A genre is a way to categorize literature through similarities in form, style, or subject matter. It’s how people quickly find what they like to read.
But literature, like every form of art, always breaks through the boundaries and limitations set on it. It’s how hybrid genres—a blending of two or more genres—are formed.
What is a Hybrid Genre?
The term “hybrid genre” is used to describe works of art, music, and literature that combine elements of two or more genres. These works are sometimes called mixed genres, cross-genres, or multi-genres. We’ll be focusing solely on literature for this article.
Whether intentional or not, authors inevitably mix and match multiple genres into one work. Some do it as a form of defiance, refusing to let their works be defined as any one genre. Others simply take elements of other genres to improve their storytelling.
Hybrid genres are not new to the literary scene. Writers have mixed genres for so long that some mixes have become established genres in and of themselves. Some popular ones are:
| Hybrid Genre | Genre combination |
|---|---|
| Dramedy | Drama, Comedy |
| Science Fantasy | Science Fiction, Fantasy |
| Action Comedy | Action, Comedy |
| Dark Fantasy | Horror, Fantasy |
| Gaslamp Fantasy | Historical Fiction, Fantasy |
| Gothic Punk | Gothic Fiction, Punk Punk (usually Steampunk) |
| Military Science Fiction | Military Fiction, Science Fiction |
| Space Western | Science Fiction, Western |
| Weird West | Supernatural Fiction, Western |
| Docufiction | Documentary, Fiction |
Hybrid Genre Books
Here are a few popular books that blend multiple genres into one. Most of these are early experiments of established hybrid genres, setting the elements that would later define their respective genres as a whole.
1. The Circus of Dr. Lao by Charles G. Finney
Genre: Weird West
The sleepy town of Abalone, Arizona languishes in boredom when an opportunity for entertainment rolls into town—a circus owned by the mysterious Dr. Lao.
Expecting little more than oddities, the residents are surprised when they’re confronted with creatures taken straight from stories. The more they interact with the circus, the more they are ensnared by the mythical made real.
2. Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey
Genre: Science Fantasy
Long ago, the dragonweyrs defended Pern from the Thread, an organism that consumed anything organic that it touched. In exchange, the humans supplied them with the support the weyrs needed to operate.
Now, it has been centuries since the last Threadfall. Only one weyr remains, struggling to survive. The Thread is coming, and humanity no longer has the shield that’s protected them all those years ago.
3. The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
Genre: Military Science Fiction
In the future, physics student William Mandella is constripted into an elite force trained solely for revenge. For four year, he is pitted against the Taurans, an aliens species only discovered because of their attacks on human ships.
But while he’s off to space for only a few years, Earth itself has progressed in decades. The planet he comes home to is no longer his, and he must find a new purpose other than war.
4. Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice
Genre: Dark Fantasy
The boy sits in front of a man wearied by his 200 years of existence. The man is a vampire, ready to tell his tale and bare his soul to anyone ready to listen
From his beginnings in the New World to the Old World and back, he chronicles his tale of danger and excitement, love and hate, and the hidden world he has discovered on the way.
5. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Genre: Gaslamp Fantasy
People from England have widely believed that magic is extinct—until the mysterious Mr. Norrell reavels himself to society. Soon, another magician, the young daring Jonathan Strange, apprentices himself to Norrel.
Together, they turn their potent powers to the ongoing war against France. But the wild side of magic is too alluring and soon one of them risks losing all they hold dear.
Why Writers Blend Genres
While genres are easy ways to categorize what a reader likes and dislikes, it can also be limiting to the reading and writing experience. There’s a point where it becomes frustrating to read and write the same type of stories over and over again.
And so writers choose to shake things up by incorporating elements of multiple genres into their writing. Not only can it make their story stand out but it also leaves them with a better sense of their own voice and style.
As for readers, hybrid genres offer them a new kind of experience that still retains some elements that they like from their usual reading. It can be the bridge for you to discover new reading experiences.
But mostly, genre blending is inevitable. Too many elements of literature and storytelling overlap that you can no longer guarantee a story that’s purely one genre. It’s the result of generations of writers pushing the limits of what they can write.
What’s your favorite hybrid genre? Share it the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- Exploring Speculative Fiction: Your Guide to this Super-Genre
- The Most Popular Fiction Genres: Definitions and Examples
- 17 Popular Nonfiction Genres
- The Best Books Lists for Every Genre: Our Ultimate List of Book Recommendations
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
