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/lit/ - Literature

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4841845 No.4841845 [Reply] [Original]

Why do people refer to this as science fiction? Because it takes place on a planet? It seems more like science fantasy, and even then there's not all that much science on it. I mean, there's a fucking prophecy and a chosen one in the book. What discipline of science would that fall under?

That being said, what are the best science fantasy books or series, /lit/? I like Star Wars and Dune so far. Thinking of reading Book Of The New Sun. Any good?

>> No.4841873

I'd class it as soft science fiction. It lets the hard science be a skycrane, and explores its effects on society.

I wouldn't call it space fantasy because it's a long way from star wars.

>> No.4841876

Gormenghast is for the patricians

>> No.4841885
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4841885

>>4841845
I think that science fiction is a catch all term used to describe anything that deals with aliens, and other planets. 'Science' in science fiction is loosely used. Dune and Star Wars are technically Space Operas, but no one really cares.

>> No.4841923

>>4841876
Thanks.

>>4841885
That's true, but I've read space operas that were purely science based and didn't have prophecies and chosen ones and magical space priestesses.

>> No.4841929

>>4841885

>Space Operas

I like that concept.

>> No.4841930

>>4841876
>>4841923

Wait sorry, it isn't science fantasy. I thought you said science fiction or fantasy.

still great tho

>> No.4841933
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4841933

>>4841929

>> No.4841945

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

>> No.4841959

>>4841945
clarke pls

>> No.4841976

>>4841945

I think that statement is partially true. It depends, directly, of the knowledge degree the person valuating has.

Despite it, you could say, and I would tend to agree, that any technology, or knowledge, is magic in itself, but since you are used to operate with it on a daily basis, you kinda "forget" about it.

If you get to live in a wild environment long enough, you get to understand what I just said pretty good. Over time, a simple exercise of concentration, can do the trick.

>> No.4842024

Quintaglio Ascension trilogy.

You'll thank me later.

>> No.4842058

If you want great Sci Fi just read anything by Stanislav Lem.

>> No.4842094

Can /lit/ recommend me a good science fantasy book so i can make the comparison between Sci-Fi and Sci-Fan?

>> No.4842102

The Forever War

space opera that's actually a veteran's commentary on the vietnam war

>> No.4842138
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4842138

>>4841845
>>4842094
Book of the New Sun is what Gene Wolfe called science fantasy. In this interview with Wolfe, Asimov, and lil Harlan they talk about the sci-fi, sci-fan difference.

https://www.. youtube.com/watch?v=RZvcKB9vQO0

>> No.4842458

>>4842094
Revelation Space.

>> No.4842515

>>4841845
It's science fiction because the major justification for all the magical acts is science. It's not a very good definition, but that's what people use.

>> No.4842611

>>4841933
God that tiger tiger cover

>> No.4842771

>>4842138
Wolfe has a huge brain. There has to be other video's he did when he was younger. I really wish there was another one other than this.

>> No.4843455
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4843455

>>4841945
Lets go deeper. Consider the concepts in Asimov's Foundation trilogy. Psychohistory.

Boom, prophecy explained.

Fuck, it even fits in with the whole tech regression thing perfectly.

>> No.4843581

>>4842771
why does he have a huge brain?

>> No.4843841

Roadside picknick.

>> No.4843884
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4843884

I felt that GE-Dune was more political commentary rather than sci-fi

>> No.4843958
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4843958

>>4841933
This, just finished reading it, entered my top 5 (sci-fi-) books of all time. Check out The End of Eternity by Asimov as well, I can't praise this book often enough.

>> No.4843961

>>4843958
no wait, I just saw you searched for Science Fantasy, ignore The End of Eternity and take Book of the New Sun instead!
One of these days I stop flying over sentences...

>> No.4843982

people who obsess about hard science fiction are the worst kind of nerds.

just because you call it "hyper drive" and give a long winded explanation doesn't mean it's not just as fake as magical teleportation. it just means you have a fetish for jargon.

>> No.4844109

>>4843581
Because of his large head. And how well he can write.

>> No.4844897

>>4843982
but jargon is fun

>> No.4844908

>>4841845
>>4843455
I came in here to mention that if you read Dune after the Foundation trilogy, you can see it as a kind of response to it, which sets some of the context for it being called sci-fi. Plus, hard sci-fi hadn't really developed at that time.

OP, what genre do you consider Fire Upon the Deep?

>> No.4844921

>it takes place on a planet
I lol'ed

>> No.4845082

>>4842138
BotNS is obviously Science Fantasy from the start. Hell, I thought it was just fantasy until they started mentioning that the moon was terraformed.

>> No.4845759

Sorry for being offtopic, but how many of the Dune books are worth reading? Just the ones written by Herbert Sr or even fewer?

>> No.4845792

>>4841845
Something incredibly important to remember about Dune: the prophecy in it is fake. No one actually foretold anything. The mysticism is all a mask put in place in case someone needs to manipulate the culture by standing in as a messiah figure, which is exactly what happens. And the Quizatz Hadderack (Sorry for the spelling) is not a prophecy either. It is a scientific projection by the Bene Gesserit.