer than I would like.

I'm wondering if this is a real barrier for people in general. Would you be put off by this concept?

The other issue could be that they are novellas, circa 40K words each. So maybe that's what's holding people back?

Thanks in advance for any comments.

I'm exclusivly querying UK agents ATM, so this is more of a cover letter than query letter. Thanks in advance for any advice!

Dear [agent],

I am seeking representation for BROKEN MACHINE, an 82,000-word speculative novel that combines the political urgency of Prophet Song with the workplace anxieties of The Warehouse.

When a shop owner’s secret work with an anti-automation movement turns into sabotage, she must choose between her police officer partner, her shop, and the fight for human dignity.

Manchester is hollowed out by automation. Shops are shuttered and apartment buildings stand empty. But Niki Wesson won’t give up on the hardware shop she inherited from her parents, so when an anti-automation uprising reaches the streets of Manchester, she chooses to sell placard kits to the very people her partner is out policing.

What begins as desperate pragmatism grows into conviction as protests give way to acts of sabotage, forcing Niki to hide her activities from the man she loves. Niki risks not only her relationship but the very thing she’s been trying to preserve, even as the automated future she fears takes shape around her.

I'm based in Manchester and write whenever I can. I have a short story, Isolation, published with Bandit Fiction and a series of self-published novellas on KDP.

Broken Machine grew from my interest in the ways automation is reshaping work and personal identity. This is my debut novel, and I envisage it as a standalone.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

First 300

‘You’re not wearing it.’ He ran his thumb over her wrist, where he wanted the patch to be.

‘I’ve survived this long without one,’ Niki told him.

‘Your dad didn’t.’

She pulled her hand away and frowned. ‘Charles. That’s low.’

‘Sorry.’ He looked away. ‘But heart attacks have plummeted.’

Niki bent to tie her laces. ‘That’s what the adverts say.’

‘It’s what the hospitals say.’ He reached for her handbag. ‘The doctor recommended it.’

She straightened. ‘I don’t want something monitoring me all day long.’

‘It only monitors your vitals.’

‘You don’t actually believe that?’

He sighed and put a canister of pepper spray into her bag. ‘I’m just worried about you.’

Niki shook her head and took the bag. ‘You worry too much.’

‘It’s my job,’ he said, leaning closer. ‘You’re gonna be late.’

She checked the time on her phone. He was right. She kissed him goodbye but paused on her way through the doorway, looking him over. Seeing him in uniform always left a chill in her stomach that wouldn’t ease until he was home from work.

‘You’re the one who needs to be careful.’

He smiled. ‘Always.’

She tossed her bag over her shoulder and set off.

Outside the former mill, a drunk lay sprawled on the grass, half asleep in the early morning dark. He mumbled something up at her, and she pretended not to see him, moving quickly from red brick to street, tallying a mark on the unpleasant side of her mental chart.

The bus arrived on time, as they always did since they went driverless, and Niki joined the small queue to board. In front of her was a shell, its metallic body marked with luminous yellow stripes that caught the fading glow of the streetlights.