Also, I want to make sure everyone knows that I wasn’t deriding fantasy in my last reply.

I agree with the idea that there is no easily defined historical boundary either: Apuleius, Petronius and Lucian go right back to the first recorded western literature, not to mention Sumerian and Egyptian texts – the list should probably go on infinitely into oral epics and fireside stories and myth.

The observation about Spanish language literature is apt. I’m sure other languages don’t create this crazy division. Look at how Bulgakov is revered in Russia. In fact I find it quite amusing and ironic how the critical world in the west always took him so seriously as great literature (quite rightly) whilst sneering at their own fantastic authors.

For example, changing lead into gold.

A science fiction story might begin with the concept of bombarding a lead atom with neutrons to change the particle combination from that of lead into that of gold, and expand on this by showing how, in the 30th Century, the process has become commonplace and cost effective.

In fantasy, there is no need to explain the science of it. The procedure might involve a wand, a mortal & pestle, and a jewelry store inside a giant star fruit, were the proprietor is a toad.

In sci-fi horror, some poor scientist gets shoved into an atomic reactor by greedy industrialists who want his secret formula (or into a matter transmitter with a bar of gold). He trans-mutates into a grotesque, half-gold monster, thumping and lumbering after the bad guys. Glitter and blood.

In fantasy horror, the bad guys steal an innocent wizard’s gold formula and wall him up in a sepulcher. As a last ironic taunt, they place a gold chain about his neck. The spirit of justice stirs and smolders . . . in due course, a living golden Golem wizard exacts his revenge on the misers who betrayed him.

Anyway, it’s the emphasis, I think.