Futuristic Fantasy?

[Starman]

I think "He-Man" or "Thundercats" are examples of futuristic fantasy. It combines the Swords and Sorcery genre with Star Wars-ish technology.

 

[Theory5]

I don't know many that are actual futuristic fantasy (except for the high crusade) but Implied Spaces by Walter Jon Williams has a lot of parts that take place in a fantastical realm. It's sort of like a total immersion video game in the book. Towards the end it does lean more towards Sci-fi.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Isn't "futuristic fantasy" usually labelled as "science fantasy"? Just curious, but I know how iffy pigeon-holing for genres can be.

 

[J-Sun]

Isn't "futuristic fantasy" usually labelled as "science fantasy"? Just curious, but I know how iffy pigeon-holing for genres can be.

I completely agree on the iffiness. But it seems to me that science fantasy would be "futuristic fantasy" but where the "fantasy" comes from an insufficiency of science, so to speak. Under the handwavium, we're supposed to pretend to believe some science is down there somewhere. Where I gathered the ideal "futuristic fantasy" the OP wanted was supposed to be fantasy with an excess of futurity. Where we're supposed to take it as fantasy but not as one set in a recognizable past or present. No handwavium required.

Problem is, there's lots of science fantasy and it's hard to think of pure, solid examples of the other thing.

 

[Null_Zone]

The Deathstalker serier by Simon R Green, where energy weapons have a recharge period and whilst they can cut through pretty much anything the 2 minute wait until the next volley gives the other guy a chance to close with his sword.

Riot Drones with shields and tazers are considered not weapons to use against the nobility.

Weapons that overcome the issues have been supressed by orbital bombarment.

As a wild guess I'd say Dune also counts.

 

[Randy M.]

I realize this is a fairly old thread, but just because no one mentioned a couple of these ...

Zothique by Clark Ashton Smith, a collection of Smith's stories compiled and put in order by Lin Carter. The stories are available in other collections, as well.

The Smith influenced Jack Vance's The Dying Earth, which influenced Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun and, more recently, much of Matthew Hughes' work. (I greatly enjoyed the Henghis Hapthorn stories I've read by Hughes; great fun tweaking a Sherlock Holmes-like character.)


Randy M.

 

[Clansman]

The Wars of Light and Shadow by Janny Wurts. How it gets from a space faring future to a medieval-setting fantasy would be a major, super spoiler.

Suffice to say that it was a collapse of human civilization akin to the David Drake/SM Stirling General novels, but also sort of like the Pern novels, in that the planet we find our intrepid heroes on is set apart. Some humans strive towards recovering star-faring civilization again, whereas others are working on plain dominance, and others still on transcending the reality that has plagued humanity (dominance) since the year dot.

Still, primarily a medieval fantasy.

 

[Moggle]

The Warded Man and the Pattern Master by Octavia Butler are futuristic fantasy.

 

[Anne Lyle]

Going back to the OP, there are two different subgenres mentioned...

Warhammer 40k has fantasy tropes such as elves and orcs thoroughly mixed with SF ones like space travel. An obvious parallel that springs to mind is Julian May's Saga of the Exiles, in which humans from the near future are sent back to the Pliocene era using a time machine, only to find prehistoric Europe already inhabited by aliens who bear a remarkable resemblance to characters out of Celtic myth and folklore...

Terry Brooks' Shannara series, on the other hand, is to all intents and purposes conventional fantasy that eventually turns out to be set in a post-apocalyptic future. I shudder to place the sublime Richard Morgan in the same company as Brooks, but there are definite hints that the setting for The Steel Remains is, if not an actual future Earth, then something very close, and that all the "magic" may actually be extraordinarily advanced technology. However you could omit those hints and the few blatant SF tropes, and it would be indistinguishable from a secondary world fantasy - which is not the case with Warhammer 40k.

 

[Catswold]

Well . . . it depends on what you mean by "futuristic fantasy" as was previously stated. Shannara series had future tech (also as was previously stated).

Piers Anthony wrote the Split Infinity series which takes place in two parallel worlds, one in which magic rules and the other in which the character lives in a futuristic world.

Raymond Feist and David Eddings both included knowledge of other worlds with different technologies as did the interminable "Wheel of Time" series which includes discussion of "flying platforms."

David Weber's "Bazhell" series also has hints of other worlds and a broad, all-encompassing battle between gods that spans the dimensions and galaxies.

If you mean fantasy involving science fiction then as someone said Star Wars is the very definition of "futuristic fantasy."

 

[JQP]

Thundarr the Barbarian! Maybe my grandkids will get to see the live-action version.

Okay, it's a cartoon, not a book, but still...

 

[Galacticdefender]

Going back to the OP, there are two different subgenres mentioned...

Warhammer 40k has fantasy tropes such as elves and orcs thoroughly mixed with SF ones like space travel. An obvious parallel that springs to mind is Julian May's Saga of the Exiles, in which humans from the near future are sent back to the Pliocene era using a time machine, only to find prehistoric Europe already inhabited by aliens who bear a remarkable resemblance to characters out of Celtic myth and folklore...

Terry Brooks' Shannara series, on the other hand, is to all intents and purposes conventional fantasy that eventually turns out to be set in a post-apocalyptic future. I shudder to place the sublime Richard Morgan in the same company as Brooks, but there are definite hints that the setting for The Steel Remains is, if not an actual future Earth, then something very close, and that all the "magic" may actually be extraordinarily advanced technology. However you could omit those hints and the few blatant SF tropes, and it would be indistinguishable from a secondary world fantasy - which is not the case with Warhammer 40k.

Warhammer 40,000 is one of the most unique universes out there. It has elements of Space Opera, Epic Fantasy, Military SF, and just about everything in between.

 

[Dermit]

Lord of Light by Zelazny is a great example of this sub genre, IMO, and one of my favorite books besides. I've read it three or four times, and I'm *still* not sure where the tech ends and the fantastical begins. Regardless, it's a hell of a ride. Always shocked at how short it is.

Read it!

 

[Hypnos164]

Lord of Light by Zelazny is a great example of this sub genre, IMO, and one of my favorite books besides. I've read it three or four times, and I'm *still* not sure where the tech ends and the fantastical begins. Regardless, it's a hell of a ride. Always shocked at how short it is.

Read it!

The above is very good advice.

The Darkwar trilogy by Glen Cook now (available in a single volume) probably fits into this category with its mixture of magical power and technology.

Walter Jon Williams' Metropolitan is fantasy, where magic provides the infrastructure for a "modern" city.

John Scalazi's The God Engines is very Warhammer 40K in tone, shame its a short one off.