What do you think is the difference between SciFi and Fantasy?
SciFi works with the improbable becoming reality; Fantasy works with the impossible pretending to be reality. I think the line is between what could be and what can’t be. By my definition, that kind of takes Star Wars into Fantasy. I don’t necessarily like Asimov’s definitions, just because he was very down on fantasy. A lot of the fantasy of his era was very Conan-ish. He was a great writer, I respect his fiction a lot, but I don’t think he gave fantasy its fair due.
I would count Star Trek definitely science fiction, they’re trying to talk about—even though they’re using fantastical teleporters and stuff—they’re trying to say this is what’s possible. It’s social science fiction, a lot of it.
But wouldn’t you say Star Wars is really both?
I would say it’s a mash-up hybrid. It’s a fantasy magic system in a space opera science-fiction setting.
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