Prominent Themes in Speculative Fiction

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<p>This list of themes is by no means complete, but it is fairly comprehensive. Some of the themes listed below overlap genres. However, I did my best to put each theme with the genre it is most often associated.</p>
<p>I will be adding to this list, as well as including definitions and examples, sometime in the future.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href=”#sf”>Science Fiction</a></li>
<li><a href=”#fantasy”>Fantasy</a></li>
<li><a href=”#horror”>Horror</a></li>
</ul>
<h2><a name=”sf”></a>Science Fiction</h2>
<p><strong>Definition:</strong> The genre of speculative fiction that is based on scientific truth and/or theory.</p>
<p>Alien Invasions<br />
Alien Machines/Artifacts<br />
Alternate History<br />
Artificial Intelligence (AI)<br />
Artificial Life<br />
Artificial/Virtual Reality<br />
Clones/Cloning<br />
Cyberpunk/Cyberspace<br />
Dinosaurs<br />
Distant Worlds<br />
Drugs/Addiction/Psychoactive Substances<br />
Ecological/Population Disasters<br />
End of the World/Man<br />
Far Futures<br />
First Contact<br />
Galactic Empires, Leagues & Federations<br />
Gaming<br />
Genetic/Bio Engineering<br />
Hive/Collective Minds/Species<br />
Immortality/Longevity<br />
Invisibility<br />
Lost Civilizations/Worlds<br />
Medicine/Health Care<br />
Megacorporations<br />
Military/Warfare<br />
Nanotechnology<br />
Nuclear Disaster<br />
Parallel/Alternate Worlds/Universes<br />
Plague<br />
Post-Apocalypse/Post-Holocaust<br />
Prehistory/Prehistoric Cultures<br />
Robots<br />
Space Colonies/Colonization<br />
Space Opera<br />
Steampunk<br />
Super Human Intelligence<br />
Telepathy - Mind Reading - ESP - Psionics<br />
Teleportation<br />
Terraforming/World Building<br />
Theology/Religion/Spirituality<br />
Time Travel<br />
Underwater Living<br />
Utopias/Distopias </p>
<h2><a name=”fantasy”></a>Fantasy</h2>
<p><strong>Definition:</strong> The genre of speculative fiction that is fantastical in nature, often populated by things that cannot be scientifically explained.</p>
<p>Angels<br />
Arthurian Legends/Medieval Culture <br />
Barbarians<br />
Dragons<br />
Dwarfs<br />
Elves<br />
Immortals<br />
Magic<br />
Military/Warfare/Revolution<br />
Sorcery/Witchcraft<br />
Talking Animals<br />
Unicorns</p>
<h2><a name=”horror”></a>Horror</h2>
<p><strong>Definition:</strong> The genre of speculative fiction that inspires feelings of dread, fear or dismay, especially in anticipation of something frightening about to be experienced.</p>
<p>Demons<br />
Ghosts/Hauntings<br />
Loss of Self<br />
Monsters<br />
Possession — Spirit/Alien/Demon<br />
Serial Killers</BR>
Shapeshifters<br />
Supernatural Creatures<br />
Vampires/Vampirism<br />
Werewolves/Lycanthropy<br />
Zombies/Voodoo</p>