Sci-fi book tropes
212tropes you can browse
From first contact to generation ships, AI awakenings, and space opera — find your next read by trope, or search for any of them. Every book is rated with content warnings and age recommendations.
Popular tropes
Reluctant Hero1329Found Family1320Morally Gray Protagonist918First Contact642Space Opera629Military SF624Dystopia581Post-Apocalyptic485Social SF379Hostile Planet356Lost Colony341Interstellar Politics334Time Travel305Alien Invasion303Galactic Empire278Alternate History246Quest239Hard SF214Rogue AI190Ancient Alien Mystery181Soft SF173AI Awakening156Hidden Identity151Colony World141Forced Proximity127Sentient Ship120Genetic Engineering112Portal Fantasy111Multiverse109Robot Companion107Enemies to Lovers100Planetary Romance96Time Loop96Space Station91Space Marines90Mentor Figure85Ancient Evil Returns76Pandemic75Fated Mates74Cyberpunk73Lost Civilization71Psychic Powers71Litrpg64Steampunk62Empire59Generation Ship56Alien Romance54Ancient Artifact54Smugglers53Biological Weapons52
More tropes
Android Protagonist49Space Pirates47Race Against Time45Prophecy44Training Arc40Magic System39Non-Western Setting37Urban Fantasy37Climate Fiction36Slow Burn34Cybernetic Enhancement33Secret Society33Utopia Gone Wrong33Rescue Mission32Progression Fantasy31Uploaded Consciousness30Court Intrigue29Hidden Powers29Colonization28Unreliable Narrator26Biopunk24Corporate Dystopia24Isekai24Virtual Reality24Hard Magic System23On the Run22System Apocalypse22Road Trip21Terraforming21Amnesia20Love Triangle20Heist18Hidden World17Murder Mystery17Ragtag Crew17Class Divide16Class Warfare16Cultivation16Grimdark16Revenge Quest16Survival Horror16Grumpy/Sunshine15Harem15Hive Mind15
Niche tropes
AI Companion14Reincarnation14Animal Companion13Hostile Environment13Underdog Victory13AI Protagonist12Cloning12Final Battle12Overpowered Protagonist12Space Exploration12Surveillance State12Wormhole12Body Horror11Last Survivors11Star-Crossed Lovers11Alternate Reality10Captive Romance10Isolated Setting10Psychological Horror10Redemption Arc10Slice of Life10Historical Fantasy9Philosophical SF9Possession9Secondary World9Totalitarian Regime9Weak to Strong9Alien Technology8Dungeon Core8Dungeon Crawling8Near Future8Siege Warfare8Social Commentary8Touch Her and Die8Arranged Marriage7Body Modification7Cat and Mouse7Corporate Conspiracy7Dark Past7Detective Noir7Far Future7Galactic War7Government Cover-up7Historical Adventure7Monster Hunting7Necromancy7Shapeshifters7War Story7Airship6Anthology6Assassin Protagonist6Base Building6Body Swap6Captivity6Conspiracy Thriller6Corporate Espionage6Cyborg Protagonist6Dark Fantasy6Dark Romance6Dungeon Crawl6Dyson Sphere6Fish out of Water6Genius Protagonist6Haunted Location6Hidden Agenda6Hidden Legacy6Hidden Magic6Hidden Power6Memory Loss6Monster Invasion6Parallel Universe6Power Imbalance6Power Struggle6Prison Break6Psychological Thriller6Rags to Riches6Reluctant Allies6Revenge Plot6Second Chance Romance6Secret War6Small Town Horror6Stranded6Time Pressure6Treasure Hunt6Underdog Story6Zombie Apocalypse6Alien Abduction5Child Prodigy5Corporate Intrigue5Cyborg5Emp Attack5Enemies to Allies5Forbidden Magic5Galactic Threat5Gothic Horror5Humanity's Last Hope5Hunted5Invasion5Lost Technology5Memory Manipulation5Military Fantasy5Mobile Cities5Multiple Timelines5Mysterious Disappearance5Pack Dynamics5Political Thriller5Power Leveling5Protector Romance5Reluctant Alliance5Sabotage5Secret Mission5Size Difference5Supernatural Romance5Superpowers5Survival Game5Team Dynamics5Tournament Arc5Vampires5