Help me like Science Fiction/Fantasy!

[risala]

My DH loves all things fantasy and science fiction- book, movies, anime, video games (WOW widow here.) I'm realizing that my lack of interest for sci-fi/fantasy and complete lack of respect for video games is creating some tension. I'd like to try to gain a greater appreciation of his interests, but I don't know where to start. Any good books/movies/games that might appeal to me? Or is it hopeless? Are you either a sci-fi person or not?

[EVC]

Dunno. I've REALLY tried to be open minded to it, and I just can't get into it, either

[the sunshine]

I really like science fiction; but fantasy not so much. There is a difference. There are a few short story magazines you might pick up to see if any of the stories capture your fancy.

Asimov's Science Fiction
Fantasy and Science Fiction
Analog (more hard science)

And in the end, if you don't like it you just don't like it. It's not personal.

[Mama Dragon]

Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis
Books like Harry Potter, The Rhapsody series by Elizabeth Haydon, the Pern series by Anne McCaffery
Anime, I like YuYu Hakusho
Did you try WoW? Maybe Neverwinter Nights would be more to your liking if you don't want to go there.

[Iris' Mom]

This was a major tension with stbx. He loves all that stuff. I'm like, "yes, I'm sure if I saw a man with four arms give birth out of his head while I was walking down the street, I'd have a reaction. But it's NOT real." I just never got it.

[aaronsmom]

I guess me and DH were lucky on this one. We share an interest and love of sci-fi and fantasy. Of course, within those genres we have our own favorites: for instance I love Lord of the Rings more than he does, he likes certain animes that I don't and vice versa.

[Literate]

Two books that I love love love even though they are definitely in the F&SF genre (which I also normally avoid) are:

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut

[nathansmum]

Fortunately not an issue in this house, but I just can't get interested in F&SF. I can do some fantasy when it's mixed enough with reallife type stuff too - ie books that flick between different time periods. I like Barbara Erskine books for that reason, but can't do SF no matter what. Have never read a HP.

[sapphire_chan]

What sorts of novels do you enjoy? Science fiction and fantasy have different types of stories just like general fiction, mysteries, and romances do.

Do you like stuff set in the past, or nowadays, do you like sad endings or prefer things to get resolved, do you like lots of action or more of a focus on character development?

I've found that I can't get into short stories very often unless they're by an author I already really like.

Children's books make quick reads that aren't short stories: E. Nesbit, Edward Eager, "Sorcery and Cecilia" by Wrede and Stevermere.

Oh, and WoW is a total PitA game that is hugely popular for some incomprehensible reason that must have something to do with people enjoying spending 5 hours on traveling around. ( we're a City of Heroes family here, so I'm a bit biased.)

[shelbean91]

Some young adult scifi are great- Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle is wonderful. I also recently read the Ender's Game series by Orson Scott Card and that was great as well.

[tessie]

Why does it cause tension?

My OH is into scifi and fantasy + online gaming. I don't really care about it. But he doesn't think much to forums, or to much of the tv and books I like. We share some stuff - CSI, ER, Ugly Betty, Shameless etc. Bookwise we have mostly different tastes. I'll read pretty much anything except scifi, he reads pretty much only scifi and fantasy.

[Sage_SS]

I agree.. it depends what KIND of sci-fi/fantasy you're trying to get into.
Clive Barker is typically a horror author but he has a couple of fantasy type stories that are completely and utterly fantastic.

Imajica is the best story I've ever read. I loved it. ALOT of fantasy but also adventure, and a small love story.
Everville is kind of a sequel to it, its also fabulous.

I'd sugest trying those two books if you're looking to become more interested in it.

But for what its worth I think that you and your hubby can have a great relationship even if you do like different things. I'm a HUGE bookworm and my hubby can barely read a pamphlet without falling asleep.
He LOVES golf, I find it kinda boring.
Its fun to do things together, but I wouldn't force myself to enjoy something if I just wasn't into it. I support him in his passion for it tho. I think the problem alof of couples have when they don't share interests is they tend to belittle the others time spent doing such things. If you support each others different hobbies, then I don't see it as a problem.

Good luck!

[miss_sonja]

I really like Nora Roberts, who weaves some fantasy-magic into her books. Her recent trilogies (The Key Trilogy, Circle of Seven, Blood Brothers, Three Sisters Island) include a lot of magic and some elements of high fantasy. If you like contemporary fiction, or romance at all, give those a try.

You sure don't need to like what he likes. My DH is OBSESSED with Mystery Science Theatre 3000 and I, well, let's just say I tune it out as best I can. I am obsessed with Grey's Anatomy and LOTR, he could take or leave the former, and while he likes the latter it's not a big favourite. But it's all good.

The only trouble is when one partner is dissing the other's interest. When my DH gets snarky about GA, well, that's a problem and he gets snark back about his MST3K:-)

[onlyzombiecat]

What do you like now? Do you like romance or politics? Do you want something serious or do you prefer humor?
What have you tried and disliked?

My dh and I both like Sci-Fi and fantasy but I'm not so much into video games.

Some books I'd recommend-
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Dune by Frank Herbert
Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
Beholder's Eye by Julie E. Czerneda
Howl's moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones
A Wizard Of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
Conqueror's Pride by Timothy Zahn
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
The Running Man by Richard Bachman (Stephen King)
The Stand by Stephen King
The Talisman by Stephen King
The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King
the Dark Tower series by Stephen King
The Crystal Singer by Anne McCaffrey
other books by Anne McCaffrey- Dragonriders of Pern series, The Ship Who Sang, Sassinak, Decision At Doona
any book by Terry Pratchett
Lord of The Rings
Narnia books

Anime I'd recommend-
anything by Studio Ghibli
Sgt. Frog
One Piece
Ghost In The Shell
Cowboy Bebop
Fruits Basket

Movies/TV-
Doctor Who
Red Dwarf
Blade Runner
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
Big Fish
Neverwhere
Farscape
The Abyss
Logan's Run

[NoHiddenFees]

SF authors popular among my female friends include Kage Baker (I highly recommend her Company series starting with "In the Garden of Iden"), Connie Willis, Sherri S. Tepper ("Grass," "Beauty" and others of her earlier books are amazing), Terry Pratchett, and Octavia Butler. I'm a big Philip K. Dick fan.

[madskye]

What kind of books or movies do you like currently? If you tell me what you are into, I can try to tell you what SF/Fantasy has elements in common with your interests.

Once a bookseller, always a bookseller!

[FuzzyOne]

i think almost anybody can enjoy ender's game by orson scott card, whether or not you are a sci-fi fan. that's one of the books that got me into the sci-fi/fantasy genre. give it a try!

[loriforeman]

mmm...a great magazine is Realms of Fantasy. short stories that are all in the fantasy/sf world...

to slip into a magical world...i literally lose myself for a while. i hear, see, smell the book...

i like anything that's well-written, mostly...fantasy, sci fi, horror, suspense...

it's escapism at it's best.

[Cassiopeia]

Yeah, you should start with what you like now. You can get sf that is crossed with mystery, romance, etc. Catherine Asaro does romantic sf, some of her books are great.

I would say that reading sf and playing online games are pretty different, but that's just me.

[tessie]

Crap, I just realised I do like scifi - I love Red Dwarf. Damn - I was trying to kid myself i wasn't a geek.