Sci-Fi vs Fantasy

[Book_lover_CA1]

I agree 100%.
I think fantasy and SF are different breeds of literature and offer very different taste.
For me, fantasy is something like the Lord of the Rings and SF is something like the Foundation and I don't think they have much in common.

[plaguerat]

I prefer fantasy to sci-fi when it comes to books. I have the same distinction with my anime choices. In the most generic terms, if the plot involves outer space, time travel, or robots, I lose interest fast. I find that most book stores lump the two categories together, and it bothers me.

[x1f4j8k9]

Yeah, people seem to think of them as the same things. I prefer fantasy personally.

[SedefOzbay]

I agree that SciFi and fantasy have a more clear border between than people seem to think. I think when an author should call their book fantasy is roughly when they don't get into explaining.

To state in one sentence: SciFi is - has to be - more intelligent that fantasy. Just to be clear, I don't mean fantasy can't be intelligent. I think we have very good examples of how you can make fantasy intelligent. For example, Harry Potter being a very well put-together series; it has a lot of magic and logic that it depends on. But also, fantasy is where you are able to free your imagination a little further without showing much effort (in the area of explanation of course). For example, if the character has to fly, he can simply fly.

That isn't the case in SciFi. To define science fiction from Webster dictionary (yes, I actually said that): science fiction is fiction dealing principally with the impact of actual or imagined science on society or individuals or having a scientific factor as an essential orienting component. Which means, if you want to add a component to your story, you have to give it a basis. You can't just say 'because I said so' as easily as you can in fantasy. If that character is supposed to fly, he will have to wear a jet-pack which also has a nuclear core allowing concentrated gravity around the person flying to prevent pressure damages. As you can't just say 'because I said so', you have to put a lot more work into what you are putting together which undoubtably requires intelligence - and preferably knowledge on science. (Which can be said to be the reason why there are much less SciFi books than fantasy.)

But today we can notice that SciFi has become to mean 'work set in future' rather than 'work depending on science' which isn't very acceptable to me. I want to use Ender's Game as an example. (I have to note that I haven't actually read the book and am talking completely depending on what my sister said who did read it) When the book was handed in to the publisher as SciFi, what the publisher said to the writer was: "It is more appropriate to publish this under the fantasy category." and the reply of the writer is: "I noticed I didn't describe the surroundings I had in mind." This says to us that the line between SciFi and fantasy is only appropriate surroundings: to be set in a world with tall and gray buildings. However, I believe that if that book actually is a good SciFi book, it should show itself without the requirement of descriptive knowledge of surroundings, but with use of scientific material which should also become a part of the story.

I'm definately not saying that when a book has supernatural elements, it has to be fantasy. *spoilers* For example the Mule in Foundation series has the capability to control human emotions which is obviously a supernatural element but is built on a scientific basis of a mutation. *end of spoilers* So if I have to give a distinction, I can say essentially, assuming both categories present events that are unlikely to happen, SciFi has to stand out among fantasy books being more explanatory and intelligent.

[Paliden]

Yes!! I get so annoyed when they are lumped into the same category! I like Sci-Fi but I LOVE Fantasy. And yes, they are two ENTIRELY different genres!

[buddyroo]

I agree. In fantasy, anything goes. As my fantasy lit. teacher told me in high school, "you don't question, how is that possible, it just is." There are no rules in fantasy. However, in Sci-fi, there are rules and you have to be able to explain how something works, it has to follow the rules of nature and science as we know it. I love both, but please don't call Sci-fi fantasy or vice versa. Maybe it is a ridiculous pet peeve, but it's like calling a wolverine a dog. They may look a little bit similar, but it's not even close. For those that don't know, a wolverine is closer to a weasel. This point is only fresh in my mind after playing Lego Marvel Superheros where a symbol for Wolverine to do something was dog paws. Grrrr he isn't a dog! Ok off of soap box

[TLGabelman]

I was just going to post this exact question. I find it frustrating when Im searching for a new book and I want a specific kind of book, a fantasy, only to pick up a interesting book and find it doesnt fit the mold. Sci-fi and Fantasy are to me so extremely different.

I wonder if its just easier for the book world to lump these two together in one section. Possibly it is because less books are written in these subjects and therefore it doesnt seem to make sense to split them.

[Crimsonsky 749]

Really that has never happened to me! ...but that might just be because I don't really look at the genres. I just read the summary then decide for myself if I want to read it based on the summary. I don't really care that much about the genre because the genre of the book usually shows up in the summary and I read almost all types of books. Except for tragedy, romance, and some others I can't think of right now. However when someone messes up the genre of a book I get really annoyed. For example someone put a book that didn't have anything like fantasy in it as fantasy, except for the different world thing. When what they do is go around having adventures and hunting people down. I get how they mixed it up but it still annoys me... I mean if you are going to label something do it right!

[EPEBINER]

I noticed that many people assume that Sci-Fi and Fantasy are the same genre. I enjoy Sci-Fi, but I'm a HUGE Fantasy fan, so it irks me when my friends group these genres into one.

[Keith80]

A writer such as L.E.Modesitt writes in both genres, and does it very well too. His 'Recluce' series is phenomenal, and so is the 'Soprano Sorceress' series. These are good examples of his fantasy writing as they show characters using magic. For Sci-fi I quote "The Ethos Effect" and "The Parafaith War", which are both good, solid science-based stories. I don't care if Modesitt's books are put together on the bookstore shelves, just so long as I can find them.