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The difference between science fiction and fantasy was always only a tenuous distinction imposed by the few nerds who cared a little too much. As we age out of
by mapontosevenths 1mo ago
The difference between science fiction and fantasy was always only a tenuous distinction imposed by the few nerds who cared a little too much.
As we age out of being culturally relevant, and newer (likely less literate) generations take over the definitions will change, and perhaps should.
To me only hard science fiction will ever count, but I recognize that I'm in the minority there and also don't want to scare away the three remaining readers through gatekeeping.
- srean 1mo agoFantasys felt so lazy to me. Although sometimes I do enjoy the descriptions. But there is always an escape hatch out of a trouble and one that was not foreshadowed. It is constraints that makes things interesting and especially the higher order consequences of constraints and new tech.
- mapontosevenths 1mo agoAgreed. Fiction where the solution was "and then he found out he was the chosen one so magic happened" are unsatisfying.
- smgpie 1mo agoWhat you described does not qualify as a good fantasy either. There needs to be rules even in the world of magic, and eventually so called hard fiction and fantasy only really differ in the way how they present the fantasies. There is a book I love: Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny, in which he first wrote about fantasy figures with magic powers in Buddhism tales, and then revealed that they were just humans with high tech and play gods to those who don't.
- srean 1mo agoThanks for the recommendation . Sounds like a good read.