Differences Between Post-Apocalyptic and Dystopian Fiction (and Why They Matter)

Post-apocalyptic and dystopian books have certain things in common. They both take place in worlds that have experienced major upheaval. They both portray characters struggling against various threats or dangers. But they’re not the same thing.

The main difference between these two genres has to do with the state of the world in which the characters exist, and how it has changed.

Post-apocalyptic stories take place in a world that has been fundamentally altered by a major disaster, like an...