Which genre is better: fantasy vs. science fiction? Both genres fall under the umbrella of “speculative fiction”: stories about things that couldn’t take place in the world as we know it. From there, the two genres diverge in both style and storytelling. So let’s get into the differences between science fiction and fantasy and why readers might prefer one over the other.
Fantasy vs. Science Fiction – Which is Which?
The actual line between sci-fi and fantasy is debatable. Both contain a huge range of different types of settings, elements, and stories. When people use a different criterion for the distinction, the line between the two genres lands in a different place.
Magic vs. Technology
One of the major delineators is whether the story relies on magic or science. Science follows the rules we’ve observed in our world and projects additional applications for it, whether that’s in new technology or on alien planets. Magic tends to be a power inherent in the world that is harder to explain, although it will often follow a particular set of rules than can be as robust as any scientific principles. As you can tell by the genre’s name, science fiction favors science, whereas fantasy depends on magic.
Since science wasn’t one of my strong suits in school, I tend to prefer fantasy on this spectrum. So long as a story is internally believable and follows its own rules, I don’t care if the science is plausible based on what we know about our own universe. I enjoy how fantasy can work outside the box to do things that couldn’t be done in our world using magic. Readers who prefer to visualize what could be accomplished in our future might prefer science fiction, especially since in many cases sci-fi writers have predicted technological developments we now take for granted, such as cell phones and virtual reality.
History vs. Future
Many sci-fi stories take place in the near or distant future, whereas fantasies tend to pull on historically inspired settings. This criterion isn’t as reliable because contemporary fantasy is a huge sub-genre that defies it; contemporary fantasy takes place in the present day, but relies on magical powers or creatures to differentiate it from regular contemporary fiction. On the flipside, science fiction can get very close to contemporary with the “near future.” However, the more time that comes between the present day and the story, the clearer this distinction becomes in assigning the story to one genre or the other.
This aesthetic, while not the most definitive across the board, definitely plays a major role in what types of books I prefer to read. Castles, swords, and sweeping gowns have enchanted me since my childhood. As historical items, they cause me to lean toward the fantasy genre overall. People who prefer spaceships, spandex, and blaster guns would enjoy sci-fi more.
Aesthetics vs. Storytelling
The factors listed above are what I’d call aesthetic differentiators between science fiction and fantasy. They deal with the trappings of the world in which the story takes place. But the two genres also tend to tell different types of stories in terms of theme.
Science fiction tends to concern itself with what could be, and as a result, it raises a lot of questions in its storytelling. It explores areas of moral ambiguity where conclusions are hard to make. Or, it dives into the consequences of not considering those questions up front, resulting in cautionary tales. Overall, the stories told in sci-fi tend to challenge by pointing out a trajectory that we in our world might not want to keep following.
By contrast, fantasy tends to provide a metaphor for what is. As a result, it presents conflicts in a more clear-cut manner. Oftentimes, the lines between good and evil are drawn very clearly and the conflict is completed conclusively. The outcome of fantasy stories is often inspirational, demonstrating to us how we can handle problems in our world to achieve victory.
While both genres can—and often do—deal with serious philosophical and moral discussions, the approach to these issues manifests differently. The ambiguity or cautionary components of science fiction can make it less comfortable to read, whereas the metaphorical and inspirational approaches of fantasy can result in a more feel-good reading experience. Since I prefer to have a solution when tackling a problem, I tend to prefer fantasy, but people who enjoy the process of problem-solving might engage better with sci-fi.
Exceptions
Obviously, these criteria are all generalizations, and many stories don’t fit neatly into all these genre divisions. There are futuristic magical stories and inspirational sci-fi stories and dark cautionary fantasy stories. But in terms of overall trends, these aesthetics and themes apply to a lot of works in the fantasy and science-fiction genres.
Which is the best?
As we’ve seen, these two major branches of speculative fiction—fantasy and science fiction—vary in both their aesthetics and their storytelling. So now that we’ve drawn the lines between science fiction and fantasy in multiple ways, which genre do you prefer? Why? Which criteria do you use when distinguishing between the two genres? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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