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Prefer sci-fi or fantasy?

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  • 03-08-2003 2:34am
    #1
    simu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,730 ✭✭✭✭


    Maybe it's been done before, but not recently as far as I can see...

    I *love sci-fi* but am not so keen on fantasy at all so I find it strange the way they're always lumbered together.

    Why? Probably because I'm interested in science and sci-fi shows you science topics in a new and interesting light.

    Fantasy, on the other hand, seems to involve the past more than the future and I'm not too keen on cuddly creatures/evil monsters - I know this is a caricature but fantasy stories never made me sit up and go "wow"!

    This is not an attempt to "find the best genre" BTW, it's just to see what others think about this.:)

    Do you prefer sci-fi or fantasy? 31 votes

    I like sci-fi the most
    0% 0 votes
    I'm slightly keener on sci-fi
    35% 11 votes
    I like both genres equally
    12% 4 votes
    I'm rather more partial to fantasy
    16% 5 votes
    Fantasy uber alles!
    35% 11 votes


Comments

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    #2
    bizmark
    Registered Users Posts: 6,892 ✭✭✭bizmark


    SCI FI is by far the best because it shows what "COULD" happen space travel etc

    Fantasy is weird it shows stuff that can never happen unless at some point humans are able to fire fireballs out their finger tips

    Also id say if you like sci fi you wont like fantasy as its totaly different


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    #3
    Webmonkey
    Registered Users Posts: 9,579 ✭✭✭Webmonkey


    Me sci-fi person partly because i like science and sci fi have a much better chance of becoming real than fantasys


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    #4
    Webmonkey
    Registered Users Posts: 9,579 ✭✭✭Webmonkey


    Originally posted by bizmark
    SCI FI is by far the best because it shows what "COULD" happen space travel etc

    Fantasy is weird it shows stuff that can never happen unless at some point humans are able to fire fireballs out their finger tips

    Also id say if you like sci fi you wont like fantasy as its totaly different

    Ha! I was just posting the same thing as u same time.


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    #5
    azezil
    Registered Users Posts: 11,397 ✭✭✭✭azezil


    Originally posted by simu
    I find it strange the way they're always lumbered together.
    many of the theories protrayed in 'sci-fi movies/ shows' are often so out-landish that they are refered too as fantasy.

    I love both genre's but slightly leaning towards the sci-fi side.


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    #6
    Manach
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,705 Mod ✭✭✭✭Manach


    Would slightly tend to fantasy.
    There is a tendancy to get blinded by the geewhizary science in SciFi & whilst moral issues can get presented in clearer terms in fantasy.


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    #7
    simu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,730 ✭✭✭✭simu


    That's funny manach.

    I find the emphasis on wizardry and magic and so on in fantasy often clouds any ethical/philosophical questions being dealt with:)


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    #8
    Manach
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,705 Mod ✭✭✭✭Manach


    Sure, wizards and make-believe
    eg
    LOTR
    Chronicles of Narnia
    Chronicles of Thomas Convenant.

    Not that there isn't dross in fantasy, but isn't such in all genres.


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    #9
    GuanYin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15,552 ✭✭✭✭GuanYin


    Clever sci-fi any day of the week.

    I do like fantasy based on histroy/mythology but I haven't read anything bar LOTR since I was a teen.

    Oh and Pratchett, always Pratchett.....


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    #10
    ixoy
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 17,991 Mod ✭✭✭✭ixoy


    Umm sci-fi and fantasy are put together because they're both speculative fiction to a degree most other genres are not. They (generally) both involve building a whole word based on a presumpation/hypothesis/set of rules. Basically, I think, "What ifs". In shop terms they're lumped together in the section for weirdos.

    I prefer good fantasy to good sci-fi. However, good sci-fi is often difficult to find. Most fantasy tends to end up in the cliches section whereas sci-fi tends to be a little bit smarter, and more inventive. The current one I'm reading, David Brin's "Kil'n People" is a perfect example I think of how clever sci-fi can be, as well as being able to address some quite interesting morale concepts. Having said that, nothing can touch (my) top fantasy authors, like George R.R. Martin or Janny Wurts...


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    #11
    Sarky
    Closed Accounts Posts: 31,967 ✭✭✭✭Sarky


    I find sci fi to be more appealing. I'm not sure why, but it might have something to do with guns. Sci fi can have swordfights too, but there's also plenty of "Dakkadakkadakka" incidents too...

    That said, I have more discworld books than any other genre...


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    #12
    Raphael
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,880 ✭✭✭Raphael


    Personally i like them both and especially a combination of the too ie warhammer 40k books


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    #13
    avatar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 152 ✭✭avatar


    Interesting question.... when it coes to books, i'm a fantasy nut. Movies, I'm a sci-fi fanatic.... so I prefer both.... that doesn't make sense, does it?


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    #14
    skittishkitten
    Closed Accounts Posts: 665 ✭✭✭skittishkitten


    Will since I have to chose I would say Fantasy. But if you want to get picky ...... Fantasy COULD be a reality through Science ..... which would lend it to be a subdivision of Sci-Fi ;):D


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    #15
    TheSonOfBattles
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,107 ✭✭✭TheSonOfBattles


    Well, I think the last few posts have thoroughly disproved bizmarks theory that you can only like one or the other. I to am a fan of both sci-fi and fantasy, but I tend to lean more to the fantasy side of the fence, mainly for the reason that it will probably never happen. This makes it easier to lose yourself in the FANTASY, thus the whole point of calling it a fantasy book.

    Sci-fi is cool to, but good magic has always drawn me like nothing else will.


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    #16
    shock
    Closed Accounts Posts: 129 ✭✭shock


    I have to say that i slightly prefare sci-fi to fantasy for the same reason as TheSonOfBattles prefares fantasy to sci-fi. Dont ask me why, could just be how my brain works.


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