Which Sci Fi Subgenre Is Best For You?

1. Which statement best describes you?

“To boldly go where no one has gone before”

“No law can give you freedom”

“The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe it”

“Be curious, not judgmental”

“Never let the hand you hold, hold you down”

“Only the dead have seen the end of the war”

About This Quiz

Which Sci Fi Subgenre Is Best For You? - Quiz

Interested in books that explore moral, ethical, social, or intellectual questions set against a backdrop that is outside of everyday reality? Do you like stories involving alien worlds, futuristic settings, technology, time travel or just general weirdness? Then Science Fiction may be for you! The Science... see moreFiction world is vast and its subgenres are many. Which subgenre is one is for you? Well, let's find out. . . *Please note this quiz did not cover all subgenres of science fiction. For an even better grasp of what’s out there, talk to your reader’s advisory librarian at your local library! see less

2. If you could have lunch with any of the following people who would it be?

A captain on a star ship bound for adventure

A hacker with plans to overthrow an evil megacorporation

Scientists on a research vessel analysing a sentient planet

An anti war veteran struggling with the dark deeds he once performed in the name of the Machine

A woman, living on a highly oppressive planet, who invented a language that can be used to communicate secret messages to other rebels

A troop of soldiers on a space battleship preparing themselves for war

3. You like your stories that are...

Full of action, interstellar escapades, and maybe some melodrama

Near future, dystopic, explore the breakdown of social order

Cerebral and scientifically accurate

Explores the human condition, explores relationships between humans, humans and aliens

Explores sexuality, gender, power dynamics

Full of guns, valorous muscled men, and things that blow up

4. You're a character in a sci fi novel and suddenly your commander orders you to engage the spaceship to Warp Speed 9. You:

Say “Aye, aye captain!” and jump into the control seat

Laugh and explain to your captain there’s a little something called “relativity” and “time dilation” that we have to deal with

Find it maddening that these social hierarchies such as “captain” and “crew” still exist in this imagined future and secretly plan a mutiny

Kick this piece of civilian junk into high gear! Woot!

Ummm.. being in space really isn’t my thing. Got any computers I can hack?

Find it interesting that these social hierarchies of “captain” and “crew” still exist in this imagined future and reluctantly engage the ship

5. You're a character in a sci fi book. What would you most likely wear?

Fatigues. Space fatigues.

Something gender nonspecific if possible. Loose enough that I can fight if I have to.

Whatever makes sense for the story I’m in

A lab coat or whatever equivalent outfit scientists wear in the future

Doc Martens and a bullet belt

A very slimming silver bodysuit

6. You like your protagonist(s) to possess:

The wits and physical skills to outsmart the aliens

A brilliant mind and rebellious nature. The quintessential misfit antihero.

Characters don’t matter as much to me as long as they’re brainy. I’m more interested in exploring the world they live in.

The ability to reflect on the society around them. If not the character, then the story itself should be able to do that.

Strength, endurance, and the ability to overcome institutionalized oppression

A sense bravery, honor, duty

7. You meet an alien from another world. You:

Ask “Be ye friend or foe?” with raygun in hand

Quarantine it and study it from a distance

Are curious about what life is like on its planet and what conditions arose to bring this being here to you now

Aliens? I don’t have time to deal with aliens when corporations are using nanotechnology to invade our minds!

Shoot first, ask questions later

Wonder if the alien is going to respect your boundaries and be an ally to you