Cold and dark evenings are perfect for getting cozy with a blanket and a good book or film. While some people prefer to read or watch nonfiction such as documentaries or biographies, most people are drawn to fiction, and many specifically to sci-fi or fantasy. Why do some people find fictional worlds so attractive, even preferrable, to stories taking place in a setting akin to our own world?
“The mysteriousness and mystique of space is such, that science fiction attempts to tantalize you by telling you a story that could possibly be out there and that’s the appeal of science fiction.” — William Shatner
Those of us in team sci-fi and fantasy (a.k.a. SFF) are drawn to the fantastic by a delight and interest in new and strange worlds, peoples, cultures and technology. We thrive in the adventure of exploring a world unlike our own, whether it is the halls of Hogwarts with Harry & co. or faraway planets on board the U.S.S. Enterprise. Fiction is an exercise in creativity, and SFF—urban fantasy and space opera included—represent the advanced level. This is not to say that SFF authors are more skilled writers than authors of drama, romance, mystery our other genres: all authors need to have creativity, ingenuity and a way with words. However, skilled SFF authors have to be able create a fantasy world so thoroughly that the reader feels the world just might exist despite all the magical ongoings.
Some fantasy worlds are criticized for example for introducing new items or powers at a whim, because even the fantastic operates according to rules that has been established for that particular world and disbelief can be suspended for only so long. Can magic bring people back from the dead or make them immortal? If not, it can’t be used to bring back characters, at least not without enormous effort and possible sacrifice. The uninitiated might argue that rules do not matter because it is all made up anyway, but for the sake of reader/watcher immersion, the rules of the world matter, because that is how we make sense of the fantastic. Conversely, SFF writing is all too easy to bog down with rambling exposition of how things work or how they came to be—a breach of every author’s golden rule of “show, don’t tell”. Instead of helpful, the infodump may come across as interrupting and superfluous—why would a character monologue about something that in their world is completely commonplace? Yet, when a fantasy world is created and presented well, it is a joy to step into and experience as a reader.
“Too many imaginative babies were going out with the bathwater. Too many critics and teachers ignored—were ignorant of—any kind of fiction but realism.” — Ursula K. Le Guin
Both fantasy and sci-fi are considered subgenres of speculative fiction, which also includes genres like post-apocalyptic stories and superhero stories. Speculative fiction takes an element and speculates what would happen if that element existed. As such, SFF stories are thought experiments. Even if the setting is another planet, often the world resembles ours in many ways, and the main characters resemble humans in intelligence, values or lifestyle if not in appearance. Typically, there is still the one significant aspect that makes it different from ours. Even this aspect may be something familiar but seen from a different angle. Has superior technology been developed at the cost of an ecosystem? Or is there a division between human and alien races? Or between humans who have powers and humans who don’t? Things like climate change or segregation are phenomena we can recognize in our world, but when they are resituated in a fantasy world, we can look at them with fresh eyes. Often it is easier to relate to things as an outsider than as an insider.
And yet, SFF does not have to be an allegory of our society—sometimes it’s better to not read too much in the story, as some authors explicitly state that their story is not intended to mirror our real world. And even when something is not a clear allegory, there are usually things about it that will make you stop and think. Perhaps because of this, SFF are along with romance and detective stories sometimes said to be “genre fiction”, which usually implies that SFF novels are commercialised, formulaic or cheesy, and generally subpar writing made for mindless consumption. However, there is nothing wrong with genre fiction, and certainly a genre should not be judged because of a few bad apples. Whether it’s sci-fi, crime or romcoms, there’s a comfort in just sitting back and enjoying the familiar comfort and the buzz you know a good adventure can give you. SFF is the wonderful escape from a mundane world, and in best case scenario it not only fuels our imagination but also gives us new perspectives on our world—and the worlds of others.