by Robert Lambert

Created on: April 12, 2009

In analyzing the differences between these genres, and their similarities, let us first acknowledge the huge amount of variety in both. Fantasy is not limited to Tolkien, nor sci-fi to Star Trek. Fantasy stories can exist without magic or elves, and sci-fi can exist without space travel or aliens. If we're going to answer this question, we need to consider what these genres are at their core, rather than looking at stereotypes.

Science fiction may be the simpler of the two to figure out. It began as "speculative fiction," as in, fiction that speculates about what the future might be like. This tends to center around advanced technology, or the effects that advanced technology has on how we live. A story set in the present where aliens came to Earth would also be considered sci-fi even though it isn't about the future, but it still involves advanced technology because the aliens would require that in order to reach Earth. Therefore, sci-fi can be broadly categorized as a genre that features technology which doesn't exist at the time of writing.

Typically, this is limited to large advances over current technology rather than incremental ones. In a James Bond movie, for example, the villain might have an unrealistically powerful laser or Bond himself might have a jetpack, but these films are not usually thought of as sci-fi. These doomsday weapons and gadgets might, however, be considered sci-fi elements.

Like science fiction, fantasy features things that aren't a part of normal existence, but unlike sci-fi it doesn't focus on technology. Magical abilities, strange creatures, and different worlds are common features in fantasy. It's tempting to say that the distinction between the two is that sci-fi explains things scientifically, whereas fantasy explains nothing, but this isn't quite accurate. Most sci-fi does little or nothing to explain its technology. It simply has the appearance of being more scientific because it's made of metal and plastic and flashing lights instead of glowing runes and incantations. If sci-fi authors actually understood how their technologies worked, then we'd be using those technologies in the real world instead of just reading about them.

Furthermore, some fantasy does make an attempt to explain its magic. There might be magical energies in nature that can be influenced by our brain's electrical field, for example. It's hardly a scientific explanation, yes, but that's still more of an explanation than we get for the hyperdrive in Star Wars.

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>