Random question

[author_by_night]

What differs adult fantasy from children's/YA fantasy? Or is there a difference?

I just told a friend that I don't consider Lord of the Rings a series for children, but I think The Hobbit is. (ETA: I worded the rest of that paragraph poorly, so I've edited it.)

Also, what exactly is the difference between sci fi/fantasy/action and adventure? For instance, with shows like Buffy and Supernatural, I keep hearing different genres being assigned. Some say fantasy, some say sci fi (which to me usually implies spaceships or something else that is  science based), some say it's just action.

I'd just like to hear your thoughts.

Comments

[scionofgrace.livejournal.com]

Ooo, question for the ages!

To begin with, The Hobbit was intended for children, as Tolkien wrote it to entertain his own kids. It was only afterwards that he realized that it fit into his Middle-Earth mythos, which is straight-up high fantasy and very "grown-up".

I kind of wonder if the difference between "children's" and "adult" literature has to do with how important it is for the audience to have had certain life experiences. Little kids might not get a YA book because it assumes that they've experienced the hormonal side of life. Adolescents don't quite connect with books that assume they've experienced adult life and its perspectives. But adults can read "down" because they remember what it was like to be a kid, and may get more out of the story now thanks to perspective.

As for sci-fi and fantasy, I don't think it's clear cut, but I generally assume that sci-fi is based on what is possible in our own world through the advancement of technology, while fantasy adds in things that are not. Which is how you can get "science fantasy" like Star Wars: part future science, part supernatural powers.

But that's just me. :-)

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

To begin with, The Hobbit was intended for children, as Tolkien wrote it to entertain his own kids. It was only afterwards that he realized that it fit into his Middle-Earth mythos, which is straight-up high fantasy and very "grown-up".The Hobbit for his kids, but hadn't realized the rest. :)

Which is how you can get "science fantasy" like Star Wars: part future science, part supernatural powers.

Huh, never thought about it like that, but you're right. Star Wars makes it clear before the start of every movie that it is not a "future space age" story - it's a galaxy far, far away.