What makes science fiction...science fiction?

[Splendiferous]

Originally posted by Sharkyj83
What about Masters of the Universe (the film)? Fantasy brought into our world (with more than a dash of SciFi)

That film was quite possibly one of the worst things I've ever seen in my entire life. It ranks up (down?) there with Orgazmo and Evil Ed. The cartoon was great fun when I was a kid, but I doubt i could watch it again now.

For me, Science Fiction is a great deal more realistic than fantasy, but that doesn't detract from fantasy's appeal to me. I keep hearing this opinion that fantasy is 'childish' and that really irritates me. Fantasy is no more 'childish' than SF is 'serious'.

[Nexus]

Originally posted by NeXus_6
Actually, the reason why I like SF more is because of the fascinating, but realistic, theories. In Fantasy it's all just, "Here's a world I created. Crazy crap happens because I say so." Which might explain why most fantasy novels are as overlong and self-indulgent as they are imaginative.

Just realised, that this could apply for Dune and several other SF pieces. Basically, any novel set in a totally different universe from ours gets very weird and complex. Which I guess is why I like real-world-fantasy.

[Sharky]

Ok maybe MOTU was a bad example. It's just one of those films I always loved as a child and can't seem to let go of.

How about the Chronicles of Narnia? Now there's a discussion point.

[scifi_lover]

Narnia is fantasy I reckon.

[VENOM876]

I'm still in disagreement(is that a word?). I agree with you when you say sci-fi is possible but just hasn't happened yet, but I think science fiction can be it's own genre without a secondary category. That's just what I think of when someone asks me "What is science fiction?".

[scifi_lover]

Yes it is a word. I thinkk scifi can be a genre in itself, but will always have other parts to it like fantasy because everyone has their own views on what scifi is.

[Seraph]

I think SF is just as much a genre as any other.

Personally, I see 'strict sf' being fantasy with scientific explanation (though when you touch on things like Superman which is fantasy in nature, with the sf only as minimal back story it gets icky). However there's such a fine line between SF & F, that it really is just perspective that seperates it - an alternate world could be created be accessed by a scientific equation or a magic wand. The easiest way to try and 'define' is by certain themes which we've ascribed to either genre previously, but that doesn't mean they aren't mutable, then it's weighing up which elements are more important.

[becks-orion]

I have to decide which books go into which section at the library re- sci-fi and fantasy.

It is difficult separating the two, but I go for anything futuristic with space stuff and science (as in technology) stuff as sci-fi, whereas the weird and wonderful otherwordly yet set kind of the past even though it's different to us in the fantasy.

What makes it harder is the childrens books aren't put into a fixed genre, so that when copies of popular childrens book are placed within the adult section (eg. Harry Potter, Phillip Pullman's 'Dark Materials' etc), they tend to get thrown into 'standard' fiction.

Strangely enough that's where Tolkien's work currently is, although that can vary from library to library.