The Best of Both Worlds

Sci-Fi or Fantasy? Why Not Both?

I love science fiction, and I love fantasy. When I first got the bug to tell an epic story, I ran headfirst into a dilemma: Which one do I write?

At first, I thought, It would be fun to create a world full of mystical beasts, powerful magicians, and ancient secrets wrapped in myth and wonder. But almost immediately, another voice in my head said, Yeah, but if you write that stuff, what about all the sci-fi you love? Are you really going to skip the tech, the spaceships, the post-apocalyptic ruins?

It felt like choosing between dragons and warp drives.

As I started digging into genre, subgenre, and their conventions — and diving into some must-read books on the topic — I had a lightbulb moment. Most of the stories that have left the biggest imprint on me — the ones I rewatch, reread, and can’t stop thinking about — are actually science fantasy.

Think about it:

The Matrix — high-concept tech meets prophecy and philosophy.

Star Wars — space travel, yes… but also the Force, ancient temples, and destiny.

Dune — a galaxy-spanning empire built on mysticism, prophecy, and politics.

Chronicles of Riddick — futuristic, yet filled with mythical undertones and necromantic empires.

Suddenly it all clicked: I don’t have to choose.

The Best of Both Worlds

Science fantasy blends the best of both genres — the what if of science fiction with the awe and wonder of fantasy. It allows spaceships and swords to exist in the same universe. It lets you talk about AI and ancient prophecies in the same sentence. It creates room for emotion and epic scale, mystery and machinery.

So instead of boxing myself in, I decided to build a world that could hold both magic and machines, myth and metal, wonder and wires.

I once heard an author say that all science fiction is part fantasy when you really think about it. Even the hardest sci-fi relies on imagined technologies or future concepts that haven’t happened yet — and may never happen at all. So where’s the line, really?

Sure, hard sci-fi might not have elves or enchanted swords, but it still asks you to suspend disbelief. It’s all a kind of magic — just wrapped in circuits instead of spellbooks.

Magic in Silicon Valley

Science fiction fans will enjoy Seasons of Darkness for its near-future setting in the heart of San Francisco and the South Bay. It’s rooted in tech culture, AI, and a version of our world just one innovation — or one disaster — away.

But it’s also a science fantasy. The series takes that grounded setting and cracks it open with myth, mystery, and something older than technology itself.

A science fantasy series that includes Silicon Valley?
Hmm… Very, very interesting. 😏