Sci-Fi Genres (updated)

1. human beings are genetically enhanced

2. antihero utilizes genetic mods to overthrow the

3. totalitarian government

Ex. Gattaca

Biopunk

In a world where parents can choose the genetics of their child, Vincent was born the "old fashioned way" and came out less than perfect.

In order to achieve his dreams of space flight, Vincent finds ingenious ways of fooling genetic sensors while concealing his secret.

Ex. Enemy Mine

The story of two rival soldiers stranded on a remote planet together. The two have to learn each other's language and culture and overcome their fears in order to survive.

Soft Sci-fi --> psychological look at how humans view other cultures and how we can overcome our fears by humanizing the other person

focuses on the social sciences (psychology, economics, political science, sociology, and anthropology) or character emotions and feelings

Note: all characters experience emotion in stories. It will only qualify as "soft" if the emotion is the KEY FOCUS of the story.

Ex. A person struggles with fear of dying, or confronts rejection by peers, etc

Cyberpunk

Soft/Social Sci-Fi

Ex. The Matrix

Intelligent machines have enslaved the human race, trapping them in virtual simulations of the real world. A few people can enter/exit the alternate reality at will, hacking the program to fight the machines.

1. human beings are mechanically enhanced and/or can interact with machines

2. antihero usually utilizes technological means to overthrow the

3. totalitarian technological government (or those who use tech to control others)

Ex. Jurassic Park

Hard Sci-Fi

Utopia / Dystopia

pays rigorous attention to the detail of quantitative sciences (sciences that can be measured like physics, astrophysics, chemistry, quantum physics, etc) or goes into minute detail about the processes behind advanced technology

Ex. Hunger Games

On paper, everything looks great: everyone has a guaranteed job, the government provides you with food, housing, schooling, etc.

However, those gifts are traps: no one can leave their district, no one can trap or kill their own food, no one can question the authority.

And then there's the games...

shows the reader a society that is (supposedly) perfect from the point of view of an outsider to that regime

Alternate History

Ex. Godzilla

Japanese for "strange creature", this sub-genre depicts wide-scale destruction linked to a giant monster

The OG Kaiju, many scholars have claimed Godzilla is an allegory for the Japanese bombings during WWII: a creature coming from the West with atomic breath leads to massive, wide-scale obliteration of cities. It can't be reasoned with--simply endured. When the creature has sated its need for destruction, it returns to the West, leaving Japan to pick up the pieces. No one feels safe because no one knows when it might return.

(Additionally, the costume designer for Godzilla based the skin pattern on human skin that had radiation burns)

Ex. The Man in the High Castle

Ex. 2012

takes readers on a “what if” tour of history, looking at how events in the past have affected the future (e.g. What if the Nazis had won WWII?)

The Axis Powers won WWII and divided up the world. America has been split between Japan (ruling the west coast) and Germany (ruling the east coast). The main characters (some being Jews in hiding) navigate the tumultuous clash between the two, new world powers.

A heating core causes Earth's crust to begin to displace causing intense earthquakes, mega-tsunamis, super-volcanoes, and other massive natural disasters.

Kaiju

takes a long-distance view on how events within the context of a story will affect that universe (e.g. how destroying a peaceful planet will shape an empire, then how that empire is overthrown, then how a new power fills the void, etc); usually shows up in a series but not always

deals with how human civilization was destroyed (virus, weapons, self-destruction, ecological accident, etc)

Future History

Ex. Dune (series)

The focus of the series is how one person plans to turn a desert planet back into a lush world (spans over 5,000 years).

Also shows how one "god emperor" bent an entire universe to his will.

Apocalyptic

Historical

focuses on going back in time and trying to change horrendous events, usually highlights the inevitability of predestined pathways

Post-Apocalyptic

The World of Science Fiction

Time Travel

Ex. Mad Max franchise

deals with the aftermath of the end of civilization; usually a sociological study on how "civilization" is created and how different people cope with crisis.

Following a nuclear apocalypse, society has collapsed. Murderous warlords have filled the void, grabbing up power and resources and using violence to maintain control. Max (and later Furiosa) attempt to fight back and help those who can't fight for themselves.

Ex. The Time Machine

A desperate scientist creates a time machine to try and undo the death of his fiance. However, every time she is saved, she dies another way.

Eventually, the scientist accidentally travels to the FAR future and helps to liberate the descendents of humanity from their oppressors.

emphasis is on story rather than science and technology (think soap opera in space); story could be put in another setting and still play out

Ex. Wild Wild West

An ex-Confederate engineer comes up with a plan for revenge against President Ulysses S. Grant, and it's up to two federal agents to stop him.

Steampunk elements include a tank (not invented until early 1900s) and a giant mechanical spider with nitroglycerin cannons. :)

Space Opera

What Else is Out There?

This list is not exhaustive. People are creating new sub-genres all the time. Some have written examples, but haven't been translated into film while others have yet to be created.

Other Notable "Punks"

Ex. Star Wars

Other examples: Religious Sci-Fi

Mystery Sci-Fi

Steampunk

Clockpunk

Dieselpunk

Atompunk

Nanopunk

A wise, old being tells a young boy from the middle of nowhere that he is destined for greatness. He is gifted a magical sword to help him take down an evil creature with vast powers.

Other

futuristic style technology that is present in the Victorian Era; usually portrays machinery downgraded and powered by steam or coal

Fantastic Voyage

the equivalent of a space epic that showcases the journey of the characters

Has elements that would traditionally be categorized as fantasy, BUT uses science to explain their existence (e.g. dragons are genetically bred, magic is superior technology that we don't understand, elves are aliens, demons are extra-dimensional beings, etc)

Focuses on a romantic story that just happens to have sci-fi elements in it.

Science Fantasy

Ex. Titan: A.E.

Science Romance

(Sci-Fi + Fantasy)

Ex. Thor franchise

(Sci-Fi + Romance)

A ragtag group of adventurers follow a space map that is supposed to take them to a fable ark Titan that can recreate the destroyed planet Earth

Gods are non-human beings with increased strength and lifespans; the "nine realms" are different planets; magic is done with advanced tech or quantum manipulation; dwarves, elves, etc are alien beings; infinity stones are artifacts left over from a vastly powerful, extinct alien race, and so on

Ex. The Time Traveler's Wife

Henry has a rare condition that randomly pulls him through time. He meets and interacts with various younger versions of his wife, Clare, while she nervously awaits his return in the present, never knowing if he will return safely or not.

Hybrids

looks at the horrifying side of science and the unknown

Dark

Comedic

(Sci-Fi + Horror)

(Sci-Fi + Comedy)

Ex. Alien

What if there is other intelligent life in the universe? And what if its sole goal was to use us like cattle? What if our technology couldn't save us against it?

What if it used our own bodies against us?

Ex. Evolution

exploits the oddities within the genre for comedic effect

Evolution takes millions of years and STILL produces some weird stuff...

what would happen if it was hyper-accelerated?

Ex. X-Men franchise

emphasizes the expansion of the human race with those of greater than average ability and the subsequent alienation of those individuals / trouble of hero to feel "normal"

"Sworn to protect a world that hates and fears them," the mutants of the X-Men franchise are the perfect example of the fear of human evolution. Governments panic, try to imprison, criminalize, and sterilize mutants, create defenses to track them down, and question their very humanity (first 3). Also, the mutants struggle for self-acceptance and whether or not to hide their true nature (last 3)

replicates the "wild frontier" mindset of the old west by showing pioneer towns on newly discovered or terraformed worlds; usually includes character archetypes of the outlaw, the lawman, the saloon owner, the madam, etc

Space Westerns

Superhuman

(Sci-Fi + Westerns)

(Sci-Fi + Comics)

Ex. Firefly

Based off an idea Whedon had about how former Confederate soldiers may have felt after the Civil War ended, the series follows a group of outlaws trying to do what they see as the right thing in the face of a quickly changing society.

large scale war (usually interplanetary or intergalactic) from a soldier’s point of view; usually emphasizes the psychological toll war has on soldiers or the futility of war, or the corrupt motives of those involved.

Military

Ex. Starship Troopers

Follows Juan Rico as he enlists, climbs the ranks, gains prestige in the battle against the Bugs, and eventually becomes commander of his own unit.

*book is very pro-military and anti-Communist, while the film casts the military society as brainwashing its citizens and throwing away their lives without consideration

(Sci-Fi + Military Fiction)