Summary
Sci-fiand horror are two genres that often go hand in hand, but it takes skill for authors to perfectly blend these story types in their books.There’s usually a significant overlap between horror and sci-fi fans,as the genres elevate each other and focus on similar themes. Questions of what it means to be human and the horrible actions people take in the face of fear feature prominently in both horror and science fiction. In a novel that successfully mixes both, there must be equal weight given to what makes them different and what brings them together.
Blurring the line between reality and fantasy is something that speculative fiction does well.
Many greatmovies blend sci-fi and horror, taking inspiration from novels and using them as the source material. The nature of horror often leaves much up to audience interpretation and delves into territory about what is real and perceived as reality by the characters. Blurring the line between reality and fantasy is something that speculative fiction does well. When tension, stakes, and visceral fear are added to the plot, it only heightens the experience for the reader. While sci-fi horror books aren’t for the faint of heart,they shouldn’t be overlooked, as they contain critiques of contemporary culture.
8 Books That Perfectly Blend Fantasy & Sci-Fi
The sci-fi and fantasy genres frequently go hand in hand, but only a few books blend them so well that the line between story types is blurred.
10Annihilation (2014)
Written by Jeff VanderMeer
Jeff VanderMeer’sAnnihilationwas immediately singled out as an important addition to the canon of novels that comment on climate change while incorporating sci-fi and horror elements. The novel’s climax leaves the audience wondering if the protagonist, referred to as the Biologist, is the same person as she was at the start of the novel. An alien species has landed on Earth and is slowly consuming more territory in the place known as Area X. While this sounds more like science fiction than horror,what the Biologist finds in Area X is beyond terror and imagination.
The film adaptation ofAnnihilationis one ofAlex Garland’s best moviesand features Natalie Portman admirably shouldering the heavy and complex emotional role of the protagonist. VanderMeer went on to write several more novels in theSouthern Reachseries. However,tonally and atmospherically,Annihilationis one of the most successful of the seriesbecause it easily creates a sense of eerie unease in everything the Biologist sees and experiences. Unable to trust herself, the Biologist quickly becomes an unreliable narrator in the eyes of the audience, opening the novel up to further questions.
9Your Mind Is A Terrible Thing (2022)
Written by Hailey Piper
Many things will appeal to readers of all genres in Hailey Piper’sYour Mind is a Terrible Thing, such as horror, science fiction, and LGBTQ+ themes, which aren’t highlighted enough within these genres. Piper, however, explores new territory in a novel that could have easily fallen into the trap of being too similar to movies likeAlienand other trapped-in-space plots.Much of the story is fueled by the main character’s, Alto, journey to fight against the invading alien specieson their spaceship and reunite with the rest of the crew.
For readers who want a touch of romance and an uplifting ending,Your Mind is a Terrible Thingis the perfect choice.
Identity and body modification play a large role inYour Mind is a Terrible Thing, as do themes of loneliness and isolation. However, Alto is determined not to let the myriad of monsters stop them from saving their friends, the crew, and maybe even their crush. For readers who want a touch of romance and an uplifting ending,Your Mind is a Terrible Thingis the perfect choice. However,this doesn’t mean that the novel doesn’t include plenty of graphic and bloody horrorand is a testament to what a single person can do alone.
Written by S.A. Barnes
There are plenty of people who chase ghost ships on Earth, looking for the wreckage of long-gone voyages that ended in mysterious disasters. InDead Silence, this is taken to the next level. It’s set in space and featuresthe crew of a repair vessel coming across a luxury liner thought dead and gone forever.However, by the end of the story, the characters wish they had never uncovered the mysteries within. Hidden inside the ship is a reality more horrible than the one waiting for the characters back on Earth.
The author,S.A. Barnes, has mentioned movies likeTitanicandThe Shiningin her comparisons to the novel.Both are apt in terms of the visual descriptions and atmospheric tensions.Dead Silencefeatures plenty of twists and red herrings. However, it’s impossible to put down as the reveals only serve to pull the reader deeper into the story’s web. Barnes beautifully builds mystery and tension as the reader follows the crew into the belly of the ghost ship and learns about themselves along the way.
7The Book Of Accidents (2021)
Written by Chuck Wendig
Wendig is frequently compared to Stephen King, and thoughThe Book of Accidentswill connect with King-lovers, it stands on its own as a unique piece of writing.
The Book of Accidentsis truly bone-chilling, as it tackles the common horror angles of dark magic and hidden beasts. It grapples with generational trauma through the central characters watching the trauma they experienced in childhood be passed on to their son. Though it can be harrowing to read,The Book of Accidentsdoes have a firm grasp on the love and connection between its characters,which is a lifeline throughout the tougher moments of the novel. The feelings of every character are violently immediate, as Oliver, the son, feels the pain and emotions of others.
The author, Chuck Wendig, set the novel in rural Pennsylvania, which has been the setting for more than a few movies and TV series about chilling deaths and serial killers. Wendig is frequently compared to Stephen King, and thoughThe Book of Accidentswill connect with King-lovers, it stands on its own as a unique piece of writing. Aseach character finds themselves going deeper into their own experiences of being haunted by the past and future,The Book of Accidentspushes the audience to their limits.
6Rosewater (2017)
Written by Tade Thompson
The first of a trilogy,Rosewatertackles how narratives of alien invasion are inextricably intertwined with the human history of colonialism.It’s set in the city of Rosewater, Nigeria, which exists in the near future right next to an alien enclavethat few humans have seen inside. Rumors fly about what’s inside the alien city and if these invaders truly have the power to heal the sick. There’s an additional element of fantasy with the select humans who have adapted to the alien presence on Earth, developing something close to psychic abilities.
Rosewaterhas been praised for many reasons, butthe protagonist’s voice, Kaaro, stands out as one of the most compelling parts of the series.Kaaro is one such psychic, using his powers from himself and for the highest bidder. However, this makes him far more interesting than any prototypical hero, as the world doesn’t have cut-and-dry morality. Incorporating multiple timelines throughout Kaaro’s life and pulling no punches in describing the violence he’s witnessed, Tade Thompson paints a relentless and fully realized world inRosewater.
5Under The Dome (2009)
Written by Stephen King
Few contemporary authors are as definitively categorized as modern virtuosos of the horror genre as Stephen King. However,many of his works toe the line of pure horror by including outlandish elements,making the audience question the nature of reality and physics within his stories. One such book isUnder the Dome, which sees the population of a small town in Maine trapped under an impenetrable glass dome. Although able to see and contact the outside world, chaos soon reigns, and people’s worst impulses come to the surface.
Though it soon becomes clear that a group of aliens is essentially using those trapped in the dome as entertainment, the real threat to the resident’s survival is each other.
Though it soon becomes clear that a group of aliens is essentially using those trapped in the dome as entertainment, the real threat to the resident’s survival is each other. While someStephen King movies and TV shows are wildly different from his books, the TV iteration ofUnder the Domewas highly praised, especially in season 1. Despite this, to get a feel forUnder the Dome, the best course of action is to read King’s novel. As gripping as it is tragic,Under the Domestays with readers for a long time.
4The Andromeda Strain (1969)
Written by Michael Crichton
Readers might know the author ofThe Andromeda Strain, Michael Crichton, better for his work on the novelJurassic Park,his most famous book by far.Jurassic Parkisn’t the only project he should be remembered for, as his work transcends genre and expectations. This is shown through books likeThe Andromeda Strain. Written decades beforeJurassic Park,The Andromeda Strainincorporates elements of pandemic apocalyptic narratives. However, the story becomes more dangerous and unsettling than it seems.The Andromeda Strainis an early example of how alien literature would be defined in the latter half of the 20th century.
It’s easy to draw parallels betweenThe Andromeda Strainand Lovecraftian narratives. The motif of an unknown alien entity destroying a human population is reminiscent ofThe ThingorAt The Mountains of Madness. Additionally, though the alien organism that causes the devastating virus is found in space, it’s humanity’s own probe that brings it back down to Earth. This capitalizes on the fear that the human race’s violence and development of weapons will be its own undoing. Additionally, the virus can mutate seemingly indefinitely, relating to present-day worries surrounding antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
3Obscura (2018)
Written by Joe Hart
What starts as a mission to save her daughter soon devolves into a journey to space accompanied by violence and murder.
The terror that accompanies a loss of control over mental faculties is an experience that has been explored many times across literature and media. However,Obscurabrings something new to the table by focusing on an emerging and inexplicable form of dementia that doesn’t discriminate what age group suffers from the disease. At the heart of the story isGillian Ryan, a doctor researching the diseasewho has already suffered enormous losses at its hands. However, what starts as a mission to save her daughter soon devolves into a journey to space accompanied by violence and murder.
It’s terrifying enough that there’s a murderer among a group, but the killer’s identity is unknown, and Gillian has gaps in her memory. These factors prompt her to question if she’s the person at fault. This is the perfect plot development for the themes of losing control and being unable to account for one’s actions.The horror comes through in the graphic and shocking violence, while lots of scientific attention is paid to the development of the diseaseand unlocking its secrets.
2The Gone World (2018)
Written by Tom Sweterlitsch
If there’s one word to describeThe Gone World, it’s grisly, as the murders and realities Tom Sweterlitsch explores through the story of Shannon Moss are intricate and dark.What begins as a typical thriller involving the murder of a Navy SEAL’s family soon transforms into a race to save the worldand an exploration of a hidden facet of the government. Plenty of sci-fi novels extrapolate about what would happen if the government had access to time travel and other incredible technologies, butThe Gone Worldgoes deeper.
Fans ofNCISwill loveThe Gone World, as the main character is a member of the Naval Criminal Investigation Service, but the case she solves transcends time, and the stakes turn out to be much greater than she ever imagined. Thanks to the intricately described world and characters,The Gone Worldis ripe for adaptation and could capitalize on the current interest in sci-fi miniseries’that has taken hold in streaming. By combining a classic story of uncovering a murder with thoughtfully developed time travel rules,The Gone Worldis a relentlessly compelling read.
10 Great Horror & Thriller Books Recommended By Stephen King
While Stephen King was responsible for some of the best horror and thrillers ever, he also has many recommendations for other authors' books.
1Into The Drowning Deep (2017)
Written by Mira Grant AKA Seanan McGuire
Combingsci-fi, horror, and even a touch of fantasy,Into The Drowning Deepsets itself apart by taking place at sea rather than in space or in an imagined future. However, this doesn’t make the occurrences in the story any less unbelievable. The conceit of the novel revolves around the existence of mermaids, which could fall into fantasy territory if not for the fact that the crew who discovers them treats the mermaids as a scientific problem.The book treats the ocean and the mermaids as an alien planet and speciesrather than part of the natural world.
The experience of being trapped leagues below the ocean’s surface means that the character’s deaths are especially excruciating.
There’s also a clear thematic push to be in conversation with discussions on ocean conservation and climate change in general. The author, Mira Grant, includes plenty of gore and violence. The experience of being trapped leagues below the ocean’s surface means that the character’s deaths are especially excruciating.Into The Drowning Deep’s main character, Tory is driven by grief and obsession as the mermaids cause her sister’s death. However,she’s an excellent protagonist because she’s active and resourcefulin the face of terrifying odds.
