Is it possible to... - Writers Forum

Spencer28 · 07-26-2006, 04:58 AM

Is it possible to successfully combine High Fantasy and Science Fiction in a novel? I got this idea while playing Oblivion on Xbox360 and looking at night sky to see moons/planets. Is there any novels already based on this idea? Can magic and science work?

mwd · 07-26-2006, 05:38 AM

Yes, of course it's possible. Like most things it's a matter of how well it's done.

There's a genre of speculative fiction called "steampunk" which basically concerns itself with early industrial technology but in victorian and medieval settings. There are plenty of fantasy steampunk novels which combine high fantasy with science fiction in this way ... I'm not really sure from your OP how advanced you wanted the technology to be, but either way, yes it can be done and has been in the past.

If you want an example of how fantasy and science fiction can work together, just take any character in a science fiction novel with psychic or extrasensory abilities, and pretend that those abilities are magic instead. Change the aliens to elves and dwarves, and bam, you have what you're looking for.

Mike C · 07-26-2006, 06:37 AM

All things are possible - however, high fantasy and SF combined are a hard sell. If they weren't, you wouldn't be asking this question because you'd immediately think of a dozen or more examples.

G. Palmer · 07-26-2006, 07:00 AM

Wouldn't a merge of High Fantasy and Sci Fi just be like creating your own universe/galaxy? Kind of like the whole Star Wars thing? I'd certainly think it is possible. Selling it might be a different question, but I wouldn't consider it impossible at all.

cabbageguy · 07-26-2006, 09:14 AM

Oh, it's certainly possible.

Take, for example, this.

Dawnstorm · 07-26-2006, 09:37 AM

It's more common in anime (X - TV series, for example), computer games (Wizardry series, Might and Magic series, Final Fantasy, Phantasy Star), or some non-computer RPG-systems (Shadowrun = fantasy + cyberpunk).

Then, there's the steampunk sub-genre in SF, but it doesn't tend to be as epic in scope as high fantasy tends to be.

It's not as uncommon as you might think.

Anne Lacey · 07-26-2006, 02:49 PM

Yes, very possible. One example that immediately jumps to my mind is "The Last Guardian" by Shane Johnson. Maybe you should read a few books that combine these stories to get a better feel for it.

Spencer28 · 08-08-2006, 03:07 AM

Thank you for your replies. I will check out the sources you have provided

Savant Deviance · 08-08-2006, 11:31 AM

There Will Be Dragons and East of the Sun, West of the Moon, both by John Ringo sound like something you may be interested in. Sort of a blend of future sci-fi and fantasy.

bob rulz · 08-08-2006, 12:23 PM

Star Wars is almost a fantasy/sci-fi mix, considering such a huge impact the Force has on that universe. Some people actually consider it fantasy (that's bullshit though; it's definitely science fiction at heart). Anyway, I personally don't know any, but it's definitely possible and I know it's been done, as the examples above proved.

Mike C · 08-08-2006, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob rulz

Some people actually consider it fantasy (that's bullshit though; it's definitely science fiction at heart).

Bunkum. The reason that Star Wars was so universally popular is that it melds elements of all the genres, from high fantasy (princesses, quests, evil empires, swords) right through to the western. Change the time, and the setting, and the story woud work equally well, because the themes are universal.

starslight · 08-08-2006, 07:47 PM

I would recommend Stephen King's Dark Tower series, which is a mix of fantasy, western, and science fiction.

bob rulz · 08-09-2006, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike C

Bunkum. The reason that Star Wars was so universally popular is that it melds elements of all the genres, from high fantasy (princesses, quests, evil empires, swords) right through to the western. Change the time, and the setting, and the story woud work equally well, because the themes are universal.

Well, you've got a point there...but still, you can't have lasers and space battles in fantasy. Although, I guess the basic concept still remains.

Mike C · 08-09-2006, 07:12 AM

Same also applies to Dune - set a fantasy in Morocco/North Africa, mix fantasy elements with SF, and you have a winner. Although, as with Star Wars, it's a SF retelling of fantasy themes rather than an authentic mix.

There were also several allegorical novels from the 60's featuring SF/fantasy, where cruel invaders would descend from space to medieval fantasyish planets to kick alien butt (reflecting the authors' views on US involvement in Vietnam) but their popularity waned when the war ended.

dwellerofthedeep · 08-09-2006, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Well, you've got a point there...but still, you can't have lasers and space battles in fantasy. Although, I guess the basic concept still remains.

I'm not sure how true this is, though I did have to think about it. I personally think virtually anything not set in the real world should probably be considered fantasy, regardless of tech level. Of course that probably wouldn't help with marketing books so I definitely don't see it happening.