SciFi – short for Science Fiction – is a genre of speculative fiction. Speculative fiction means genres with elements that don’t exist. It often overlaps with fantasy, horror, and romance, too.

Most Science Fiction novels take place in the future, accounting for the scientific advancement. SciFi also tends to stick to Earth and the world setting as we know it, with the solar system, milky way, and law of physics. Although we do see more SFF – science fiction fantasy – cross genre books.

Hard Science Fiction

Hard SciFi novels are focused on the science. Whether it’s physics, biology, or chemistry, it’s a large and integral part of the story.

Most Science Fiction novels take place in the future, accounting for scientific advancement. SciFi also tends to stick to Earth and the world setting as we know it, with the solar system, milky way, and law of physics. Although we do see more SFF – science fiction fantasy – cross-genre books.

e.g. The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin

Space Opera

Many Hard SciFi novels are also Space Opera, but not all Space Opera novels are Hard SciFi. The story takes place across the galaxy and is often a long series, because of how vast the setting is.
Many of them include aliens, but they can be good or bad guys,

e.g. Dune by Frank Herbert

Soft Science Fiction

Soft SciFi books care less about the science and more about the plot, or about softer science such as anthropology and psychology. They often read more like other genres of fiction with the world and technology as secondary characters.
A lot of cross-genre SciFi is Soft Sci-Fi, for example, my new book It’s a Match has a near-future setting with more advanced technology, but the plot is on the ethics of AI and big data through a romance lens.

e.g. 1984 by George Orwell

Time or Space Travel

There is no official name for this genre yet but it’s gaining in popularity. Time travel can be classified as fantasy depending on the concept, but the use of time-space continuum, parallel Earth, and different dimensions are all usually under SciFi.
If the ability to travel through time and space is through genetic or technology, it’s SciFi.

e.g. The Next Together by Lauren James

Dystopian

One of my favourite categories is Dystopian novels. A lot of the books in this genre are also Young Adult (YA). They take place in a society or community that is flawed, usually with their laws or the way it’s structured.
The events leading to the setup of this society are usually uncovered during the story or suppressed often involve a catastrophic event that leads to this society, which can be due to the government, environment, or technology.

e.g. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Apocalyptic

This is when the story is dealing with a catastrophic event that usually has to do with nuclear weapons, alien invasion, or natural disasters (even zombies). The story tends to follow the characters trying to survive in the chaos and more plot-heavy.

e.g. The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey

Post-Apocalyptic

While similar to Dystopian, the Post-Apocalyptic story definitely features a catastrophic event that is usually global. This can be immediately after that or a long time after, with the history of the time before the catastrophic event becoming forgotten or a myth.

e.g. Exodus by Julie Bertagna

To differentiate between Dystopian and Post-Apocalyptic, it depends on whether the central conflict is to do with an established society and culture. For example, the Hunger Games and Selection are Dystopian, and the Host is Post-Apocalyptic (after an alien invasion).
All three are my favourite genre which is why I break them down here. I have a soft spot for them, especially since they’re almost like a prequel, main story, and sequel.

Steampunk

The most distinctive style, Steampunk is a genre of SciFi that uses retro-futuristic technology, most notably steam-powered ones. This puts it in the Victorian era and sometimes involves alternate future and fashion from the time period as well.

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