The basis for the following lists are from www.FictionFactor.com/genre.html and www.cuebon.com/ewriters/genres.html (see their website for definition of the sub-genres), with additions from various other sources.
Fantasy
- Sub-Genres
- Alternate worlds
- Arthurian
- Bangsian
- Celtic
- Christian
- Comedic
- Contemporary
- Court Intrigue
- Dark
- Dying Earth
- Erotic
- Fairy Tale
- Fantasy of Manners or Mannerpunk
- Feghoot
- Heroic
- High or Epic Fantasy
- Historical
- Historical High Fantasy
- Juvenile
- Low Fantasy
- Media tie-in (Buffy novels, etc.)
- Medieval
- Mythic (mythopoeia, mythpunk)
- Prehistoric
- Quest
- Romantic
- Science Fantasy
- Series
- Superhero
- Sword & Sorcery
- Urban Fantasy (nerd outfoxes supernatural)
- Wuxia
Science Fiction
- Sub-genres
- Aliens
- Alternate Reality
- Alternate Humanity
- Apocalyptic
- Bestiary
- Clones
- Cyber Punk
- Dystopia
- Erotic SF
- Extra-sensory Perception
- Faster Than Light
- Frontier
- Generation Ship
- Gothic
- Habitat
- Hard Science Fiction
- Hollow Earth
- Humorous
- Immortality
- Invisibility
- Lost Worlds
- Media tie-in
- Military SF
- Other Worlds
- Parallel Universes/Worlds
- Post-apocalypse
- Pulp
- Religious SF
- Soft Sci-fi
- Space Opera
- Space Travel
- Super Humans
- Theology
- Time Travel
- Under Sea
- Utopia
- Voyages Extraordinaires*
- Wetware Computer
- World-building {unusual solar systems}
- World Government
- Xenofiction
Romance
- Sub-Genres
- Contemporary Romance
- Fantasy Romance
- Futuristic Romance
- Historical Romance
- Paranormal Romance
- Regency Romance
- Romantic Suspense
- Time-travel romance
- Western Romance
- Chick-Lit
- Mommy-Lit
- Erotica
- Romantica
- Inspirational
- Sweet
Horror
- Sub-Genres
- Cross Genre
- Cutting Edge
- Dark Fantasy
- Dark Fiction
- Erotic Horror
- Extreme
- Gothic
- Lovecraftian, Lovecraft Mythos, Cthulhu Mythos, etc.
- Noir
- Psychological Horror
- Quiet (or Soft) Horror
- Supernatural
- Surreal
- Suspense (or Dark Suspense) and Thriller
- Visceral
- Weird
Mystery
- Sub-Genres
- Amateur Investigator
- Bumbling Detective
- Caper (heist)
- Child in Peril (woman in peril)
- Cozy
- Culinary
- Doctor Detective
- Handicapped
- Hard-boiled (noir)
- Historical (Chinese, Elizabethan, etc.)
- Inverted or Howdunit
- Legal (courtroom)
- Locked Room or Puzzle
- Police Procedural (forensic, serial killer, stalker, etc.)
- Private Detectives (female PI)
- Serials or Series
- Supernatural
- Whodunit
Thriller
- Sub-Genres
- Aviation
- Comedic
- Conspiracy
- Disaster
- Ecothriller
- Espionage
- Exploration
- Legal
- Medical
- Mercenary
- Paranormal or Supernatural
- Political
- Psychological
- Religious
- Survivalist
- Technothriller
- Treasure Hunter
Westerns
- Sub-Genres
- Australian
- Black Cowboy (buffalo soldier)
- Bounty Hunter
- Cattle Drive
- Civil War
- Cowpunk {outrageous cross-genre}
- Doctor and Preacher
- Eurowestern
- Gunfighter
- Humorous or Parody
- Indian wars
- Land Rush
- Lawmen (Texas Rangers)
- Mexican wars (Texan independence)
- Modern Indians
- Mormon
- Outlaw
- Prairie Settlement
- Prospecting (gold rushes)
- Quest
- Railroad
- Range wars (sheepmen)
- Revenge
- Romance
- Town-tamer
- Trapper or Mountain Man
- Wagon Train
- Women
Young Adult
- Sub-Genres
- Amateur Sleuth
- Christian (Jewish)
- Fantasy (comedic, scary)
- Gay Teen (lesbian)
- Historical
- Other
- Realistic Life
- Science Fiction
Children’s Literature
- Sub-Genres
- By Children
- Early Readers
- Middle or Junior Readers (chapter books)
- Picture Books
- Pop-Up Picture Books
- Traditional Stories
Jackie Powers 