There are a ton of different subgenres within fiction. If you want to dive into a novel to escape to another world, there are seemingly endless ways to do just that. Some genres (and subsequent subgenres) have become more popular among the masses in recent years, however.
Below we've gathered together a list of the most popular fiction genres right now as well as a brief explanation as to what they encompass.
| Genre | Key traits | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy | Magical worlds, deep lore building | The Lord of the Rings Books |
| Sci-Fi | Science-based worlds, distant future | Red Rising Books |
| YA (Young Adult) | Coming-of-age, young protagonists | Harry Potter Books |
| Horror | fear-based perspectives, dread | Stephen King Books |
| Mystery | unraveling plot, detective protagonist | Sherlock Holmes Books |
| Romance | Love story, focus on relationships | Fourth Wing Books |
| Graphic Novel | Narrative art, illustrations | Saga Graphic Novels |
| Thriller | Suspense, psychological | Gone Girl |
| Action & Adventure | Hero's journey, fight scenes | The Hunger Games |
Popular Subgenres
Within each of the popular fiction genres are a few subgenres that have been really popping off in the reading community in recent years.
Romantasy
Romantasy is a popular fantasy subgenre that blends supernatural elements with romance to bring love into a magical world. This genre was first really brought into the mainstream by the Twilight books and hasn't really slowed down since. The other popular series' of note that have gotten big on BookTok are Rebecca Yarros' Fourth Wing books and Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR). Both of these are being worked on for some sort of on-screen adaptation.
LitRPG
LitRPG is a subgenre that blends the elements of traditional fantasy/adventure with role-playing games. Books within this genre will usually include elements you'd find in a video game or a popular tabletop RPG. This usually means things like stats, classes, and skill trees. There is a lot of popular LitRPG available right now, but some of the most notable series' include the Dungeon Crawler Carl books and He Who Fights With Monsters.
Dystopian
The Dystopian genre has been around for a long time, but it continues to be one of the most popular. The key traits of this genre are depictions of a society that is ruled by fear, oppression, and control. It has continued to be a particularly popular subject in the YA space with books like The Hunger Games and Divergent, which both spawned movie franchises. Suzanne Collin's latest prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping, already had a movie deal lined up for 2026 before it was released in 2025.
Progression Fantasy
Progression Fantasy is subgenre that usually falls somewhere between science-fiction and traditional fantasy. Similar to LitRPG, there is a usually a set system that the protagonist is working through to get stronger and become more powerful than everyone else. Some of the popular examples of this genre include The Path to Ascension and Will Wights Unsouled series.
