"Arthur Hagen" <art@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:1167952150.28333.11.camel@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> On Thu, 2007-01-04 at 22:40 +0000, Robotech_Master wrote:
>> On Sun, 24 Dec 2006 11:40:15 -0600, The Magic Engineer <> wrote:
>>
>> "mcv" <mcvmcv@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
>> news:458e86b3$0$328$e4fe514c@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>
>> > It's got dragons and it's got magic (telepathy, tele****tation). If
>> > that's not fantasy, then what it?
>>
>> Soft SF.
>>
>> You're making a false dichtomy between "hard" science fiction and
>> fantasy. If only "hard" SF, where everything is scientifically
>> feasible by what is known at the time, then there would be no need for
>> the "hard" distinction. This isn't like math, with the fantasy and
>> science fiction elements cancelling each other out. It's perfectly
>> legitimate to have a science-fiction story with fantasy elements, or
>> for that matter a fantasy story with science-fiction elements.
>
> And in this case, the Pern stories are clearly fantasy stories within a
> (very thinly fleshed out) Sci-Fi setting.
> If the protagonist is likely to wield a sword (and it's not for
> sentimental reasons), it's fantasy, no matter if the setting is a long
> time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. Whether the force is faith or
> nano-machines, or whether dragons are magical or technological wonders
> (who still shouldn't be able to fly), it's still fantasy. Introducing
> elements from Sci-Fi doesn't make it Sci-Fi.
I think you have this backwards. The main protagonists don't wield
swords, or magic, or deal with any supernatural forces that they
can/can't control, or any of the main components of
Fantasy in the Pern series. If anything, they are SF stories with
a thin veil of fantasy around them.
Would you consider "I, Robot" fantasy then? I mean, come on,
robots with intelligence? Being able to think on their own? Defend
humans above all else? Sounds pretty fantastical to me!
Is Star Trek fantasy? Dealing with 'gods' and birthrights, Vulcan
Mind Melds and being able to tele****t in the near blink of an eye
sounds pretty much like fantasy too, now that you mention it.
Under your definition, there is no such thing as Science Fiction.
Everything is Fantasy. What would you consider to be SF then?
TME
|
