Sci-Fi vs Fantasy: How To Tell Them Apart

Among all genres of writing, few seem to cause confusion quite like Science Fiction and Fantasy. What makes a story one or the other? When does technology become so far-fetched it becomes synonymous with magic?

If you ask anyone who enjoys Science Fiction or Fantasy, they can tell you that there is a distinct difference between the two genres, even if they can’t quite explain it. There are even several memes that have ben floating around the internet over the past couple years that try to answer the question, saying things like “if the currency is in credits, it’s Science Fiction; if it’s in gold, it’s Fantasy.”

However, when it comes to things like marketing, reviewing, or even just understanding your own genre preferences more deeply, knowing the differences between the two can be quite useful.

So why the confusion?

The reason for the confusion is pretty easy to understand: both genres share many characteristics and often bleed into one another.

Both Sci-Fi and Fantasy:

• Are known for having high stakes.
• Explore the farthest reaches of imagination, considering the possibilities that lie past the simple question of “What If?”
• Bend the idea of what reality can be, going beyond the limits of our own reality to view the world through an unreal lens.
• Incorporate fantastical elements, explained and justified by magic or technology.

Even so, there is more to the difference between the two than aesthetics, and the easiest way to figure it all out is to break the genres down.

Before I do so, it is important to remember that both Science Fiction and Fantasy are absolutely full of subgenres, with people constantly taking them in different directions. That’s part of what makes defining them so difficult—for every point that could be put toward defining one of them, there’s always going to be an exception to the rule. The immense amount of creativity is part of what makes them so interesting as genres, after all.

However, I’m going to need to give some definitions for the purpose of this blog, so please remember that these are all generalizations, breaking the genres down to their most common denominators.

What is Science Fiction?

Science Fiction is the genre of technology, science, and space. This is the genre where aliens, robots, and unethical science prevails, with a healthy dose of dystopias and zombies on the side. Some of its earliest works include Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and various works from Jules Verne, including 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Journey to the Center of the Earth. The genre began to gain popularity in the 50s, with the rise of technological advancements like nuclear energy and the beginning of the space race, sparking dreams of travelling the stars. Over the years, the themes, messages, and technologies have evolved to fit with the changing times.

Some of the most common elements found in Science Fiction are:

• Advanced technology that far exceeds our own, such as high-functioning/sentient robots, cyborgs, spacecrafts, and teleporters.
• Advanced science, be it ethical or unethical, such as cloning, genetic mutation, and general human experimentation.
• Strange creatures in the form of aliens or the results of (usually unethical) experiments.
• Set in the future, either near or far, whether that future be dystopian or utopian.
• Concepts like time travel and multiple dimensions.
• Combat involving lasers, ray guns, and force fields.

Some popular examples of Science Fiction: Star Trek, Doctor Who, The Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Walking Dead, Red Rising, The Hunger Games, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and Back to the Future.

In Science Fiction, many stories have themes about the relationship between humans and technology. Stories often examine what it means to be human, what makes something alive, and how far is too far when it comes to technological and scientific advancement. Sci-Fi also has its fair share of revolutionary stories, particularly in the dystopia subgenre, filled with themes of what it means to be free and live a fulfilling life.

What Is Fantasy?

Wizards, knights, princesses, and dragons are some of the hallmarks of fantasy. It is the genre of grand adventure of epic proportions, good vs. evil, and magic galore, known for its grand tales of heroes and the villains they face.

It’s quite difficult to determine when, exactly, fantasy began as a genre, as it depends on whether or not folklore and fairy tales count. However, the fantasy genre as we know it can arguably be traced to the mid-1800s, with Scottish author George MacDonald’s novels Phantastes and The Princess and the Goblin. It wasn’t until the 1960s with the rising popularity of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, though, that modern fantasy really began to take form.

Some of the most common elements found in fantasy are:

• Some form of magical element, usually in the form of a magic system, be it a minor or major element of the story.
• Fantastical creatures and races, such as dragons and elves, often with a few monstrous creatures thrown in.
• Strange new worlds, whether they be completely separate from our own (Like Middle Earth or Narnia) or a twist on our own world (Like the Wizarding World of Harry Potter or the hidden magical world of The Dresden Files).
•  An older time period, such as the Middle Ages, if set in a secondary world. If set in our world, then the time period tends to be modern.
• Old-style weaponry, particularly swords.

Some popular examples of fantasy media: The Lord of the Rings, A Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Mistborn, The Witcher, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Dresden Files, and The Wheel of Time

In Fantasy, themes often lean toward being about heroism, sacrifice, and what it means to stand up for what is right, regardless of the cost. The genre is filled with stories of people rising up to face a calamitous event, whether it be in the form of an army at the gates or a dark god trying to destroy their world. Another common theme is examining power and how it can be used or misused, whether that power be political or magical.

What If A Story Has Elements of Both?

“But wait a minute!” you may be thinking. “What about stories that have elements that fit both Science Fiction and Fantasy?”

Great question.

Some stories can be classified as being both Science Fiction and Fantasy, which is when we get a special little subgenre called Science Fantasy.

One of the best examples of Science Fantasy in modern media is, arguably, Star Wars. Aesthetically, it looks like Science Fiction—it’s full of space travel, robots and aliens. However, one of the central parts of the story is the Force, which acts more like a magic system than anything else, unable to be explained by technology or science. Even the story’s themes lean closer to the ones found commonly in fantasy, the prequel and original trilogies in particular following themes of heroism and good vs. evil.

Though often used as a joke, Star Wars really can be boiled down to being described as wizards in space, and it’s a perfect example of the genres being blended together.

There are many other examples Science Fantasy (Dragonriders of Pern, by Anne McCaffery; The Coldfire Trilogy, by C. S. Friedman; The Saga of Recluce, by L. E. Modessit Jr; most of the Final Fantasy franchise), but the subgenre is deep enough to warrant its own post in the future.

So what does this all mean, then? What is the difference between Science Fiction and Fantasy?

In the most concise way possible, here it is:

Science Fiction often has a focus on advancement. Advanced technologies, advanced sciences, and the possibilities that lie in the future, whether good or bad, act as both beacons of hope and cautionary tales.

Fantasy, in many ways, looks to the past. Its roots trace back to the days of oral storytelling, myths and folktales passed down from generation to generation. It seeks to capture the imagination and show the audience that good can overcome evil; that some things are truly worth fighting for.

As I said earlier in the post, there are exceptions to the rule. There are Science Fiction stories that are tales of heroism or simply exploring interesting scientific ideas, just as there are Fantasy stories that have no heroes. However, those are some of the characteristics that I feel commonly define the genres.

Understanding genres that are similar to one another can be challenging, but knowing what makes them work and defines them can be extremely useful for things like marketing and reviewing. But in the grand scheme of things, what matters is that you create what you want to create. You can always figure out where it goes after.

Anyway, that’s all I have for you this time. I hope you have a lovely day, and I’ll talk to you again in the next one.