Billy asked me yesterday why I only read sci-fi books… I said something about how sci-fi books often suggest a new idea or new way of thinking about things that really gets my brain going. Then today we were chatting about the difference between sci-fi and fantasy, and why I don’t like the latter. The reason I came up was that fantasy stories have magic which basically means anything can happen. Magic lowers the barriers to deus ex machina where as sci-fi generally has to stick to the laws of the universe.
Anyway, whatever the reason, I tend to enjoy sci-fi books more than standard fiction. I have also noticed that the real top-notch books tend to be either Hugo winners, Nebula winners, or both. So a while back I made a list of all the Hugo and Nebula award winning novels and I keep track of which ones I’ve read.
Well, today I combined the two lists into one list and put it up on my site. You can see the list here, the grayed out titles are the books I’ve read so far. I’m not going to make such a lofty goal as to read all of these, I’m sure there are a few in here that I wouldn’t even enjoy. However, when my current interests coincide with a title on the list, I’ll happily read it and mark it off.
I never thought of the point you brought up that in fantasy they have magic and can break the laws of the universe. Interesting. It's probably because I rarely read both. I don't think I've ever read a fantasy book, and maybe only a handful of sci-fi. Scientology! Now that's good sci-fi. :)
I really enjoy fantasy... probably largely because it makes you think outside the box of the laws of nature. I think it allows you to ponder the possibilities that our world is created with certain laws but not ones that necessarily govern other potential creations or the spiritual world. I mean, God lives outside of time and our laws of nature, and the things we observe are sort of artificial. There is more to what is real. I find that really interesting.
But I enjoy what you said about sci-fi in that it is bound to a certain extent by what we can experience. Interesting.
Jake is right.
Actually, here is a little sci-fi/fantasy book that hits this issue head on...in a fictional way. Not mind-blowing books but good fun read anyway.
Archonate.com
If you don't want to read the books, here is my summary:
One is a collection of short stories and the other is the sequel in novel form. Anyway, the idea is that science is an "age" and one that may be ending in favor of one of magic but they define magic as thought equaling substance. (spoiler coming) It turns out that this science age, only exists in a bubble that protects its own laws from that of "magic" but magic leaks into it in the form of intuition and coincidence.
I thought we agreed that you would say "Jake is entirely right." Oh well, "Jake is right" is good enough.
Once again, Jake is entirely right.