SF&F Sub-Genres

Science Fiction Sub-genres

1. Hard Science Fiction: Focuses on the scientific accuracy and detail in both the natural and social sciences. The narrative is driven by ideas and speculations derived from actual or potential science.
2. Soft Science Fiction: Prioritizes the development of characters and their relationships over the accuracy of scientific details. It often incorporates elements of sociology, psychology, and anthropology.
3. Space Opera: Emphasizes space warfare, melodramatic adventure, interplanetary battles, and epic scenarios. Think of it as "opera in space."
4. Military Science Fiction: Concentrates on the military aspect of future societies, often including technology, procedures, and structure of armed forces.
5. Cyberpunk: Characterized by futuristic urban dystopias, advanced technology, and a dark, gritty tone. It often explores the impact of the internet, artificial intelligence, and cybernetics on society.
6. Steampunk: Combines science fiction with Victorian-era aesthetics and steam-powered machinery.
7. Biopunk: Focuses on the implications of biotechnology and genetic engineering. It often portrays a world where the lines between human and machine or biological and mechanical are blurred.
8. Time Travel: Revolves around the concept of moving backward or forward in time, usually with an invented machine or profound scientific method.
9. Post-Apocalyptic: Depicts life after a catastrophic event has devastated Earth, often featuring survival in a changed world.
10. Dystopian: Presents a society that's oppressive, totalitarian, or post-apocalyptic. It often explores themes of political repression, personal freedom, and societal collapse.

Fantasy Sub-genres

1. High/Epic Fantasy: Features extensive world-building, complex plots, and large-scale conflicts. It often includes elements like magic, mythical creatures, and a clear struggle between good and evil.
2. Low Fantasy: Stories set in the real world but with fantastical elements. The magic and supernatural aspects are often subtle or underplayed.
3. Urban Fantasy: Combines the ordinary world with magical elements, usually set in a city.
4. Dark Fantasy: Melds fantasy with elements of horror, often including a dark, gloomy atmosphere, and focusing on the nightmarish and the grotesque.
5. Heroic Fantasy: Revolves around a hero or group of heroes engaged in a quest or adventure, often in a medieval-like setting.
6. Sword and Sorcery: Prioritizes action, and often revolves around a sword-wielding hero who confronts supernatural foes or evil sorcerers.
7. Paranormal Fantasy: Usually set in the modern world and includes elements such as ghosts, vampires, werewolves, and other supernatural phenomena.
8. Romantic Fantasy: Focuses on relationships and romantic love within a fantastical setting or context.
9. Magical Realism: Integrates fantastical elements into a realistic setting, often in a subtle or matter-of-fact manner, blurring the boundaries between reality and fantasy.
10. Fairy Tale Retellings: Reimagines or extends traditional fairy tales or folklore, often adding new twists or reinterpreting elements.

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