Sci-fi fantasy dystopia……So here’s the thing—I was standing in front of my bookshelf the other night, just staring. You ever do that? Like you’ve got 300 unread books but somehow… none of them feel right? I was like, “Do I want dragons? Space battles? Or maybe a depressing dystopian wasteland where society has collapsed and people trade canned beans for survival?” (That last one hits a little too close to 2020, if I’m being honest.)
And that’s when it hit me: figuring out what to read next is basically the same as figuring out what mood you’re in. Which brings us to the eternal question: sci-fi, fantasy, or dystopia? Yeah, that’s the big one.
When You’re Feeling Sci-Fi-ish 🚀
Sci-fi, in my brain at least, is for those nights when you’re sitting there thinking, what if phones were implanted in our heads? or what if AI started writing love letters? (don’t look at me like that).
Back in college, I picked up a dog-eared copy of Neuromancer because the cover looked “vibey” (translation: it had neon lights and I was into Blade Runner that week). I didn’t understand half of it. Still don’t. But you know what? It cracked open my brain in the best way.
Sci-fi is thinking food. Even when it’s action-y with lasers and aliens, it’s secretly asking you stuff like: “What does it mean to be human?” or “What if Amazon owned the moon?”
Signs you’re in a sci-fi mood:
- You’ve just had a late-night conversation about Elon Musk that spiraled into conspiracy theories.
- You find yourself Googling “how far are we from teleportation technology?”
- You watched Black Mirror and thought, “Okay but… would I actually date that AI guy?”
When Fantasy Just Feels Right 🐉
Fantasy is comfort food. It’s mac and cheese but with elves and magical swords. It’s for when life feels a little too… meh.
Confession: I was a “Narnia kid.” Like full-blown, I-tried-to-walk-through-my-closet multiple times kind of kid. (It never worked. Tragic.) But that sense of what if the world was bigger than this? never left.
Fantasy is for when you’re craving wonder. Maybe your day job is 9–5 spreadsheets, and you just wanna escape into a land where dragons are real and people name swords like they’re pets.
Signs you’re in a fantasy mood:
- You’re bored out of your mind and need something extra.
- You’re rewatching Lord of the Rings extended editions (all 12 hours) with zero shame.
- You daydream about having a talking animal sidekick.
Pro tip: fantasy isn’t just castles and wizards anymore. There’s cozy fantasy (Legends & Lattes), dark fantasy (The Witcher), and even fantasy that’s basically rom-coms with magic.
Dystopia: For When You Wanna Suffer (in a Good Way) 🔥
Ah yes, dystopia. My toxic little comfort genre.
Sometimes I just want to read about worlds falling apart. Why? Who knows. Maybe because it makes my messy life look… not so bad? Like, “Okay yeah I forgot to pay my electric bill but at least I’m not scavenging radioactive corn in post-apocalyptic Kansas.”
The first dystopian book I ever read was The Giver. That ending? Wrecked me. Then came 1984—which felt like homework but in a creepy-good way. And then The Hunger Games, which basically was my personality in high school. (Team Peeta, fight me.)
Signs you’re in a dystopia mood:
- The news feels too calm and you’re suspicious.
- You secretly love imagining yourself as a survivor with a baseball bat and a backpack of snacks.
- You’ve rewatched The Hunger Games just for the Capitol outfits.
But How Do You Actually Pick??
Here’s my chaos method:
- Check your vibe. Are you stressed, curious, or moody?
- Stressed → Fantasy. You need magic and comfort.
- Curious → Sci-fi. Let your brain chew on something wild.
- Moody → Dystopia. Misery loves company.
- Go by snacks. Yes, snacks. If you’ve got chips and soda → sci-fi. Wine and cheese → fantasy. Cold leftover pizza → dystopia.
- Ask your “13-year-old self.” Seriously. What would middle-school you pick up right now? That kid probably knew you better than adult-you does.
Real Talk: You Don’t Have to Choose: sci-fi fantasy dystopia
Some of my favorite books mash all three. Ever read Station Eleven? It’s dystopian but also hopeful and a little dreamy. Or Dune? Sci-fi, but it’s basically fantasy with sandworms.
And honestly, sometimes you just read whatever’s on sale at the thrift store and call it fate. (Half my best reads came from the 50¢ bin at Goodwill.)
Quick Genre Cheat-Sheet
- Sci-Fi: Big ideas, tech, “what if?”
- Fantasy: Escapism, wonder, “why not?”
- Dystopia: Gritty, dark, “oh no.”
Final Thought Before I Wander Off about sci-fi fantasy dystopia
Books are kinda like playlists. You don’t stick to one genre of music, right? (Unless you do… and hey, respect. But also: try other stuff.) Let your reading moods shift. Some weeks you’ll want to be battling space empires. Some weeks you’ll need a cozy magical tavern. And yeah, some weeks you’ll be all-in on the world burning down.
Just… whatever you pick, own it. And maybe keep some snacks handy. Trust me, snacks make everything better.
Outbound Links:
- Paulo Coelho interview — The Guardian
- Sylvia Plath bio & works — Poetry Foundation
- Original “Crying in H Mart” essay — The New Yorker
- James Clear’s 3-2-1 newsletter — James Clear
- Matt Haig’s blog — Matt Haig
