Examples of Science Fantasy

Steampunk Heroic Fantasy Gritty Fantasy Cyberpunk Gentle Fantasy Soft SF Dark Fantasy Hard SF SF&F Humor Historical Fantasy Alternate History Space Opera Alternate Universes Time Travel SF&F Romance The Alien POV Classic SF&F Science Fantasy Urban Fantasy


Science fantasy uses science as a springboard toward the fantastic. It is a wonderful blend of reality with "what if". It differs from soft SF in that the basic premise springs from science, but tips over at some point into possibilities not driven by pure science. If your magical effects are given scientific sounding names without a good scientific extrapolation behind them, your work can be called science fantasy. Many people put tales of psychic powers in an otherwise normal world here.

  • The Darkover series by Marion Zimmer Bradley:
    Sharra's Exile
    Heritage of Hastur
    The Spell Sword
    The Winds of Darkover
    Darkover Landfall
    Stormqueen!
  • Fires of Azeroth, Gate of Ivrel, Well of Shiuan and Exile's Gate by C. J. Cherryh
  • Rider at the Gate and Cloud's Rider by C. J. Cherryh
  • The Tuesday Next series by Jasper Fforde (The Eyre Affair, et al) which uses pseudo science to bring literature to life
  • Pilgrimage and The People: No Different Flesh by Zenna Henderson
  • The Birthgrave, Vazkor Son of Vazkor, and The White Witch by Tanith Lee
  • To Ride Pegasus by Anne McCaffrey
  • Moon of Three Rings by Andre Norton
  • The Witches of Karres by James H. Schmitz

You can buy Science Fantasy titles at the Other Worlds Bookstore.