Nautical fiction, frequently also
naval fiction,
sea fiction,
naval adventure fiction or
maritime fiction, is a
genre of literature with a setting on or near the sea, that focuses on the human relationship to the sea and sea voyages and highlights nautical culture in these environments. The settings of nautical fiction vary greatly, including merchant ships, liners, naval ships, fishing vessels, life boats, etc., along with sea ports and fishing villages. When describing nautical fiction, scholars most frequently refer to
novels,
novellas, and
short stories, sometimes under the name of
sea novels or
sea stories. These works are sometimes
adapted for the theatre, film and television.