What do you think of the sub-genre Science Fantasy?

[Stephen Palmer]

I think my tolerance of science fantasy is getting broader, as I appreciate unexplained things that add richness to SF tales. But that said, I don’t really like it when the extremes of either genre get together in some sort of mash-up (such as dragons on space stations, or witches casting spells on FTL spaceships - yes, James Schmitz I’m looking at you). That just discombobulates me a touch too much. Lightsabers and The Force* now, they’re okay.

Consistency is everything. Most readers can detect inconsistency at a hundred paces, and don't like it...

 

[Extollager]

Would it usually be a tipoff that something is science fantasy if it featured extraterrestrials with whom earthpeople could have romantic, sexual, and fertile relationships? So: Barsoom would be sci fantasy, Star Trek would be sci fantasy, etc.

 

[Extollager]

I don’t really like it when the extremes of either genre get together in some sort of mash-up (such as dragons on space stations, or witches casting spells on FTL spaceships

Yes -- that's pretty much always put me off too.

 

[Parson]

Would it usually be a tipoff that something is science fantasy if it featured extraterrestrials with whom earthpeople could have romantic, sexual, and fertile relationships? So: Barsoom would be sci fantasy, Star Trek would be sci fantasy, etc.

I would say usually, but it's not something that can be discounted out of hand.

 

[tachyon]

Here's an article from a Science Fantasy fan, someone linked it in my social media:

The Best Of Science Fantasy - The Quill to Live

I want to talk to you about one of my absolute favorite sub-genres: _________. You may have noticed a blank space there because the sub-genre I am talking about is more of a loose collection of books that share the theme of not belonging to any genre. I call them Science Fantasy, and while...

thequilltolive.com

Despite the title, I don't think it's meant to be a comprehensive best-of list, just the author's favorites.

 

[Grognardsw]

The earliest classics of the genre like Burroughs’ Mars/Barsoom novels were science fantasy. An outgrowth of the earlier term scientific romances. All these definitions are ultimately marketing terms. One likes what one likes regardless of who calls it what

 

[psikeyhackr]

I regard science fantasy as an oxymoron.

It's FANTASY!

 

[Phyrebrat]

Would His Dark Materials be classed as this? I’m thinking of the technology involved around Lord Azrael, and the daemon-slicer-offer.

 

[hitmouse]

I regard science fantasy as an oxymoron.

It's FANTASY!

Yes, I don't think anyone is really disputing that. If we want to be dogmatic then true hard SF which does not contain any fantastic elements is a very small subset of the whole genre.

For the purposes of subdivision, clarity, the convenience of the purchasing public, but mainly for those who like to argue about this sort of thing, it is reasonable to divide fantasy (as opposed to SF which plays fast and loose with the science) into subgroupings e.g. fantasy with spaceships and other shiny things (science fantasy, if you like), fantasy with beefcakes in leather shorts and bikini-clad maidens with breast implants (heroic fantasy), etc. It is about the scenery really.

A bit like music. There's more than one sort. Country AND Western.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

Would His Dark Materials be classed as this? I’m thinking of the technology involved around Lord Azrael, and the daemon-slicer-offer.

Definitely. It's a clever mixture of scientific history (especially turn of the century) and fantasy, i.e. souls, daemon-slicer, etc.

 

[tinkerdan]

I have to agree with @hitmouse

Yes, I don't think anyone is really disputing that. If we want to be dogmatic then true hard SF which does not contain any fantastic elements is a very small subset of the whole genre.

For the purposes of subdivision, clarity, the convenience of the purchasing public, but mainly for those who like to argue about this sort of thing, it is reasonable to divide fantasy (as opposed to SF which plays fast and loose with the science) into subgroupings e.g. fantasy with spaceships and other shiny things (science fantasy, if you like), fantasy with beefcakes in leather shorts and bikini-clad maidens with breast implants (heroic fantasy), etc. It is about the scenery really.

A bit like music. There's more than one sort. Country AND Western.

As soon as we get that high-handed we have to remove 99.9% of the things that call themselves science fiction.
The that 0.1% hardly makes it worth while to even have a science fiction genre.

 

[Draven Vertigo]

I think that although the Sci-Fa isn't a common mainstream Known category, a lot of big Franchises are in fact Sci-Fa. I mean Star Wars, come on! The jedi are space wizards with laser swords, the force IS magic. Even though we get SOME explanation about it. Hell the entire MCU could easily fit into Sci-Fa. You've got Iron Man (Sci-Fi) and then you've got Doctor Strange (Fantasy) both shamelessly in the same canonical universe. I rabidly enjoy Sci-Fa as much as the story I have been working on for years now is Firmly in the Sci-Fa category.

 

[Parson]

Speculative Fiction is like a rainbow. You can see distinct colors but it is really hard to point to any place where one color begins and another ends. But what's really important is the story. If it's a good story the genre matters little.

 

[Randy M.]

Speculative Fiction is like a rainbow. You can see distinct colors but it is really hard to point to any place where one color begins and another ends. But what's really important is the story. If it's a good story the genre matters little.

What constitutes a good story may be where we all start argu disagreeing.

 

[dask]

If a story's good you'll feel it.

 

[Bick]

I regard science fantasy as an oxymoron.

It's FANTASY!

It's the term people use when they mean space fantasy, I think.

 

[psikeyhackr]

Deleted

 

[Bick]

I think that although the Sci-Fa isn't a common mainstream Known category, a lot of big Franchises are in fact Sci-Fa. I mean Star Wars, come on! The jedi are space wizards with laser swords, the force IS magic. Even though we get SOME explanation about it. Hell the entire MCU could easily fit into Sci-Fa. You've got Iron Man (Sci-Fi) and then you've got Doctor Strange (Fantasy) both shamelessly in the same canonical universe. I rabidly enjoy Sci-Fa as much as the story I have been working on for years now is Firmly in the Sci-Fa category.

While the debate over the lines of division between SF and science fantasy may be something we can never all agree on, can we at least agree never use the abbreviation "Sci-Fa" again, even under pain of death?

 

[Rodders]

I'm not a big fan of the term in either long or short forms. I'm definitely in the camp that was more than happy with the Space Opera sub-genre.

 

[Randy M.]

If a story's good you'll feel it.

Like The Haunting of Hill House, which I think is a great story beautifully told. Toby is lukewarm about that.

Or The Catcher in the Rye which, both times I've read it, I found moving. Any number of members here have expressed opinions along the lines of, "Yuck, poo!"

Eye of the beholder, Dask, and to the extent we're discussing individual values and reactions, one person's "good story" is another person's "I don't get it." (Further example, in many threads with raves about Ender's Game you'll also see my, "Eh," though usually with a lot more words that boil down to that.)