Most fantasy can be divided into either real-world or off-world fantasy (sometimes called second world fantasy). The distinction is obvious: real-world fantasy takes place in the “real world” (so most urban and contemporary fantasy, as well as things like historical
Subgenre Study: Dystopia/Apocalyptic Fiction
This week on Subgenre Study, we will be looking at the seemingly-increasingly popular subgenre of Dystopia, or Apocalyptic Fiction. This is a subgenre of science fiction that takes place anywhere from the near to far future which portrays a bleak
Subgenre Study: Sword and Sorcery
GUYS I got to touch an ALPACA. Although it was fairly bad-tempered. I may let you see when I finish photoshopping twisty evil moustaches on the pictures. Anyway, on to the topic at hand. Sword and Sorcery is perhaps the
Subgenre Study: Fantasy Romance
This one’s a bit on the edge, Squiders. One could argue that this is a subgenre of romance rather than a subgenre of fantasy (and some argue that Romantic Fantasy is the proper name). You may be confused. A lot
Subgenre Study: Urban Fantasy
Urban fantasy is so pervasive these days that I mentally divide fantasy into urban fantasy and everything else. Like the other subgenres we’ve discussed, its definition is a bit fluid. Wikipedia says it doesn’t matter what time period the story is
Subgenre Study: Dark Fantasy
Oh, dark fantasy. Supposedly my husband’s favorite subgenre. But like so many other speculative fiction subgenres, one that is very hard to stick to a definite definition. Dark fantasy, in my own personal opinion, is fantasy that strives to point
Subgenre Study Guide
In celebration of the first anniversary of Where Landsquid Fear to Tread, I am putting together a Subgenre Study Guide for you. I will be updating this post periodically with new subgenre studies as they come out (every Friday, at
Subgenre Study: Cyberpunk
Ah, cyberpunk, the father of all other punks. Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction that became popular in the 1980s. It tends to involve a world where data and computers are ubiquitous, cyborgs are common, and the world has
Subgenre Study: Science Fantasy
This is a tricky one. For one thing, people can’t even agree whether it’s a subgenre or its own genre. And once you reach some sort of consensus on that, getting people to try and agree on a definition –
Subgenre Study: Space Western
I can hear you now saying, “Kit, now you are just making up subgenres.” Am I? Am I? Possibly, but let’s face it. Science fiction and westerns go together like mint and chocolate. Peanut butter and jelly. Cream soda and
