Topic: Fantasy and Sci-fi versus "Realistic" Fiction

[Ah.hell]

That reads like science fiction, not fantasy.

Technology stops working and magic starts working, how is that sci fi?

[MikeHz]

That reads like science fiction, not fantasy.

The series evolves into fantasy. Just why guns don't work is kinda sorta explained (although in the usual fantasy bullshit way) later in the series. Hey, once you throw magic into the mix, you can get away with just about anything!

The bullshit elements aside, it's a good series, and I don't want to give away any spoilers.

[ting-bu-dong]

According to the Wiki article, it is left ambiguous whether there is magic and it could just be perceived to be that by the characters. The laws of nature changing spontaneously to make some types of technology impossible is in itself not supernatural (although it could be, depending on the cause).

That's not to say that the classification has any impact on whether the books are good or not, of course. But it doesn't read like an example of fantasy where technology doesn't work.

[MikeHz]

Also, there are no wizards or dragons. It can't be real fantasy without wizards or dragons!

[David E.]

Imagine if Harry Potter had ended this way.

Voldemort and Harry are pacing around each other in the burned out courtyard of Hogwarts. 

Harry drops his wand, whips out an Uzi and empties the clip into Voldemort.

The End.

[ting-bu-dong]

Also, there are no wizards or dragons. It can't be real fantasy without wizards or dragons!

No, it's not real fantasy without a supernatural element.

[Neon Genesis]

That's not to say that the classification has any impact on whether the books are good or not, of course. But it doesn't read like an example of fantasy where technology doesn't work.

There's The Dresden Files where Dresden's mere presence anywhere near advanced technology causes it to short circuit. 

[ting-bu-dong]

Now that I think about it the PC game Arcanum is a steampunk fantasy game where science inhibits magic and magic causes machines to malfunction.

[Holden Attradies]

Imagine if Harry Potter had ended this way.

Voldemort and Harry are pacing around each other in the burned out courtyard of Hogwarts. 

Harry drops his wand, whips out an Uzi and empties the clip into Voldemort.

The End.

This: http://bcove.me/c0aur5q4   (you gotta get to the end though)

Also, when you lot where arguing over the difference between Sci-Fi and antasy it reminded me of scene in the Riverworld series (I forget which book).  One of the main characters, who was a sci-fi writer from the 20th century, was trying to explain to a character who lived WAY before the 20th century how sci-fi and fantasy genres are different from just fiction.

[Vincegamer]

The one thing that will ruin any fantasy writing for me is the "Technology doesn't work here" trope.
If guns don't work, then fire won't work either because a gun is nothing more than fire applied in a specific way.  So you can't have some rule that makes nothing beyond medieval tech work.

(exception being Terry Pratchett, where even fire is magic)

What are some examples of that? All the fantasy I know just have a stagnant technology level because there is no science as an institution and because the genre doesn't emphasise progress and romanticises the past. But technology actually not working beyond a certain point is something I haven't seen.

The first one off the top of my head is the Apprentice series of books by Piers Anthony. A guy from a technologically advanced society goes through a mirror into a parallel world where dum dum dum! Magic reigns and technology does not work! (well, any technology beyond some arbitrary time period that allows for smelting metal but not gunpowder).  He brings things with him that stop working because they are technological.

[Vincegamer]

Imagine if Harry Potter had ended this way.

Voldemort and Harry are pacing around each other in the burned out courtyard of Hogwarts. 

Harry drops his wand, whips out an Uzi and empties the clip into Voldemort.

The End.

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I can't make this comment without giving away the surprise ending of a movie

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See Ralph Bakshi's "Wizards"