Re: Crusade (Was Re:)

Antrion Fraisalac wrote:
>
> I would not normally get this off topic on the list, but I believe
> Crusade has alot in common with Spelljammer. Both mix elements of sf and
> fantasy althought Crusade, like Star Wars, is sf with some fantasy
> elements rather than fantasy with elements inspired by sf like
> Spelljammer is.

i would contend that both b5 and star wars are /pure/ fantasy in sf-drag. this
isn't a flame, more an issue about definitions (although it is veering offtopic,
and i wouldn't persue it if the list wasn't quiet). lets face it, fantasy's cool
;-)

everything which follows is highly YMMV and IMHO

sf (aka speculative fiction) should be based on exploring how society would be
influenced by high technology or future events.

fantasy is based on how people react when thrust into strange situations.
(although that's a fairly crap definition, now as i think of it..)

both genres have their own conventions, and there's a lot of overlap. (pure sf,
IMV, doesn't transfer to the cinema screen very well, if only because the issues
involved are very hard to explore in 2 hours; most notable exceptions of recent
years being the Matrix and Gattaca)

i sense that i'm meandering, and try to get back to my point.

there's nothing in B5 that you couldn't render in a "fantasy" setting with
angels, demons, and nonhuman races (or, in fact, in SJ), (with the notable
exception of the telepath issue, which could be made into a very interesting
piece of sf, but wasn't.)



--
ru

moof, the call of the dogcow