Science Fiction: - Generally happens in the future or is futuristic. - Advanced technology is an important part of the main story.
Fantasy: - Not futuristic or evokes images from the past. - Generally not technology-themed.
In this case, "advanced technology" can mean either "technology more advanced than what's going on today" or "technology that's more advanced than the general era in which the book is set."
So even though Star Wars technically happened a long long time ago, it's still science fiction because its story revolves around space travel. Steampunk is also SF because it involves futuristic technology, same with other "soft" SF books like Jurassic Park, which is set in the present but revolves around a technological leap forward.
Fantasy, on the other hand, tends to use something other than technology to drive plots.
As for blends, I think Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke is a good example. You can have blends of wine. Why not blends of fiction?
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Science Fiction:
- Generally happens in the future or is futuristic.
- Advanced technology is an important part of the main story.
Fantasy:
- Not futuristic or evokes images from the past.
- Generally not technology-themed.
In this case, "advanced technology" can mean either "technology more advanced than what's going on today" or "technology that's more advanced than the general era in which the book is set."
So even though Star Wars technically happened a long long time ago, it's still science fiction because its story revolves around space travel. Steampunk is also SF because it involves futuristic technology, same with other "soft" SF books like Jurassic Park, which is set in the present but revolves around a technological leap forward.
Fantasy, on the other hand, tends to use something other than technology to drive plots.
As for blends, I think Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke is a good example. You can have blends of wine. Why not blends of fiction?