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Horror has long gone hand in hand with fantasy and science fiction. Many classic horror stories are also fantasy or science fiction stories, and fantasy and science fiction stories often have elements of horror in them. Where would Lord of the Rings have been without the Nazghul, undead kings dominated by the power of the rings? Where would Alien have been without the alien? Dracula and Frankenstein are both considered horror fiction, but Dracula is also fantasy and Frankenstein clearly has early science fiction elements. So, what are the differences between horror and general science fiction/fantasy? Here are a few general guidelines to help distinguish the genres.
In general fantasy and science fiction, the main characters have abilities that are a match for the antagonists. In horror, that is often not the case. Frodo had Sting and his elven mail to protect him. In Star Trek the crew members of the Enterprise have their wits, their training and their equipment to deal with their enemies. In a Zombie apocalypse, the main characters typically have little or nothing to protect them except what they find lying around.
In general fantasy and science fiction, the heroes typically have someone that knows what is going on and can explain what they will face. In horror this is seldom the case. Obi Wan Kenobi, Gandalf, Dumbledore or some higher up in Star Fleet command or some member of the ship's crew can usually give the lead characters at least some idea who they are up against and how to beat them. In horror, if there is someone that actually knows what is going on, they are probably in an asylum or some other inconvenient location, and their warnings may not make sense until after someone has been eaten. In addition, wise old mentors in horror have a disturbing habit of being wrong on very important issues. In a horror story, the protagonists are often responsible for their own survival and victory.
In general fantasy and science fiction most if not all the main characters come through all right in the end. In horror, the winners may well come away scarred for life. That's assuming any of them actually survive. How many lead characters were dead at the end of Lord of the Rings? How many of the crew that don't wear red shirts are killed in the average Star Trek episode? Sure there are exceptions to this, but in many cases even if a lead dies, they get brought back through some miracle of science or magic. Don't count on this in horror. In a good horror story everyone is expendable. Even if there are survivors, they may still not be in good shape at the end. Many of Lovecraft's protagonists found themselves long term residents of mental institutions by the end of his stories. They were often considered the luckier ones.
In general fantasy and science fiction, the heroes have a chance to stop the villains. In horror this may well not be the case. Fantasy and science fiction give a wide variety of means to combat a hopeless situation or otherwise impossible odds. In horror, if the ultimate evil actually makes an appearance it's questionable whether it can be stopped at all. Frequently the key is dealing with the frail humans that are its allies before they can bring it all the way into our world. If the heroes mess that up, it's all over. At the very least, putting an end to the ultimate evil may require the sacrifice of everyone's lives or sanity or something equally valuable. The world wins, but the heroes lose.
So, if you are interested in adding a bit of horror to your fantasy or science fiction story, look at these guidelines and apply some of the horror end of them to the plot. Adding fantasy or science fiction to a horror story is generally as simple as making the thing that is stalking the protagonists some unearthly horror be it an alien from beyond or a demon from beyond. Give some genre blending a try and you'll add variety and some suspense to your stories and perhaps make them a bit more exciting.
Copyright Colin Neilson 2009
Colin Neilson is a teacher, author and publisher. He has written newsletters on speculative fiction subjects, helped edit speculative fiction stories, and written many speculative fiction product reviews. If you are a reader who is interested in speculative fiction, please visit Spectacular Speculations a new electronic speculative fiction magazine. Be sure to sign up for the free newsletter which contains a new story every issue. Speculative fiction authors will be interested in the author's page with submission and publication information.
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