Fantasy and Sci-fi discussion...
The primary difference between fantasy and science fiction is that fantasy fiction deals with magic and science fiction explores other worlds with a more scientific, technologically-oriented explanation for things.
So for example, a novel with lots of wizards casting spells, dragons breathing fire, and so forth is considered to be fantasy fiction, whereas a novel with gigantic space cruisers or doomsday weapons or robots tends to be considered as science fiction.
One interesting twist that involves both genres is The Death Gate Cycle, by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Without ruining the story, the basic premise is that there are magical beings exploring a realm that operates according to more "science-fictional" principles.
I must admit that roughly 90 percent of what I read is fantasy fiction by choice, with most of the remainder consisting of the Star Wars novels. Regardless of which genre you prefer, the best novels tend to be those which have a strong set of interesting characters and storylines that would still make for some awesome reading *even if you took out the fantasy and science-fiction elements of the story*.
Melanie Rawn's novels are a great example of this for fantasy fiction. While the dragons and sunrunner magic are really cool, they seem to enhance- rather than carry- the storyline. You find yourself reading to find out what the characters will say or do next, not if someone or something will commit a "magical" act.
Anne McCaffrey's novels are a good example for science fiction. Her characters don't have to ride dragons or sing for crystal to keep your attention- some of the best parts of her stories are the conversations and interactions among the characters.
These "reality checks" are crucial for successful fantasy and science fiction authors to help define the more abstract themes of their storylines. I contend that it would have been a lot tougher for the public at large to swallow the concept of flying in hyperspace with the Millenium Falcon if Han didn't have to keep fixing the darn thing like a 20th-century mechanic while yelling at his hairy partner and romancing a princess. An audience can be made to feel more comfortable- and thus, more accepting- of an author's world by finding it easy to relate to the human side of the characters.
One final distinction to
make as far as fantasy and science fiction novels are concerned is the
one-race perspective versus the everything-living-but-the-kitchen-sink
perspective. Some novelists who primarily use humans within their
stories are: David Eddings, Robert Jordan, Terry Goodkind, Melanie Rawn,
Madeleine L'Engle, and Anne McCaffrey. Novelists who tend to mix
in everything from elves to dwarves to halflings are: J.R.R. Tolkien, Dennis
L. McKiernan, Terry Brooks, the TSR novels,(Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms,
etc.) and the Star Wars novels.
Thanks for visiting Christopher's Web Page. Feel free to email me at:
You are visitor number:
Get your own Free Home Page