Fantasy blended with Sci-Fi

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

So, I have read a lot of fantasy and a moderate amount of Sci-Fi. Has an author ever blended the two together, to create a science fiction world with magic? It has to have been done. Any recommendations?

[ClaesGefvenberg]

How about Ringworld, by Larry Niven?

/Claes

[Lokasenna]

Its been a long while since I read it, but Janny Wurt's Cycle of Fire series blends the two rather imaginatively. Curiously, the magical practitioners aren't actually aware that all they are using is advanced technology, and that all the demons and things are actually aliens. Its not a masterpiece, but its good for a little light reading!

[curlyqlink]

Seems to me the harder task would be finding a science fiction novel that doesn't incorporate fantasy and magic.

I just read Terry Pratchett's Thud, which centers around a battle between dwarves and trolls, which seems pretty magical-fantastic to me. I guess it's technically an "alternate universe novel", but B&N shelves it with SciFi.

The difficulty of finding the "right" area to shelve these books indicates the degree of cross-over.

Before Thud, I read Justina Robeson's Going Under, whose main character is an android in a world (worlds) populated by fairies, demons, and elves.

It seems to me half the science fiction writers out there can't resist the lure of Arthurian Romance.

[Tsuyoiko]

I hate to see these two genres conflated. It makes no sense to me that they have "Science Fiction and Fantasy" sections in bookshops, when they're really two quite different genres. Personally, I only consider something science fiction if there's some attempt by the author to base their speculations on real science, or at least on a future vision of Earth which is in some way extrapolated from the world of their time.

Isaac Asimov, Arthur C Clarke and Kim Stanley Robinson are science fiction writers. Ray Bradbury writes both science fiction (Fahrenheit 451) and fantasy (The Martian Chronicles). Having spaceships and aliens doesn't make something science fiction. Star Wars, for example, is pure fantasy in my opinion, because it's based in an imaginary galaxy with completely imagined aliens and technologies.

Funnily enough, I just went to Wikipedia to check the title of The Martian Chronicles and saw that Ray Bradbury is pretty much of my opinion:

"First of all, I don't write science fiction. I've only done one science fiction book and that's Fahrenheit 451, based on reality. Science fiction is a depiction of the real. Fantasy is a depiction of the unreal. So Martian Chronicles is not science fiction, it's fantasy. It couldn't happen, you see?"

I think Dune might be a good candidate for "Fantasy blended with Sci-Fi". I think it's almost entirely fantasy because it's set so far in the future to have only the slightest claim to be extrapolated from the world we know. But then it is intended to depict the human race of the future, so in that sense it is science fiction.

[K.K.]

So, I have read a lot of fantasy and a moderate amount of Sci-Fi. Has an author ever blended the two together, to create a science fiction world with magic? It has to have been done. Any recommendations?

Piers Anthony

His Blue Adept series is about as close to a juxtaposition (which is funny, because one of the books is titled "juxtaposition") of the two genres as you can get.
I know there are more books than this, but I'm not sure what order they should be, so I'm only going to list the first three:
Book One: SPLIT INFINITY
Book Two: BLUE ADEPT
Book Three: JUXTAPOSITION

[JBI]

Piers Anthony

His Blue Adept series is about as close to a juxtaposition (which is funny, because one of the books is titled "juxtaposition") of the two genres as you can get.
I know there are more books than this, but I'm not sure what order they should be, so I'm only going to list the first three:
Book One: SPLIT INFINITY
Book Two: BLUE ADEPT
Book Three: JUXTAPOSITION

Was just about to post that, though there are now 7 books I think (though I don't know how easy it is to get to the second one, as I dropped about 80 pages in when I was 13).

[Silas Thorne]

I remember reading one or two of Robert Silverberg's Majipoor books. Perhaps they do, though it was a while ago since I read them.
And R. Scott Bakker's 'Prince of Nothing' series I feel is a good mix between science-fiction and fantasy. Very disturbing though.

[K.K.]

Was just about to post that, though there are now 7 books I think (though I don't know how easy it is to get to the second one, as I dropped about 80 pages in when I was 13).

You're right, there are seven now. I knew there were more than three; I just couldn't remember them, and I did not have time to look them up. Anyway, I looked them up, so here they are:

1. Split Infinity
2. Blue Adept
3. Juxtaposition
4. Out of Phaze
5. Robot Adept
6. Unicorn Point
7. Phazed Doubt

The first book in this series is the best of them. I read them all years ago, but I remember getting rather tired of them towards the end of the series. In my opinion, Piers Anthony has some MUCH better books. However, if you are looking for a blend of sci-fi and fantay, then I think these would definitely meet the criteria.

[teashi]

Maybe the 'His Dark Materials' trilogy by Philip Pullman. It feels like blend of sci-fi and fantasy.

[lyni]

a trilogy that combines both is the Sangreal Trilogy by Amanda Hemingway.
1. The Greenstone Grail
2. The Traitor's Sword
3. The Poisoned Crown
great story with old magic coming up against a technologically advanced society.

[K.K.]

I can't believe I didn't think of this one sooner!
Try the Darkover series by Marion Zimmer Bradley

[Taliesin]

I'd recommend "The Goblin Reservation" by Simak.

[acdouglas92]

I think Dune might be a good candidate for "Fantasy blended with Sci-Fi". I think it's almost entirely fantasy because it's set so far in the future to have only the slightest claim to be extrapolated from the world we know. But then it is intended to depict the human race of the future, so in that sense it is science fiction.

I've heard so much about the Dune series from many friends lately and I've got to admit I'm intrigued. But where do I start? Aren't there more than ten books in the series?! HELP!!! Haha

[JBI]

I've heard so much about the Dune series from many friends lately and I've got to admit I'm intrigued. But where do I start? Aren't there more than ten books in the series?! HELP!!! Haha

Read the first one titled "Dune" only. The rest are sub par, and gradually get worse and worse as you go, until there is virtually nothing left but some of the most boring, dry prose ever written, not that the original was that great to begin with, though cultural directions and influence have somehow made it a relevant text.

[acdouglas92]

Ah, okay. So are you saying it doesn't live up to the hype (or at least what I've heard)?

[billl]

Yeah, you should just read the first Dune. It's a good story, with some pretty interesting speculations about mental enhancement/specialization, and has a cool "desert" mood a lot of the time. It was a pretty good page-turner for me.

I have only ever heard of recommendations NOT to read the others.

I'd say it'll live up to the hype just fine, if you're ready for a big sci-fi book. Actually, JBI's lukewarm recommendation will do the perfect job of keeping it from being over-hyped. So nothing to worry about.

(Maybe) ;)

[Tsuyoiko]

Ah, okay. So are you saying it doesn't live up to the hype (or at least what I've heard)?

I'd agree with that, but then I also know people who are crazy about the Dune series. I'd class it as just ok (I've only read Dune), but if you want a fantasy/sci-fi blend, I still think it's the best candidate.

[acdouglas92]

Haha yeah I've seen people talk all day about it. I guess I'll take a crack at the first and see how it is...thanks for the advice guys!

[Basil Valentine]

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned either Jack Vance's 'Dying Earth' novels or Gene Wolfe's 'Book of the New Sun'. These are probably my two favourite works of SF, but both also contain many fantasy tropes.

[Nikhar]

Wonder if many with agree with it.....but Artemis Fowl and Time Paradox is one of those novels.