Sci-Fi Fantasy

Science fiction contains such a variety of setting, themes, and characters that at times it seems to cross into other genres. The very element of discovery and invention that appears in so many science fiction tales is the same element that pushes science fiction towards two other genres, horror and fantasy. It approaches horror through the fear that is inevitable when speaking of discovery and moves into fantasy by letting the cause of the discovery straddle the boundaries of scientific possibilities.

A general definition of fantasy is when the impossible becomes possible by breaking natural laws. The line between science fiction and fantasy that sometimes wears thin is with the identification of natural laws. The comparison is easy when examining "Abracadabra" versus "this is the result of the experimental surgery designed by highly qualified Dr. Intelligent," but becomes trickier in other circumstances. For example, quite often science fiction stories are set in the future. The authors take full advantage of the fact that the audience has the attitude that in the future anything is possible. They use the same principle with a setting in newly discovered lands whether they are on a planet in the next galaxy or in a hidden village in the Rocky Mountains. In these "anything is fair game" situations, the definition of natural law is purely hypothetical. It is up to the author to reasonably support the new ideas. It is characteristically science fiction that tries to justify the cause with reason while fantasy takes short cuts to reach the effect.

At times the cause of an unusual circumstance is not explained at all, but simply presented. This can make the categorization into science fiction or fantasy tricky. In "The Third Level" by Jack Finney, a mysterious level of Grand Central Station is discovered in which the train carries its riders back in time sixty years. Is it magic or the scientific answer to the time machine?

Science fiction and fantasy also share favorite themes. They may speak of strange and distant lands or an individual coming into power by the use of either magical or scientific aids. There are monsters galore whether in alien, mutant insect, or ogre form. Humans find a way to communicate to animals or to beings that do not even posses mouths. Dreams may come true either literally or through wish fulfillment. Time travel, religious issues, war, good versus evil, utopian societies, the fountain of youth and love crossing species barriers can all be found in either fantasy or science fiction form. Some novels include several of these topics, approaching some from the science fiction side and others from the fantasy side making categorization interesting.

Finally, there is one type of story that science fiction likes to claim as its own even if there is not an obvious use of science. This type of story is an author’s version of a scientific experiment. The author abides to all of the traditional and accurate details of the chosen setting except for one variable, the novum. The remainder of the story is the author’s hypothesis of the human reaction to the novum.