[cgw]

OK the stand alone book topic has come up before. Heres a topic that hasn't!

There are alot of books that could be called either fantasy or science fiction. What is the definition? (pre-industrial, magic, feudal)(is anything post-apocalyptic science fiction?)

Zelazny wrote alot that that stradled the line. The Changling and Jack of Shadows are good examples.

Are Lord of Light, Creatures of Light and Darkness, This Immortal fantasy or Sci Fi? If we call Lord of Light science fiction, then the same argument could apply to McCaffrey's Pern series.

Saberhagen's Empire of the East is another example. I could make an arguement for Dune being fantasy.

I like both so it follows that I would like the combination.

[Giroth]

Good question:p

I guess you could say that fantasies have dragons, castles, ect.
and science fictions have aliens, spaceships,ect.
Then again, Pern has both:p

[Bardos]

When I can't decide if something is fantasy or scifi, then it's fantasy.

I generaly tend to think fantasy as more broad a genre, where you can write almost anything.

[Caly]

I was taught somewhere along the way in one of my many lit classes that sci-fi is possible (though often improbable) while fantasy is impossible. Sci-fi is based on technology that could happen, while fantasy is based on magic that could not happen.

Of course, there are books that walk a fine line between the two, which is always rather fun. The Coldfire trilogy springs to mind--very obviously fantasy in plot, yet technically sci-fi in set-up since the human inhabitants of the world are earthlings who arrived on a large spaceship. I'm sure there are tons of other examples.

I don't think it is that important that you define the genre of the book as long as you enjoy it.

[Nevyn]

Originally posted by Caly
I was taught somewhere along the way in one of my many lit classes that sci-fi is possible (though often improbable) while fantasy is impossible. Sci-fi is based on technology that could happen, while fantasy is based on magic that could not happen.
Well put , But , IMO there is very litte difference between the two , being it's all fantasy , as long as it doesn't exist in this reality(now). I think thats why I like reading this genere so much.

[Loque]

yes, but surely your definition hinges on the assumption that magic is not possible and nobody has yet proved this to me.

[SusF]

Bah, it's all speculative fiction to me. :rolleyes:

I do tend to enjoy the science fiction more than fantasy. I can't remember the last time I read a fantasy with dragons and magic. I try to find fantasy that is not so obvious.

Susan

[Nebulous Vapor]

The distinctions between genres are very tenuous at best. The best solution that I have seen is what Strange Horizons (http://www.strangehorizons.com) e-zine does, and call it all "speculative fiction".
Many novels and short stories that I like could be both mysteries and SF.
Even volumns with a number of stories seem to put both fan and sf together. So, as far as I'm concerned, if the story is impelling, I don't care what it is called.

[Keyoke]

Some folks dont like the term 'speculative' fiction, not sure why. I've mention'd it once or twice, and people who read the genre just groan.

Most books usually fall into one of the two categories.. But, it's books like Perdido Station, Coldfire Trilogy, etc that make it difficult to classify books. These books are truly 'speculative' fiction, since neither of the two genre names fit them.

Keyoke

[Shef]

If a novel, story, ect. seem to be both sci-fi and fantasy, I call it scientific fantasy. I suppose fantastic science could work too.:rolleyes:

Shef