Damus
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nostrich
What aspects do you enjoy most about your favorite sci fi or fantasy novels? Obviously it’s a mix of everything but what consistent themes do you find yourself returning to frequently?

To give an example, I tend to like complex and internally consistent magic systems or “hard magic” systems, eg Brandon Sanderson. He basically invents an alternative physics in a given series and there’s a whole set of stories around that.

I also put a lot of weight on complex characters, eg Game of Thrones. You know it’s good writing when someone can push a kid out of a window in the first episode and then somehow kind of make you almost like the guy later on.

If you don’t like sci fi and/or fantasy, what is it about the genre(s) that you dislike? And do you like one but not the other, or both or neither?
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Jordan · 75w
For me I think it's the idea that more can be possible in sci-fi & fantasy than in the mundane world. Explore a floating castle in the sky, fight with high-tech gizmos, ride a dragon, or whatever else. At this stage in my lit journey, I prize good writing, which can be difficult to find. I'm curre...
Jasper · 75w
Positive creativity is what I value most in #scifi. Creativity in what may happen, but also in humor. It should also feel genuine, but does not have to be logically or scientifically consistent. I dislike most dystopias, since they often feel lazy.