Wonderlust
Wonderlust
Category: Blog
Tutorials
Tutorials
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDES ON HOW TO USE DIFFERENT TOOLS TO HELP YOUR WRITING
No results found.
Features
Tours
Tours
No results found.
Bearded Bargains
Bearded Bargains
The Bearded Scribe Press assumes no liability for price changes / please verify eBook prices have not changed prior to downloading.
No results found.
Utopian
Utopian
THE Utopian subgenre of Speculative Fiction presents idealized societies or worlds that embody visions of perfection, harmony, and progress. Unlike Dystopian fiction, which explores oppressive or flawed societies, Utopian narratives depict imagined futures or alternative realities where social, political, and environmental issues have been resolved, leading to utopian ideals such as peace, equality, justice, and sustainability. Utopian fiction often delves into philosophical, ethical, and political themes, offering readers thought-provoking visions of what an ideal society could look like and how humanity might achieve such ideals.
In Utopian Speculative Fiction, authors envision Utopian societies governed by principles of cooperation, empathy, and collective well-being, challenging readers to consider possibilities for positive social change and envisioning better futures. Works like Ursula K. Le Guin‘s The Dispossessed, exploring anarchist utopias and social experimentation, or Aldous Huxley‘s Island, presenting a utopia blending Eastern philosophy with scientific progress, exemplify the genre’s ability to inspire hope, critical reflection, and dialogue about societal values and aspirations. Utopian fiction invites readers to imagine worlds where humanity’s best attributes flourish, sparking discussions about the potentials and limitations of Utopian visions in shaping our shared destinies.
SPOTLIGHTS WITHIN THIS SUB-GENRE & OTHER RELATED POSTS
Urban Fantasy
Urban Fantasy
URBAN FANTASY is a dynamic genre that merges elements of fantasy, supernatural, and mythical creatures with contemporary urban settings, often in modern cities or towns. Unlike traditional High Fantasy, which unfolds in fantastical realms or medieval-like landscapes, Urban Fantasy brings magical or supernatural elements into our familiar world, blending the ordinary with the extraordinary. This genre often features protagonists such as wizards, vampires, werewolves, witches, or other magical beings navigating urban environments, facing challenges that intertwine mundane concerns with fantastical conflicts.
In Urban Fantasy, authors create immersive worlds where magic, myth, and modernity collide, offering readers thrilling adventures tinged with mystery, romance, and supernatural intrigue, and it’s a very popular sub-genre combined with YA Fantasy—Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments series is a great example of the blend. Works like Jim Butcher‘s Dresden Files series, following a wizard detective solving paranormal cases in Chicago, or Patricia Briggs‘ Mercy Thompson series, featuring a shape-shifting mechanic in a world of werewolves and fae, exemplify the genre’s ability to blend fantasy tropes with urban grit and contemporary issues. Urban Fantasy invites readers to explore hidden realms within city streets, where ancient powers lurk in the shadows, and ordinary individuals discover extraordinary destinies amidst bustling urban landscapes.
SPOTLIGHTS WITHIN THIS SUB-GENRE & OTHER RELATED POSTS
Time Travel
Time Travel
TIME TRAVEL is a captivating subgenre that explores the concept of time manipulation, allowing characters to travel backward or forward in time, altering events, and encountering paradoxes or consequences of their temporal journeys. This subgenre delves into the complexities of time travel theories, such as alternate timelines, causality loops, and the butterfly effect, where small changes in the past can have significant ramifications on the present and future. Time Travel often combines elements of Science Fiction, Alternate History, and Historical Fiction, creating narratives that challenge readers’ perceptions of time, destiny, and free will.
In Time Travel fiction, authors craft intricate plots that unravel across different time periods, exploring themes of fate, choice, redemption, and the consequences of tampering with the temporal fabric. Works like H.G. Wells‘ The Time Machine, which popularized the concept of time travel in literature, or Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife, blending romance with temporal anomalies, exemplify the genre’s ability to blend scientific concepts with human emotions and existential dilemmas. Time Travel fiction invites readers on mind-bending journeys through past, present, and future landscapes, challenging notions of cause and effect while offering tantalizing glimpses into what-if scenarios and temporal possibilities.
SPOTLIGHTS WITHIN THIS SUB-GENRE & OTHER RELATED POSTS
Sword & Sorcery
Sword & Sorcery
SWORD & SORCERY is a subgenre of Fantasy literature that emphasizes action-packed adventures featuring heroic characters wielding swords and magic in fantastical settings. Unlike Epic Fantasy, which often focuses on grand quests and world-spanning conflicts, Sword & Sorcery narratives typically revolve around smaller-scale adventures, personal quests, and encounters with supernatural foes or challenges. The genre’s name itself highlights its core elements: the use of swords representing martial prowess and physical combat, and sorcery representing magical abilities, spells, or supernatural forces.
In Sword & Sorcery, authors create fast-paced tales filled with daring feats, ancient ruins, mythical creatures, and clashes between heroes and villains. Works like Robert E. Howard‘s Conan the Barbarian stories, featuring a powerful warrior navigating treacherous lands and sorcerous foes; Michael Moorcock‘s Elric of Melniboné series, following a brooding antihero with a magical sword; or David Gemmell‘s Drenai Saga, which follows the adventures and battles of an ax-wielding warrior all exemplify the genre’s emphasis on individual heroics, moral ambiguity, and the allure of ancient mysteries and forbidden powers. Sword & Sorcery offers readers thrilling escapades into worlds where valor, magic, and danger intertwine, celebrating the indomitable spirit of heroic adventurers facing supernatural odds.
SPOTLIGHTS WITHIN THIS SUB-GENRE & OTHER RELATED POSTS
Supernatural/Occult Fiction
Supernatural/Occult Fiction
SUPERNATURAL FICTION is a genre that explores phenomena beyond the natural realm, incorporating elements such as ghosts, spirits, demons, magic, psychic abilities, and other supernatural entities or occurrences. Unlike Fantasy, which often creates entirely new worlds or systems of magic, Supernatural Fiction typically takes place in our familiar world or a world closely resembling it, where supernatural elements intrude upon ordinary lives. This genre delves into the mysterious, unexplained, and eerie aspects of existence, blending the supernatural with human experiences, emotions, and fears.
In Supernatural Fiction, authors craft narratives that blur the line between reality and the unknown, inviting readers into realms where the supernatural coexists with everyday life. Works like Neil Gaiman‘s American Gods, where ancient gods walk among mortals in contemporary America, or Shirley Jackson‘s The Haunting of Hill House, exploring a haunted mansion’s psychological effects on its inhabitants, exemplify the genre’s ability to evoke suspense, mystery, and fascination with the supernatural. Supernatural Fiction offers readers thrilling and often chilling experiences, prompting contemplation about the mysteries of existence, the power of belief, and the boundaries between the natural and supernatural realms.
