I've also heard it called "high" science fiction and popular sci-fi...is it something just limited to this genre, or is it a broad term used for all literature? And what exactly does it mean?
2007-09-17 08:49:08 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
Fantasy and Science Fiction often sit next to each other on the shelves, but in literary and dramatic senses they're (largely) quite different. They also attract different but overlapping readership.
Science fiction is about the logical and the possible. Fantasy is about the illogical and the impossible. (Yes, they do overlap just a bit, because we're not always sure what's possible, but work with me here).
High Fantasy (also known as Epic Fantasy) is about big, sweeping metaphysical plots (usually involving Good vs Evil or some strong moral theme), lots of travel and typically some highly transformative journey for its main characters. It's distinct from other kinds of fantasy (like Sword and Sorcery or Magical Realism). The most famous High Fantasy story is J.R.R Tolkien's /Lord of the Rings/. Robert E. Howard's /Conan the Barbarian/ tales are a famous example of Sword and Sorcery. If you compare them, you'll see the difference. I have a few links below that will help explain further.
I haven't seen the term "High Sci Fi", but I have seen "Hard Sci Fi". "Hard Sci Fi" describes what the setting and/or plot's about. You can't use any physics other than the physics we know today - or if you do use speculative physics (e.g. the physics of telepathy), then the story is all about how those physics work.
"Popular Sci Fi" covers nearly everything else in the Sci Fi genre. For instance, Space Opera is a Sci Fi subgenre which is all about larger than life characters in larger than life situations with epic plots set in some logically-extrapolated place. You seldom care about the physics in a Space Opera story; it's all about the characters and the action.
To see the difference between Hard Sci Fi and Space Opera, look at the works of Greg Bear vs the works of Lois McMaster Bujold, for instance.
2007-09-18 10:27:18 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
While the authorities talk about setting, characters, an alternative or made-up world, and epic settings, etc., what separates high from low or popular fantasy, at least to my mind, is the language of a work. For example, the Lord of the Rings trilogy is high fantasy, the Hobbit is low. Other examples of high fantasy: The Worm Ouroboros, the High Place, the King of Elfland's Daughter, the Well at the World's End, the Gormenghast trilogy, the Silmarillion, the Children of Hurin, the Voyage to Arcturus. Low fanatasy: the Xanth series, the Discworld series, the Shannara books, the Wheel of Time, the Drizzt books.
2007-09-17 09:36:14 · answer #2 · answered by Rob 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In fantasy, I believe, it has to do with the setting and amount of magic involved. There is high fantasy, dark fantasy, urban fantasy, epic fantasy and well I am sure I am forgetting some categories of fantasy right now.
High fantasy has a high level of magic, lots of magical creatures, happy endings, and set in a medieval time and place, almost fairy tale-like. ( the Hobbit, Princess Bride, King Arthur stories, etc) Urban fantasy is set in a modern world. (The Wood Wife, Neverwhere, The Onion Girl, etc )Dark fantasy has touches of horror (Black Jewels, Death of a Necromancer )and epic fantasies take place over a longer period of time with a huge cast of characters. (Song of Fire and Ice, Wheel of Time, Tales of Malazon, etc)
I am not sure what it means in others genres. I haven't personally heard the term high sci fi.
2007-09-17 09:01:59 · answer #3 · answered by ray s 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Popular fantasy is simply what's popular, which right now is high fantasy.
High Fantasy involves magic, with magic frequently being a major plot-point in the story, i.e; Harry Potter, which is both popular and fantasy.
2007-09-18 00:57:10 · answer #4 · answered by Dan A 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋