- Different people/groups/entity doing stuff in parallel
- Periodic flashbacks to fill in backstory
- A cataclysmic event causing an unexpected change to physics/magic as it was once known, mostly set in future.
- Desperation overcome through perseverance and sacrifice


On the fantasy side I love D&D and especially the older Forgotten Realms novels. For sci-fi im currently binging Three Body (tencent version) and already know im gonna have to read the books.