Fantasy vs Science Fiction: A Poll

[Culhwch]

Inspired by HJ's race thread, a flat-out poll, where you can only vote the once.

And, yes, I purposefully put fantasy before science fiction. As any rational person would.

 

[chrispenycate]

What has rationality got to do with fantasy readers?

Mind you, as an SF type, I'm not that good an advertisement for logical, orderly thought.

 

[Lady of Winterfell]

I put in a vote for Fantasy. That's pretty much all that I read, and some historical fiction. I am just now starting to read some Science Fiction, but I still prefer Fantasy.

 

[Talysia]

Fantasy for me, too, although I do read some science fiction from time to time.

 

[chopper]

likewise: i see myself as a fantasy writer, even though over 50% of my short stories so far have gone SF. the Unfinished Epic is pure fantasy, so that's how i am.

 

[Pyar]

I read mainly Science Fiction, I used to read a lot of fantasy but lately I haven't read any. The last one I did read may have turned me off to it a bit.

 

[Rodders]

It's SF all the way for me. I have tried on several occasions to read some Fantasy, but for some reason, i just cannot get into it. Shame, i do feel that i could be loosing out on something.

 

[J-Sun]

Pyar: which was the last one?

A lot of people I read for their SF write fantasy, too, and I'll sometimes try that and sometimes like it - I've mentioned this regarding C.L. Moore and others on another thread, for instance. And there's a certain kind of what I guess is "urban fantasy" that I've read several stories of and even a novel or two that I liked. And, of course, from the prime Weird Tales-era and before, on back to ancient Greece, I read lots of stuff that is more fantasy than anything else because there wasn't much SF and it hadn't come to genre self-consciousness. But from the 1920s on, I'm pretty thoroughly in the SF camp and don't care for the pseudo-medieval wizard epics and so on. And, apart from history and questions of pure bulk, I appreciate SF much more as a thing than fantasy.

 

[Connavar]

SF of course.

Fantasy i read much of too but SF appeal to me more in general. I can read any type. Fantasy i only like a few types and avoid several of the famous ones like plague.

All SF fans in these forums must vote. Not let the fantasy readers overnumber us like they do in sales.

 

[nj1]

My votes gone to FANTASY, i read a sci-fi book once and thought, never again

 

[AE35Unit]

SF for me! I have read fantasy in the past(the Hobbit,The Belgariad) and tho it can be good I prefer to be taken somewhere remotely possible rather than just leaving it to a dream like unreality where anything goes populated by people who talk like they knew Shakespeare and go everywhere on horseback. Space,thats where I wanna be!

 

[Culhwch]

SF for me! I have read fantasy in the past(the Hobbit,The Belgariad) and tho it can be good I prefer to be taken somewhere remotely possible rather than just leaving it to a dream like unreality where anything goes populated by people who talk like they knew Shakespeare and go everywhere on horseback. Space,thats where I wanna be!

I can assure you, AE, that you'll never go to space, but a trip to a fantasy land is as close as your local medieval fayre!

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Didn't know you were in astronaut training AE35.

(My kids grew up, so to speak, at our local Renaissance Faire. They wouldn't blink an eye if they were to step through the door into Narnia.)

 

[Urien]

For me the peaks and troughs of the fantasy I've read exceed those of SF. However, over time I've found SF of a more consistent standard. Hence I sit upon the dimensional gate, and yes it is uncomfortable.

It's indie rock and roll for me.

 

[AE35Unit]

I can assure you, AE, that you'll never go to space, but a trip to a fantasy land is as close as your local medieval fayre!

But I travel into space every time I pick a book up of my favourite genre. I visit fantasy land when I close my eyes at night.

 

[AE35Unit]

Didn't know you were in astronaut training AE35.

But Teresa,they say we are all made of stars. And its true!

 

[ratsy]

Fantasy for me thank you.

 

[J-Sun]

I can assure you, AE, that you'll never go to space

I wouldn't count on that.

 

[Rinman]

I would put science fiction because it seems that with every fantasy book they have the same type of character based in them - elves, orcs, and that sort of deal. It seems with science fiction you can have more of a variety.

 

[Pyan]

...with every fantasy book they have the same type of character based in them - elves, orcs, and that sort of deal.

That's like saying that all SF books are to do with space and aliens...try reading Tigana, by Guy Gavriel Kay sometime...