i.e do you prefer:

  • technically grounded and plausible science elements (e.g The Martian)

or

  • stuff so fantastical that it doesn’t even warrant trying to explain it (Dr Who, some Marvel/DC stuff, Star Wars)

Another way to look at this would be Sci-Fi versus Science Fantasy, perhaps.

  • Old-School Sci-Fi like HG Wells centers around a core scientific idea and the consequences arising from that,

whereas

  • Science Fantasy (more prevalent nowadays) only looks to science - or the impression of some science - to serve the fantasy devices it uses.

So which is better?

  • elephantium@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    3 days ago

    I hate zombies, but not all zombie stories are disqualified from the sci-fi mantle. If there’s a virus or nanites or something technological that triggers the zombification, it becomes arguable.

    I won’t want to read it, but it might qualify as sci-fi.