What is the difference between Space Opera and Science Fantasy?
Is it 6 parts of one to 3 of the other? Is it simply labels and historical context? Is it that Space Opera attempts a veneer of science, even over the most fantastic concepts? Or, ultimately, is there no difference at all?
Thoughts?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Space Opera is defined by its melodrama and its bad and/or irrelevant science. This is classic pulp space adventure like Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers. It’s the melodramatic adventure that’s at the center, ot any hard, serious future speculation.
Science Fantasy has a logic supported more by magic or mysticism. This is stuff like Doctor Who or Star Wars. It uses the tropes and language of fantasy (such as the Force).
Very nice--succinct, and it "feels" right. You've captured in a few sentences what I had more of an intuitive feel for, but had trouble articulating. Thank you!
Also, you make an interesting point that I was unaware of, specifically that some (?) aspects of Dr. Who have "a logic supported more by magic or mysticism." Is this mostly true of the Doctor's abilities? That of his enemies? Both?
Post a Comment