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All things written speculative fiction - books, short stories, poems, etc. As always, please tag spoilers and follow the instance rules.

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What’s the difference between speculative fiction and science fiction? (self.printsf)

submitted 1 year ago by Eq0 to c/printsf

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I’ve rarely seen the term “speculative fiction” being used, so I don’t really have an idea of what it encompasses. Would someone care to explain? I remember “Anathem” being described as such - and by the way: what an amazing book! I recommend it to all nerds, in particular those into history/philosophy/scifi.

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[–] Emperor@feddit.uk 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Speculative fiction is for people who don't want to admit they read science fiction. In the same way some people read graphic novels not comics (especially if they are collections of comic books) and go to see elevated horror but none of that ordinary stuff. Heaven forfend they get their cultural shoes mucky down here with the rest of us plebs.

[–] gabe 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

What are you talking about? Graphic novels usually aren't comics (but there is a lot of overlap sometimes). Comics tend to refer to a specific thin booklet of drawn written media and are typically published in a serialized format and have a specific subculture attached. Graphic novels are typically published in one offs like regular novels, and are normally published in more of a traditionally looking book. They also typically aren't serialized, and are either one off stories or a series in a similar to format to how other books do.

Indie comics are unique, they have their own culture and are an outlier