Sylvia Bishop

Military sci fi can explore complex questions about the military as an institution, without sacrificing any of the action, says Nebula winner A.D. Sui. She introduces five of the most imaginative and exciting examples, from classics to contemporary fiction – featuring bug-aliens, mecha suits, AI, and some highly questionable regimes.

Gothic horror allows us to talk about psychological horror and repression while having a huge amount of fun, explains author Nathan Ballingrud. He talks us through his top five choices, from haunted houses to smoggy London to the swamps of Alabama, and considers the chilling parts of ourselves and our societies that they bring to light.

A fantasy series allows us to explore the complexities of characters, the far corners of their worlds, and the consequences of their actions – for bestselling author Samantha Shannon, this is “a privilege, and such a joy.” Here she recommends five rich, sustained fantasy worlds, featuring old gods, spymasters, witches, plagues, and the land of the dead – and above all, characters who keep surprising us.

For many readers, the feel of a fantasy world lingers long after the plot has faded. The key ingredient, says author R.J. Barker, is that the characters really do inhabit their world in their thoughts and actions, so that we can believe in it too. He introduces us to his five favourite worlds, each with the power to convince, compel and surprise you.

Alien invasions are one of the most enduringly popular themes in sci fi. Author Seth Dickinson introduces five mind-bending novels that give a fresh take on the idea of the alien: invasions that are so other in their motives, methods, or meaning that they push us to the edges of human understanding.

Solarpunk fiction is a form of climate fiction, but by focusing on the changes we could make, it can move us past climate anxiety, says author and editor Sarena Ulibarri. She introduces us to five favourites: ranging from near-future to far-future, they present a collection of thought experiments in the ways humanity might yet choose to live.

The Greek myth of Persephone and Hades has inspired numerous retellings. Bestselling author Melinda Salisbury introduces five books that feature these two beloved characters in all their complexity: stories that explore the peculiar predicament of Persephone, and the strange but powerful allure of the King of the Dead.

A fantasy ‘classic’ is a book that enables a new kind of story to be written, says fantasy scholar Matthew Sangster. He introduces five classics, and explains how they both build on and subvert our shared stock of stories to create wonderful new worlds – worlds that are not made to be admired from a distance, but rather to be lived inside, and shared.

Short sci fi deliver stories with more punch – it’s ‘concentrated fruit juice for the brain’, says author Karin Tidbeck. They talk us through their five top choices, taking in first encounters, space operas and multiverses along the way – all in perfectly crafted short novels.

Weird fiction uses the supernatural to throw all our experience into doubt, says author and academic Michael Cisco. He introduces us to five favourites, featuring everything from ghosts to fairies to cults – all subtly constructed, infused with real human feeling, and calculated to perturb.