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Literature - Speculative Fiction

Here you will learn some English words related to speculative fiction such as "high fantasy", "cyberpunk", and "urban legend".

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Words Related to Literature
alien invasion

a common theme in science fiction that explores the arrival of extraterrestrial beings to Earth, often with the intention to conquer or destroy humanity

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alternate history

a subgenre of fiction that imagines what might have happened if history had taken a different path, often involving changes in key historical events

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apocalyptic fiction

a genre of speculative fiction that involves a catastrophic event, such as a global disaster, that threatens the survival of humanity and creates a world in which civilization is in ruins

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post-apocalyptic fiction

a genre of speculative fiction that focuses on the aftermath of a major catastrophe and how human beings struggle to survive in the new, drastically changed world

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cyberpunk
cyberpunk
[noun]

a genre of science fiction set in a future dystopian society dominated by computer technology

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dystopian fiction

a genre of fiction where the story takes place in a future society that is characterized by suffering, oppression, and often a loss of individual freedoms

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fantasy
fantasy
[noun]

a type of story, movie, etc. based on imagination, often involving magic and adventure

Ex: He has a collection of fantasy books , each set in a different magical universe .
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high fantasy

a subgenre of fantasy fiction that is set in a fictional world with its own rules, history, and cultures, often involving magic, mythical creatures, and epic battles between good and evil

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low fantasy

a subgenre of fantasy fiction that is set in the real world or in a fictional world with low levels of magic and focuses on character-driven stories rather than epic battles and heroic quests

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utopian fiction

a genre of literature that envisions a perfect or ideal society, often with a focus on social, political, and economic issues, and explores how such a society could be achieved

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fable
fable
[noun]

a short story on morality with animal characters

Ex: "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" is a timeless fable cautioning against the dangers of dishonesty and deception.
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folktale
folktale
[noun]

a traditional story or legend passed down through generations, often involving supernatural elements and teaching moral lessons

Ex: The children listened intently as their grandmother shared an old folk tale.
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fairy tale

a type of folktale that typically features mythical creatures, magical events, and enchanted settings, often with a moral lesson or a happy ending

Ex: The library 's collection includes a wide array of fairy tale books , from timeless classics to modern retellings .
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ghost story

a story involving ghosts that is supposed to be frightening

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legend
legend
[noun]

an old story that is sometimes considered historical although it is not usually proved to be true

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magic realism

a literary genre that blends realistic narrative with elements of the fantastic or supernatural, often featuring characters and settings that are commonplace in the author's culture, but with magical or surreal elements added

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myth
myth
[noun]

a story involving the ancient history of a people, usually about heroes and supernatural events that could be unreal

Ex: The villagers passed the myth down through generations .
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superhero fiction

a genre of speculative fiction that is centered on characters with superhuman or extraordinary abilities, often fighting against evil forces or supervillains to save the world

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comic fantasy

a subgenre of fantasy that combines elements of comedy and satire with fantastical elements such as magic, supernatural creatures, and mythical lands

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Bangsian fantasy

a literary genre that involves the use of famous literary or historical figures or their fictional counterparts as characters in a story that is set in the afterlife

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contemporary fantasy

a subgenre of fantasy fiction that is set in the present day, real-world, or a world that closely resembles it

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urban fantasy

a subgenre of fantasy literature that typically features supernatural and magical elements in a contemporary, urban setting

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dark fantasy

a subgenre of fantasy that combines elements of fantasy with horror or darker themes, often featuring antiheroes and a sense of dread or unease

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hard fantasy

a subgenre of fantasy that emphasizes detailed, realistic world-building and a rigorous adherence to the laws of magic or other supernatural elements

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heroic fantasy

a subgenre of fantasy literature that emphasizes the protagonist's journey, often featuring a hero or group of heroes on a quest or mission to save the world or defeat evil forces

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historical fantasy

a sub-genre of fantasy fiction that takes place in a recognizable historical period, but with supernatural or magical elements incorporated into the story

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LitRPG
LitRPG
[noun]

a genre of fiction that blends literature and gaming, where characters play video games or get stuck in one, and their progress and achievements are described using gaming terminology

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science fantasy

a literary genre that blends elements of science fiction and fantasy, often featuring futuristic technology and magic or supernatural elements coexisting in the same world or story

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science fiction

books, movies, etc. about imaginary things based on science

Ex: The science fiction film was filled with advanced technology and alien life .
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gaslamp fantasy

a subgenre of fantasy fiction that is set in a world that looks like Victorian or Edwardian times, with spooky elements and advanced technology

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sword and sorcery

a subgenre of fantasy fiction characterized by action-packed adventures involving sword fights, magic, and elements of horror or romance

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monster literature

a genre that explores the relationship between humans and monsters and often includes the appearance of supernatural creatures such as vampires, werewolves, and zombies

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vampire literature

a subgenre of horror and gothic fiction that focuses on the mythological creature of the vampire, typically portraying them as bloodthirsty predators who prey on humans to sustain their immortality

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hard science fiction

a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes scientific accuracy and technical details in its storytelling

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soft science fiction

a subgenre of science fiction that focuses on futuristic or speculative elements and explores themes related to social sciences, such as sociology, psychology, or anthropology, rather than strict scientific details

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space opera

a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes adventure, melodramatic action, and interstellar conflict, often with heroic characters and a romantic or epic tone

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retrofuturism

an artistic and cultural movement that blends elements of nostalgia for past aesthetics and design with futuristic technology and sensibilities

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steampunk
steampunk
[noun]

a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy that typically features steam-powered machinery, often set in a Victorian or Edwardian-inspired alternate history

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biopunk
biopunk
[noun]

a subgenre of science fiction that focuses on the implications of biotechnology and synthetic biology, often exploring the societal and ethical consequences of advancements in these fields

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supernatural fiction

a genre of speculative fiction that explores mysterious or paranormal phenomena, often including ghosts, demons, psychic abilities, and other supernatural elements

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weird fiction

a literary genre that combines supernatural, horror, and science fiction elements to create a strange and unsettling atmosphere that defies traditional genre classifications

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subterranean fiction

a literary genre that features underground or subterranean settings, often with themes of exploration, adventure, and the unknown

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tall tale
tall tale
[noun]

a story that a person cannot believe because it seems illogical or exaggerated

Ex: After dinner she told me a tall tale about her pet .
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techno-thriller

a thriller subgenre that focuses on technology and often features computer systems, hacking, and high-tech elements as key plot points, with the threat of technological disaster or misuse being central to the story

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invasion literature

a genre of speculative fiction that portrays the invasion of a territory by foreign powers, often depicting the culture and society of the invaded country in a negative light while glorifying the invading force

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werewolf fiction

a type of story where some characters can turn into wolves and it often explores their struggles and conflicts

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zombie fiction

a genre of horror and post-apocalyptic fiction that typically involves a widespread outbreak of zombies

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urban legend

a type of modern folklore consisting of stories, often presented as true, that are passed down through generations by word of mouth or through written media

Ex: Many people believe the urban legend about the mysterious alligators living in New York City sewers .
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paranormal fiction

a genre of speculative fiction that includes supernatural or paranormal elements as a primary focus of the plot

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portal fantasy

a subgenre of fantasy fiction where the protagonist is transported from the real world to a magical or fantasy world through a portal or gateway

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