Best Books About Genre Fiction

This list features books that analyze speculative fiction, Science Fiction, Horror, and Fantasy and other genre fiction from a critical, historical, or cultural perspective.

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1	Monster, She Wrote: The Women Who Pioneered Horror and Speculative Fiction by Lisa Kröger (Goodreads Author) 4.08 avg rating — 3,091 ratings score: 497, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	Paperbacks from Hell: The Twisted History of '70s and '80s Horror Fiction by Grady Hendrix (Goodreads Author) 4.30 avg rating — 7,198 ratings score: 294, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	Danse Macabre by Stephen King (Goodreads Author) 3.65 avg rating — 26,786 ratings score: 286, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Maps and Legends: Reading and Writing Along the Borderlands by Michael Chabon 3.68 avg rating — 4,179 ratings score: 198, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	Dreadful Pleasures: An Anatomy of Modern Horror by James B. Twitchell 3.53 avg rating — 49 ratings score: 197, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	Supergods: What Masked Vigilantes, Miraculous Mutants, and a Sun God from Smallville Can Teach Us About Being Human by Grant Morrison 3.84 avg rating — 8,028 ratings score: 197, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	Paperback Crush: The Totally Radical History of '80s and '90s Teen Fiction by Gabrielle Moss (Goodreads Author) 3.77 avg rating — 3,231 ratings score: 196, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	New Maps of Hell: A Survey of Science Fiction by Kingsley Amis 3.61 avg rating — 227 ratings score: 195, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	Horror: The 100 Best Books by Stephen Jones (Editor) 4.19 avg rating — 351 ratings score: 191, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror by David J. Skal 4.11 avg rating — 1,251 ratings score: 187, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How it Changed America by David Hajdu 3.84 avg rating — 3,471 ratings score: 185, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	The Modern Weird Tale by S.T. Joshi 3.80 avg rating — 109 ratings score: 184, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	Tales from the Crypt: The Official Archives by Digby Diehl 4.30 avg rating — 108 ratings score: 184, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	Supernatural Horror in Literature by H.P. Lovecraft 4.05 avg rating — 1,960 ratings score: 182, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction by John Clute 4.33 avg rating — 586 ratings score: 177, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	Space Sucks! by Christina Engela (Goodreads Author) 3.57 avg rating — 14 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	Wasteland: The Great War and the Origins of Modern Horror by W. Scott Poole 3.92 avg rating — 589 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	Marvel Comics: The Untold Story by Sean Howe 4.05 avg rating — 6,898 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	Writing Down the Dragon: and Other Essays on the Tolkien Method and the Craft of Fantasy by Tom Simon 4.45 avg rating — 29 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	Tolkien On Fairy-stories by J.R.R. Tolkien 4.30 avg rating — 3,384 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	The Road to Middle-Earth: How J.R.R. Tolkien Created A New Mythology by Tom Shippey 3.93 avg rating — 5,915 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	Horror Literature through History: An Encyclopedia of the Stories that Speak to Our Deepest Fears [2 volumes] by Matt Cardin (Goodreads Author) (Editor) 3.83 avg rating — 6 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	The Dreams Our Stuff is Made Of: How Science Fiction Conquered the World by Thomas M. Disch 3.78 avg rating — 492 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century by Tom Shippey 3.84 avg rating — 5,370 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	The Law of Superheroes by James Daily 3.85 avg rating — 396 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Pistols and Petticoats: 175 Years of Lady Detectives in Fact and Fiction by Erika Janik (Goodreads Author) 3.48 avg rating — 89 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	Reel Terror: The Scary, Bloody, Gory, Hundred-Year History of Classic Horror Films by David Konow 3.70 avg rating — 182 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	Beauty and the Beast: Visions and Revisions of an Old Tale by Betsy Hearne 3.94 avg rating — 54 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	The World Beyond the Hill by Alexei Panshin 4.22 avg rating — 32 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Language Of The Night by Ursula K. Le Guin 4.24 avg rating — 1,203 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Comic Book Rebels: Conversations with the Creators of the New Comics by Stanley Wiater 4.10 avg rating — 20 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	The Owl, the Raven, and the Dove: The Religious Meaning of the Grimms' Magic Fairy Tales by G. Ronald Murphy 4.28 avg rating — 64 ratings score: 92, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	The Supergirls: Feminism, Fantasy, and the History of Comic Book Heroines by Mike Madrid 3.79 avg rating — 1,221 ratings score: 92, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	Encyclopaedia of Superheroes by Jeff Rovin (Goodreads Author) 4.30 avg rating — 46 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	Morphology of the Folktale by Vladimir Propp 4.01 avg rating — 1,712 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	Vixens, Vamps & Vipers: Lost Villainesses of Golden Age Comics by Mike Madrid 4.03 avg rating — 59 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	The Encyclopedia of Super Villains by Jeff Rovin (Goodreads Author) 4.12 avg rating — 33 ratings score: 90, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	Appendix N by Jeffro Johnson 3.72 avg rating — 144 ratings score: 90, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	The Golden Age of Murder by Martin Edwards (Goodreads Author) 3.92 avg rating — 718 ratings score: 90, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	Superheroes and Philosophy: Truth, Justice, and the Socratic Way by Tom Morris (Editor) 3.84 avg rating — 880 ratings score: 89, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	The Comic Book Heroes: The First History of Modern Comic Books - From the Silver Age to the Present by Gerard Jones 3.96 avg rating — 70 ratings score: 89, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
42	Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book by Gerard Jones 4.07 avg rating — 1,623 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
42	Style is the Rocket: and Other Essays on Writing by Tom Simon 4.25 avg rating — 12 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
42	Divas, Dames & Daredevils: Lost Heroines of Golden Age Comics by Mike Madrid 3.73 avg rating — 125 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
45	The Encyclopedia of Fantasy by John Clute (Editor) 4.39 avg rating — 327 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
45	The Classic Era of American Comics by Nicky Wright 3.67 avg rating — 30 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	Death Carries a Camcorder: Essays on fantasy writing by Tom Simon 4.38 avg rating — 13 ratings score: 86, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes by Les Daniels 3.79 avg rating — 107 ratings score: 86, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
49	On Fairy-Stories by J.R.R. Tolkien 3.94 avg rating — 442 ratings score: 84, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
49	Manga: The Complete Guide by Jason Thompson 3.97 avg rating — 171 ratings score: 84, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
51	Fear: History Of Horror In The Mass Media by Les Daniels 3.93 avg rating — 30 ratings score: 83, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
51	The Last Straw: A Critical Autopsy of a Galaxy Far, Far Away by John C. Wright 4.45 avg rating — 42 ratings score: 83, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
53	From Barsoom to Malacandra: Musings on Things Past and Things to Come by John C. Wright 4.12 avg rating — 25 ratings score: 82, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
54	Danger Is My Business: An Illustrated History of the Fabulous Pulp Magazines: 1896-1953 by Lee Server 4.14 avg rating — 37 ratings score: 81, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
54	The Lament of Prometheus: An Examination of David Lindsay's A Voyage to Arcturus by John C. Wright really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 6 ratings score: 81, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
56	Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics by Les Daniels 3.98 avg rating — 247 ratings score: 80, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
56	Transhuman and Subhuman: Essays on Science Fiction and Awful Truth by John C. Wright 3.82 avg rating — 163 ratings score: 80, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
58	The Worlds of J. R. R. Tolkien: The Places That Inspired Middle-earth by John Garth (Goodreads Author) 4.32 avg rating — 316 ratings score: 79, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars