One of my favorite sci-fi authors (Sharon Lee) has declared June 23rd Fantasy and Science Fiction Writers Day.
As she puts it:
So! In my Official Capacity as a writer of science fiction and fantasy, I hereby proclaim June 23 Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Day! A day of celebration and wonder! A day for all of us readers of science fiction and fantasy to reach out and say thank you to our favorite writers. A day, perhaps, to blog about our favorite sf/f writers. A day to reflect upon how written science fiction and fantasy has changed your life.
So … what might you do on the 23rd to celebrate? Do you even read fantasy/sci-fi? Why? Why not?
Well, I suspect I will be working on my dissertation on the 23rd, but I love fantasy. Perhaps I will do a post on how I became a fantasy reader. I’m also discovering that I enjoy *some* science fiction, as long as it focuses on character more than technology/world-building, but that is all very new, so it’s not as easy to think about as my fantasy background is.
I read fantasy for many, many reasons. The most prominent one is probably because I love to escape into a different world. Fantasy worlds are often based in some fashion on medieval or early modern history, which immediately makes me feel partly at home and better able to cope with whichever other oddities are thrown in there. It’s easier for me to imagine magic in a setting I’m already comfortable with. I also find that because fantasy series are gigantic, I can become immersed in this world for a very long time. I get very attached to the characters, who are often similarly well-drawn. Obviously, epic fantasy is my favorite here. I’m also coming to appreciate urban fantasy, but I don’t think it will ever come close to how I feel about fantasy epics. There is little better in the world than sitting down with several gigantic brick-sized fantasy novels and reading straight through them for a few days. It’s almost enough to make me wish I had wisdom teeth to take out again just so I could have those few days away from the world. (Okay, the aftermath of surgery was really painful. But at least I didn’t have anywhere to be!)
Something else I love about fantasy is its ability to comment on societies and play with assumptions which might not be politically correct in, say, literary fiction, because if it’s not our world, it’s not as offensive. Not all fantasy does this, but one recent example I can think of is Robin Hobb’s Soldier Son trilogy. She likes to torture characters anyway, but this series definitely explores the effect that a person’s appearance can have on his reputation and entire life, fair or unfair, and different perspectives on this appearance from different societies. It made me stop and think. The series is HARD to read and not as spectacular as her other ones, but it’s nice to point out when people tell me that fantasy is all just fluff reading.
One reason I really love Fantasy is because I can be drawn into different worlds and places, and for many of the reasons you listed. Sci-fi is not my cup of tea.
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I agree on both of you!! Fantasy takes us to another new world…as for sci-fi, so far I really enjoy Crichton’s works
Nice answer, part of reading Fantasy for me is escaping into an alternate world. I’m scared of epic novels, because of their size adn my reading speed
I’m more science fiction than fantasy, but neither of these genres are my favorites. I’ll read them, but not alot.
Yvonne’s last blog post..Booking through Thursday – Fantasy and Sci-Fi
I like your answer
I like fantasy for those reasons too, although I find massive epics a bit daunting.
Jennifer’s last blog post..BTT: Fantasy and Sci-Fi
Interesting response! I would never have pegged myself as a fantasy reader, and definitely not Science fiction. But, the legendary types of twists on medieval history are interesting to me, and I have always been intrigued by Mythology. And I have read a fantasy novel recently about werewolves which surprised me that I enjoyed it.
So while I am not a conoisseur of the genre, I can’t bash it either.
My post is up at The Burton Review
Marie Burton’s last blog post..Booking Through Thursday – Fantasy
I love escaping to another world too. I’m yet to find some sci-fi that I enjoy, but hoping to get some recommendations from people’s comments.
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Shari, try John Scalzi if you haven’t already! People who don’t like sci-fi seem to really enjoy his works anyway!
Everybody can find some science ficiton novel a pleasure to read. I won’t read anything but!
I think I need to try more fantasy since so many people find it appealing. I hope things go well with your dissertation.
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I tend to lean more toward epic fantasy as well. What’s your favorite series?
I like that you mention Robin Hobb. She’s good. I’ve read parts of her Farseer Trilogy and enjoyed it.
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I lvoe fantasy, too. I don’t think I’ve given sci-fi a fair shake, though.
I love fantasy. And yeah, it’s definitely not all fluff. I think the fluff to serious books ratio is probably the exact same as in realistic fiction, but for some reason half the world seems unwilling to even consider this. Anyway…I have a post idea for the 23rd; I just hope I have time to actually write it!
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I’m just beginning to appreciate urban fantasy, too. But mostly I prefer the more classic kinds of fantasy aimed at younger readers. And I don’t mind a little hard science in my sci-fi, as long as it’s mixed with interesting characters and a bit of action – and some humor doesn’t hurt, either.
JLS Hall’s last blog post..Booking Through Thursday: Fantasy and Sci-Fi
Something else I love about fantasy is its ability to comment on societies and play with assumptions which might not be politically correct in, say, literary fiction, because if it’s not our world, it’s not as offensive.
Exactly! I love how you are able to read about it and find similarities in real life, and it makes you think about how things are.
Kat’s last blog post..BTT: Fantasy and Sci-Fi
What a wonderful response, Meghan. I really can’t think of anything I would add other than to say I wish I had written this post.
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