 City at the End of Time is rooted in hard science fiction , but includes several other genres . SFF World said the novel is similar to Stephen King 's Dark Tower , where " an ultimate destination that defies both space and time are at the heart " of both stories . But whereas King focuses on " fantastical elements " , Bear adopts a " scientific approach " . SFF World described City at the End of Time as " an Epic Science Fiction novel [ with ] elements of thriller and horror with some downright creepy characters . " Kirkus Reviews called the book an " eschatological fantasy " , and science fiction critic Paul Kincaid says the novel has " plotting and language [ that ] seem to have been borrowed wholesale from fantasy " . Bear himself said the novel could be fantasy or horror , but called it science fiction " stretched to the nth degree " . City at the End of Time is generally referred to as a " Dying Earth " story , and is categorized under the Dying Earth subgenre . 
