[bksvol-discuss] Re: Help--should be help with genres for fiction wishlist
- From: "Kim Friedman" <kimfri11@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 16 May 2010 21:29:41 -0700
Hi, I think you're correct about this figuring out of genre fiction. I can
say with certainty that I would class Diana Gabaldon's Outlander as having
fantasy elements in that the heroine goes back through time by standing
inside a stone circle which may have been believed to have supernatural
things going on there. Your sf time-travel story would have a machine or
drug to send people back in time. The stone circle is the only fantasy
element in the series so far as I can gather. Regards, Kim.
-----Original Message-----
From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Roger Loran Bailey
Sent: Sunday, May 16, 2010 8:10 PM
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Help--should be help with genres for fiction
wishlist
Cindy, science fiction and fantasy are very differing genres, but they do
have some things in common. They are both classified as speculative fiction
because the premise behind each story is what would happen if. That is the
question is asked, what if and then a fantastic concept is inserted after
the word if. They both do contain fantastic elements. That is objects,
beings or occurrences that we have no evidence of the actual existence of
and which may not be even theoretically possible. The difference lies in the
assumed nature of the fantastic element presented. Remember that the word
science in science fiction is not there for nothing. Science deals with the
natural universe around us. Even though the fantastic elements in science
fiction may not be possible in any way known and may not even be
theoretically possible there is either some natural explanation in the story
for those fantastic elements or it is assumed within the context of the
story that the fantastic elements are natural within the context of the
universe as we know it. In fantasy, though, those fantastic elements are
assumed to be supernatural. Once before you expressed some confusion about
whether time travel should be considered science fiction or fantasy. In most
cases in which it appears in fiction it is in science fiction, but the trope
of time travel itself is not necessarily science fiction or fantasy.
The question is whether within the context of the story does the time travel
happen because of characteristics of the natural universe being manipulated
in a scientific way or is the time travel done by magic or some other
supernatural method. If it is the former, despite the fact that the methods
used may not be even theoretically known, it is science fiction. If it is
done by calling on supernatural means it is fantasy.
Sci-fi is a derogatory term for some poorly written science fiction. It
frequently refers to movies because they tend to be the most poorly written.
An example I recall is a television sci-fi show in which a large
astronomical body was approaching another large astronomical body in the
vacuum of space. To deflect the collision an explosion was set off between
them in the hope that the shock wave would deflect them. I found myself
asking what the hell was waving. Technically this was science fiction
because it was assumed in the context of the story that the natural laws of
physics were being called on and manipulated, but it would not actually work
unless the explosion was detonated on the surface of one of the bodies. That
is, it lacked verisimilitude. It is that lack of verisimilitude that makes
sci-fi. I will also point out that verisimilitude is subjective. The more
you know about actual science the more sci-fi you will see. So it is
something of a matter of opinion.
Horror is a little more vague. Technically it is anything that is written to
scare. It tends to be full of certain tropes that are supernatural such as
vampires, werewolves, ghosts and so forth, but that is not absolutely
necessary. Most of it is fantasy horror because of those supernatural
tropes, but you can technically have science fiction horror or horror of any
other genre. Stephen King's "Cujo" was an example of a horror novel that was
not also a fantasy or a science fiction. The horror in that story was a
rabid dog. Horror is a genre that makes a lot of other genres overlap.
_ _ _
"No man ever believes that the Bible means what it says; he is always
convinced that it says what he means." - George Bernard Shaw
The Militant:
http://www.themilitant.com
Pathfinder Press:
http://www.pathfinderpress.com
Granma International:
http://www.granma.cu/ingles/index.html
----- Original Message -----
From: "Cindy" <popularplace@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "Susan" <slumpkin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "Bookshare Support"
<support@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, May 16, 2010 10:18 PM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Help--should be help with genres for fiction
wishlist
Oh, my goodness. I see I forgot not only to put the subject properly but
forgot to post the whole message . And now it's gone--it's not in my draft
folder or my trash folder. (I think I got sidetracked). So I'll write the
message again.
I still don't quite understand the difference between scifi and science
fiction--nor, for that matter, do I understand the difference between urban
fantasy and some horror. or science fiction (what would wolfen be? Ithought
the movie was excellent.
I'm thinking maybe I should only use science fiction as a genre for books by
authors I know, i.e., classic authors like Azimov, Bradbury, Poul, Wells--or
I should just put whatever genre the requester uses to describe the book
he/she is requesting. Or maybe I should not bother putting genre at all next
to the
book on the wish list and let the would-be scanner, if he/she doesn't
recognize author's genre, check Amazon for a synopsis of the book? For
example, if I see the author is Nora Roberts, I know (I think) the genre is
modern romance, and of course Agatha Christie is mystery--so presumably a
lot of you scanners, being avid readers, would know the genre in which
authors write; of course there are some who cross genres, e.g., K.e.
Applegate, who seems to have gone from young afult to adult fiction
Thank you, Susan. If you can help me distinguish genres I would appreciate
it.
Cindy
Wish List (i.e., books wanted added to the collection) and
books-being-scanned list available at sites below
Wish List: https://wiki.benetech.org/display/BSO/Bookshare+Wish+List
Books Being Scanned List:
https://wiki.benetech.org/display/BSO/Books+Being+Scanned+List
--- On Sun, 5/16/10, Susan <slumpkin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
From: Susan <slumpkin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Help
To: "'Cindy'" <popularplace@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sunday, May 16, 2010, 6:20 PM
Hi Cindy,
Is there any way I can help you with
whatever you're needing help with? I'd be glad to if I can!
Susan
To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to
bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of
available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.
__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature
database 5119 (20100516) __________
The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
http://www.eset.com
__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature
database 5119 (20100516) __________
The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
http://www.eset.com
__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature
database 5119 (20100516) __________
The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
http://www.eset.com
__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature
database 5119 (20100516) __________
The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
http://www.eset.com
To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to
bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of
available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.
Other related posts:
