Just thinking. 🤔 If you don't like Roger upstaging you......does that mean you have "Mummy issues"? 😂😂😂

@krzysamm7095

11 ай бұрын

😂

@davidnovakreadspoetry

11 ай бұрын

I’ve been a big fan of Roger’s videos. Until I read this comment I didn’t realize there’s another guy in the frame chattering away. What’s that about? 😂

@snowysnowyriver

11 ай бұрын

@@davidnovakreadspoetry No idea! I know the dude expects Roger to buy books for him, so there must be some kind of deal going on. Roger is smart Mummy, so there must be a profit in it for him. After all....every Mummy needs new threads every millenia or so.....

@KennyGsca

11 ай бұрын

Hahahah “touché” 😂

I also watched Criminolly's video on world-building. I realized that historical fiction will also require some world-building aspects because the time and/or culture is so different from our own. Shogun by James Clavell is a prime example of this. If you aren't familiar with Japanese history, you could be lost without the world-building he does in that masterpiece. There are even classics that I believe could use world-building to truly understand that world because our society has changed so much in the past 2 or 3 hundred years. Anyway, thanks for the video and have a great day.

@russworks2882

11 ай бұрын

Excellent point. When Fellini was filming his version of Satyricon, he used to say that ancient Rome was so different from the reality he lived in, it was like visiting another planet.

@bigaldoesbooktube1097

11 ай бұрын

Excellent comment 👏

Great video, Michael! You bring up an important point about books - there’s something for everyone no matter your preferences. My wife always says, “If you don’t like reading, it’s because you haven’t found the right book yet.”

It's the art of a sci-fi writer to draw you in and not instantly swamp you in the unknown world. Great example is The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester. Starting with an individual shipwrecked in space and just his thoughts and plight. From there you can bring in parts of the world but from his point of view. It's brilliant. Some books can unload so much without a hook I have given up before. Make me care about someone in the world first.

I had to laugh so hard at the idea of The Outlaw Bookseller coming to hunt you down when you say SciFi 😂 I love Science Fiction, it's my favourite genre, closely followed by Horror. That's why you're one of my most watched BookTubers, only knocked off the top spot by Moid.

@bigaldoesbooktube1097

11 ай бұрын

He actually might 😆

Horror can be a subgenre of almost any other genre. The War of the Worlds could be considered SF Horror, and Dracula could be Fantasy Horror. Heck, Carmilla could be Romance Horror in some regards. Could you imagine a Historical Fiction Horror? The Native American Wendigo legend could be great source material for a story like that.

@stephennootens916

11 ай бұрын

It is one of those genres like romance that can cross into other genres which why they have a butt load of subgenres.

@cartert2

11 ай бұрын

There has been a lot of horror/supernatural westerns. The latest series that I’m aware of, the Splatter Westerns by Death’s Head publishing, are very entertaining if you like the western and horror genres.

@themojocorpse1290

11 ай бұрын

Like the channel more a sf than fantasy man myself . Always find your ramblings amusing and interesting very entertaining 👍🏻

I don't know how I stumbled into your channel, but I am very much enjoying it. I have taken the opposite track, I have almost reached my limit of consuming scifi. But fantasy is where my heart is.

Yes, that is the world's greatest reference work. The cover of my soft bound edition has come off and the book split in two I went through it so much.

I am not massively into fantasy but I absolutely love sword and sorcery!!

If I had to pick only one genre for the rest of my life, it would be science fiction.

Thank you for your perspective. I prefer sci-fi over fantasy for the adventures in space. Just a quick question about your videos: Why did Roger stop time at 6:45 at Vaughan Manor? Is that the time he originally died? Rose from the dead? His first taste of human flesh at that time? Reminder for you to give him a pedicure at 7? So many mysteries at VM! 🧟‍♂️👁️

Just found your channel and absorbing your videos, lots in common in literature!

Such wholesome and fun content. I love it, man!

I'm with Olly on this one. Worldbuilding is a pain. I do like a lot of sci-fi, but most fantasy is just too far up its own a** for my liking. I think the problem is that people aren't people in most fantasy. I like reading authors who have some sort of deep psychological insight into human nature, and I am just not getting that from most fantasy. And yes, maybe that's the point of fantasy - to escape from the real world and real people. The way I see it, too much of our lives is make-believe already - we need less of it, not more.

Great video. Nice bookend to Criminolly’s video. Right now I’m reading ASIMOV’S I, Robot.

The appreciation of fiction requires the willing suspension of disbelief by the reader. That suspension of disbelief is much more difficult if the story is set on some other planet or in a world where there is magic & fire breathing dragons. The author's work is much harder. That being said, in my opinion, the successful sf or fantasy writer is worthy of great respect for having accomplished world-building.

Any text demands that the reader invest time and thought but the reward is so much greater than our input. And as my librarian friend says, you're never alone or bored if you have a book. Michael, a great insight your relationship with SF (and Fantasy and Horror). For me, Horror just edges out SF, followed by Fantasy.

I love visiting other worlds or planets! I can understand how the “transportation process” can be a little tedious for some readers. Hmmm…most fantasy and sci-fi have limitations-whether it’s magical consequences or defining technology parameters. Great video, Michael!

@zephyrr108

11 ай бұрын

"Hmmm…most fantasy and sci-fi have limitations" - what does that even mean?

@Johanna_reads

11 ай бұрын

@@zephyrr108 it means that not all fantasy conflict is conveniently resolved by waving a wand. Most authors create boundaries to the magic. This might mean magic not always being readily or rampantly available and/or there are consequences. Similarly, sci-fi might employ new technology, such as time travel, for example. There might be restrictions on who can travel, how far back, returning, consequences, etc.

In SF just reconfigure the sensor array to solve any problem your ship faces.

I like world building science fiction. I also like other types of science fiction. I even like an odd fantasy or two.

I am so glad you made this video! I almost had to make one, phew 😅

Like you, I could absolutely read only Science Fiction for the rest of my life and be quite happy. I definitely agree with your view a LOT more than I did Olly's viewpoint.

I like science fiction a lot more than fantasy, although I shelve the two categories together. Some collections, such as Larry Niven’s short stories, have both genres in one volume.

For me it's three things . Escapism... Out of this world characters and the most important in my opinion the freedom of imagination. Only Fantasy, SF or other speculative fiction can really open the imagination. The problem with Fantasy at the moment is the constant cliche and big long never ending Fantasy stories that you read before. The outlaw bookseller who you mentioned has a great video about the problems with modern fantasy and I wholeheartedly agree with him. I love Fantasy and SF because it's limitedless with the imagination and themes of the human condition... But the publishers don't see it.

Another good video! On your excellent point about bad fantasy using magic to solve plot problems, I'd argue bad sci-fi does the same thing. It just substitutes advanced tech for magic. "If we reverse the the flow on the transducer flux-inhibitor engine, it just might give us the extra thrust to escape the event horizon! By god Scotty your right! Switch that chromatic valve out and reverse the polarity on that ultra-transducer switch and it just might work!". Sigh.....

I love fantasy. I just finished Elantris by Brandon Sanderson and thought it was fantastic. The world building was wonderful. “Setting” is one of my favorite elements in all books and fantasy just takes it to another level.

Do you and Roger need couple's therapy? Excellent video. I love both genres. I'd pick fantasy over SF, but I'd be satisfied if I could only read SF the rest of my life. Good SFF allows the author and reader to explore human behavior in otherworldly environments, and that is one of the biggest reasons I enjoy it so much.

Olly seems to read almost purely for story -- I think he thinks of books like many of us think of movies. My mom was the same way. I read almost purely for character but world-building is a close second. You say you want a resolution? Nah, I'll just be over here walking across the planet, talking to this third-tier minor character with the unresolved trauma ...

This is the kind of subject that makes me ramble for minutes until i realize no one is listening to me anymore :D I thought I disliked fantasy because I don't like books set in a different world from this one. But I have realised that a lot of "great" fantasy books that I dislike are set in a different world, but is not different enough for me. They often have similar societal structures, the same kind of slavery, patriarcal system, type of economy and religion as we imagine the middle ages to be, just with different kinds of names. They feel like historical books with magic, and I don't enjoy reading the historical genre. Fantasy and Sci-fi books like The legend of Drizzt, The speed of Dark, Oryx and Crake, A series of Unfortunate events blew my mind because they explore something that is different from our own world.

J.R.R. Tolkien liked Lord Dunsany's work, which is why it's on my reading list. ^-^ I don't have a lot of experience within the Science-Fiction genre - I focus on Fantasy and Classics! 🤎

I also watched the video by Olly. I have always loved fantasy fiction for the magical worlds, the magic systems, the sheer imagination and scope of fantasy novels/series. More importantly, I read fantasy (past tense since my channel) because fantasy is grounded on a world that is not so very different from our own, just more beautiful, wondrous and majestic. Yes, magic is kinda mindless, but I grew up with the whole Dungeons and Dragons thing, and it is still lots of fun. Science Fiction on the other hand is other-worldly and does require more work for immersion. There are grander ideas and I agree that it is a more interesting genre that I am beginning to appreciate more in my middle age, but I always loved the sheer escapism and magic that fantasy offers the reader. The beautiful thing thing about horror and dark literature is that there is plenty of blurring between the genres. Hell, I would even argue that high fantasy has plenty horrific elements in the novels.

I'm 50 years old, so getting me out of the habit of saying "sci-fi" is unlikely at this stage, although I grant that the prospect of being mercilessly hunted down for it might do the trick. Science fiction is definitely my favorite genre of literature. I haven't been able to get into fantasy to the same degree, for some reason.

@Yesica1993

11 ай бұрын

Nobody even told me it had changed!

I generally like science fiction with a more contemporary setting. Plus or minus 100 years

Wow, being taken to another world is the whole point for me! If I wanted to see this world, I'd look outside. Or watch the news. This world is depressing. Why would I want to read about it? LOL! But, hey, to each his own.

I like Sci-Fi and Fantasy because it takes me away from reality, if I want reality I will watch the news. My first love was comic books and when they try to make them more `realistic` then they have lost the plot imo.

@Yesica1993

11 ай бұрын

Exactly this! Reality sux!

"Why I don't like sci-fi and fantasy" My brain: What other kind of fiction is there?

I see Science Fiction and Fantasy as exploration. Science Fiction explores our future. Fantasy explores our past. Science Fantasy explores our past and future. That is just one way to see the difference.

I like the exploration. Thats the major draw for me.

Science Fiction, much of it, anyway, is also about the world in which it is written. There's no way for a thoughtful writer to completely detach himself from his own frame of reference. Rod Serling used to say that he was able to examine current social issues in the Twilight Zone because the commentary was disguised as Science Fiction. Not only did it get him past the network , it also was a way to sneak subversive ideas past the prejudices of his audience.

Maybe it is who I read but I never notice that much world building in science fiction. Mind you most of the science fiction I read is Philip K Dick, miltary science fiction alt history and William Gibson. That said I find most fantacy boring. Two that I read and liked were Harry Potter and The Dark Tower.

I'm somewhat with Olly on this. I just can't get into those 1000p tomes with a map in the front and generic character names like Gareth or Valarian. I don't want to have to spend time figuring out which kingdom is which. There's just not a payoff.

Absolute differnece and both have their place...at least in my life.

I'm not big on fantasy but love S-F. A lot of modern fantasy comes across to me as incredibly self-indulgent with magic being used as a lazy tool to explain away certain things.

It's easier to find well-written science fiction than well-written fantasy. Also, some science fiction is very grounded in the real world, like Asimov's story Nightfall.

My mother often questioned my love of SF and Fantasy because "it isn't real." I pointed out to her that Darcy and Elizabeth did not exist and it all is "isn't real." All fiction isn't real. It's made up. Sometimes it's True but it never happened. Even so called realistic fiction is bent according to the writers world view. SF and Fantasy are a lot fuzzier than you make it. Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun (which is brilliant you should read it) very much has the flavor of fantasy but is actually science fiction. It is very multilayered. For example, for most of the first book happen in a Tower among a Guild of Torturers. Sounds medieval but if you pay close attention to the text than you notice the Tower is actually a rocket ship.

You have to remember Nicahel there are crossover novels that combine fantasy and sci fi. I have to admit I'm not a fan of those I like fantasy and sci fi as two different genres.

Non-fiction would be my pick (re: can only read one genre). Or war fiction if it has to be fiction. I love scifi and fantasy too, the trouble is there's a lot of badly written scifi and fantasy. There's a reason self-published authors gravitate to these 2 genres (and horror). All of us are capable of generating a great idea, but less so of writing a great plot. Anyway criminolly is weird, he hates sport. Can't we send him to the booktube naughty corner? 🤭

We never say SciFi anymore. never.

@suecarol1563

11 ай бұрын

You're just making me feel old.

@Yesica1993

11 ай бұрын

Nobody told me!

@yelisieimurai

11 ай бұрын

@@Yesica1993 outlaw bookseller should have told you that.

Sci fi and fantasy are the best. Most mundane fiction is boring and often not worth reading.

Wouldn't Tarzan be fantasy? I dont recall any magic in it.

@michaelk.vaughan8617

9 ай бұрын

Neither do I.

I do not enjoy the Sci-fi & Fantasy combination. I like my Science Fiction hard. Fantasy gets on my nerves most of the time.

@hannahbrennan2131

11 ай бұрын

They're separate genres, they just get grouped together for marketing purposes.

So Star Trek would be considered fantasy by your definition. Being beamed down to a planet's surface is magic.

@ellagoreyshorrorstories7524

11 ай бұрын

Technically, no it's not, at least in the ST universe. It's a means of breaking down molecules, sending them across space, and reassembling them instantaneously, using technology that exists in ST's world.

@kallianpublico7517

11 ай бұрын

The difference between magic and technology is the level of ignorance required. Science and religion make two opposing claims. Science says that not only is the world understandable but that that understanding can progress to levels close to complete knowledge. That ignorance can be conquered by science. Religion as espoused in the Biblical story of Job, says that ignorance can never be overcome. That no matter how perfect you think your life is, you're just a plaything of forces beyond your control. That if you think you have control, your puny brain will be made to "think differently". A true fantasy novel humbles. A true sci-fi builds conceit. The fact is most authors include both. Why? Because they live in the real world. Frank Herbert's Dune is full of conceit...and humility, if not outright degradation. Tolkien's rings is all about humility, in the form of hobbits; and conceit in the form of ...you decide. Sci-fi let's you in on everything. Fantasy should leave you guessing.

@rickcroucher

11 ай бұрын

@@ellagoreyshorrorstories7524 I understand the theory but has anyone in real life come up with how such a thing could be done or even provided a plausible theory? Not that I know of, hence magic.

@hanniffydinn6019

11 ай бұрын

They have done teleportation in quantum experiments! Look it up! So technically it’s scientifically possible! We don’t have the technology yet to do full humans! 🤯

@ellagoreyshorrorstories7524

11 ай бұрын

@@rickcroucher They've beamed particles and even done very slight time travel. It's only magical in our world. ST has hundreds of years of technical advancement.