Hey all,
So I was pondering the workings of Sci-Fi and Fantasy the other day, and, while doing so, came into questioning their roles as genres.
Some background: I was thinking about how, for me, sci-fi and fantasy seem to do best when they're not the center of a story. If a book's focus is "look we have elves" then it's no fun to read. I want to know what the elves are doing, any why they're doing it. I want characters, three dimensional people, and a story that goes beyond the idea that they're living in a world that isn't ours. Same goes for Sci-Fi (though I must admit, I am more accustomed to sci-fi in terms of video games, not novels). I understand it's the future, and there's cool technology, but I don't like tech to be the focus. It's always more interesting to see the people in these worlds. The worlds create a unique backdrop, but they're just that: a backdrop, not the main event. They are part of the novel's setting.
So why are they considered genres?
You can have mystery sci-fi, romantic fantasy, action/adventure space marines, and horror stories in the depths of a dwarven dig site. Mystery, Action, Horror, Thriller, Romance: These are genres. To me, Sci-Fi and Fantasy both seem like they're just two of the many settings in which the genres can occur, so why are they constantly funneled into their own categories?
Just some thoughts, I was hoping to get some discussion going, and see how other people felt about the matter.
So I was pondering the workings of Sci-Fi and Fantasy the other day, and, while doing so, came into questioning their roles as genres.
Some background: I was thinking about how, for me, sci-fi and fantasy seem to do best when they're not the center of a story. If a book's focus is "look we have elves" then it's no fun to read. I want to know what the elves are doing, any why they're doing it. I want characters, three dimensional people, and a story that goes beyond the idea that they're living in a world that isn't ours. Same goes for Sci-Fi (though I must admit, I am more accustomed to sci-fi in terms of video games, not novels). I understand it's the future, and there's cool technology, but I don't like tech to be the focus. It's always more interesting to see the people in these worlds. The worlds create a unique backdrop, but they're just that: a backdrop, not the main event. They are part of the novel's setting.
So why are they considered genres?
You can have mystery sci-fi, romantic fantasy, action/adventure space marines, and horror stories in the depths of a dwarven dig site. Mystery, Action, Horror, Thriller, Romance: These are genres. To me, Sci-Fi and Fantasy both seem like they're just two of the many settings in which the genres can occur, so why are they constantly funneled into their own categories?
Just some thoughts, I was hoping to get some discussion going, and see how other people felt about the matter.