Sci-fi book tropes

Find your next read by trope. Every book is rated with content warnings and age recommendations so you know what you're getting into.

Popular tropes

Reluctant Hero394 Found Family360 Morally Gray Protagonist262 Fish out of Water260 First Contact248 Space Opera219 Military SF190 Quest130 Post-Apocalyptic106 Hidden Identity105 Hostile Planet102 Interstellar Politics102 Alien Invasion97 Dystopia96 Social SF90 Rebellion86 Hard SF80 Political Intrigue79 Galactic Empire78 War75 Time Travel67 Lost Colony65 Ancient Evil Returns64 Fellowship64 Portal Fantasy62 Alternate History57 Empire56 Lost Civilization55 Forced Proximity53 Survival53 Rogue AI51 Mentor Figure50

More tropes

Ancient Artifact47 Soft SF46 Coming of Age45 Colony World44 Chosen One43 Ancient Alien Mystery42 AI Awakening42 Ensemble Cast40 Fated Mates38 Alien Romance38 Antihero37 Sentient Ship36 Multiple POVs32 Enemies to Lovers31 Multiverse31 Litrpg31 Forbidden Love30 Non-Western Setting30 Planetary Romance28 Hard Magic System28 Training Arc28 Cyberpunk25 Space Marines25 Conspiracy24 Prophecy24 Genetic Engineering24 Unreliable Narrator22 Space Station21 Generation Ship20 Progression Fantasy20 Colonization19 Pandemic18 Slow Burn18 Robot Companion17 Last Survivor16 Time Loop15 Court Intrigue15 Biological Weapons15 Corporate Dystopia15

Niche tropes

Psionics14 Smugglers14 Magic System13 Secret Society13 Rescue Mission13 Road Trip13 Dark Lord13 Heist13 System Apocalypse13 On the Run12 AI Protagonist12 Protector12 Hidden Heir11 Race Against Time11 Space Pirates11 Uploaded Consciousness11 Mystery11 Last Stand11 Urban Fantasy11 Betrayal10 Forbidden Magic10 Utopia Gone Wrong10 Ragtag Crew10 Space Exploration10 Power Progression10 Hidden Powers10 Cybernetic Enhancement10 Harem10 Isekai10 Climate Fiction9 Government Conspiracy9 Underdog Victory9 Android Protagonist9 Grumpy/Sunshine9 Grimdark8 Rebel / Revolutionary8 Murder Mystery8 Social Commentary8 AI Companion8 Overpowered Protagonist8 Amnesia7 Virtual Reality7 Shapeshifters7 Second Chance7 Secondary World7 Dungeon Crawling7 Cosmic Horror6 Magic Academy6 Survival Horror6 Isolated Setting6 Alien Technology6 Redemption Arc6 Military Hero6 Cultivation6 Possessive Hero6 Weak to Strong6 Orphan5 Surveillance State5 Historical Fantasy5 Cloning5 Forbidden Knowledge5 Mercenary5 Possession5 Self-Discovery5 Isolation5 Class Divide5 Captive Romance5 Reverse Harem5 Base Building5