Fantasy/ Science Fiction-Textbook Reflection

These books can be described as books that violate the laws of physical reality. Science fiction is considered a category of fantasy. Fantasy is considered a subgenre under fiction. Hard and soft science fiction are categories under science fiction. Hard science fiction has more science and soft science fiction has more of a story and plot. If someone implies they do not like science fiction, it is a good idea to help broaden their mindset by informing them that science fiction has the same kind of themes, subjects, problems and conflicts as other genres. Two other categories that fit under science fiction are apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic. Even though the book is science fiction/fantasy, the characters must be consistent and believable. These books also follow rules and assist in the “willing suspicion” of disbelief. The themes should also be universal. If any part of the book encompasses unrealistic or unreal plots, settings, or characters, then it can be described under the subgenre, fantasy, and further be categorized as science fiction. With science fiction, there is something for everyone because it covers many topics. I thought it was interesting that there are two types of science fiction, hard and soft. This is something to be aware of when evaluating young adult literature. I may use this information to decide on what I suggest to students, where I shelve them in the library, or if I use it as a book in my collection. Although a fantasy or science fiction story has unreal aspects to it, it must be believable. Students should be able to imagine themselves in the book as though they are right there watching the story play out first hand. If it’s not believable then students might have a hard time following the book and it may not be a good reflection of what fantasy and science fiction books should look like. When evaluating fantasy and science fiction, I will pay close attention to all pieces of the book. The book may seem like a realistic fiction book, but may have a character that talks, then it would need to be categorized as fantasy. Also, I will be aware of whether the author was able to convince the reader to believe the unbelievable, as I would want to keep the integrity of the library and have the fantasy and science fiction books on the shelves.