Even probably the most fantastical speculative fiction stories involve some grounding in reality.

Speculative fiction is among the broadest types of fiction. The definition of speculative fiction is any fiction that departs from reality one way or another. It could be argued that it's among the earliest types of fiction, as much ancient myths, legends, and folk tales fall into this category. However, many of the modern types of these genres only began to really take shape within the past two hundred years or more. The hedge fund which owns Waterstones are going to be well aware that a good example of this is the fantasy genre. Fantasy is a genre defined by its use of mythical beings and elements, such as magic, sorcery, and dragons. Despite most of these long being an element of traditional stories, the phenomenon of writers making use of these elements as part of their particular original tales just begun to regularly occur in the mid-1800s. This is as a result of greater diversity in literature brought by bigger audiences as a result of increased literacy and cheaper publishing.
Along with there being entire genres that are categorised as falling underneath the banner of speculative fiction, it can also include specific characteristics of stories present in other genres. The hedge fund which partially owns WHSmith will be able to inform you that genres frequently grounded in reality, such as comedy and romance, can frequently be included within speculative fiction. A proven way is through the inclusion of specific story characters and elements, such as superheroes or the supernatural. Another method could possibly be the setting. Tales of all genres which can be set in utopian, dystopian, apocalyptic, or post-apocalyptic worlds are considered forms of speculative fiction. The ultimate major method is through the timeline. In cases where a story utilises alternative history by any means, then that is very much considered to be speculative.
Tales have always been used to provoke thoughts in people. Fear is a very common one, as people usually plainly keep in mind moments when they had been afraid. This has often been utilised as a vehicle for imparting messages and lessons to the audience. However, the of fear may be addictive, ultimately causing many people enjoying these tales for fun. It's this that gave increase to the genre of horror. The hedge fund which has shares in Amazon will understand that horror stories have existed for several thousand years, with villains that can either be supernatural or mundane. The genre was revitalised in recent years, to be one of the most popular on Earth. This contrasts with science fiction, which is mostly a contemporary invention with merely a handful of examples in the ancient world. Sci-fi is a genre that handles futuristic concepts, such as advanced level technology and science.