--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Science fiction is fantasy with bolts…" description: "\"Science fiction is fantasy with bolts painted on outside.\" — Terry Pratchett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e5/terry-pratchett-19_bolts_science-fiction-is-fantasy-with-bolts-pa_3084016.jpg" --- # Science fiction is fantasy with bolts painted on outside. ![“Science fiction is fantasy with bolts painted on outside.” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e5/terry-pratchett-19_bolts_science-fiction-is-fantasy-with-bolts-pa_3084016.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e5/terry-pratchett-19_bolts_science-fiction-is-fantasy-with-bolts-pa_3084016.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e5/terry-pratchett-19_bolts_science-fiction-is-fantasy-with-bolts-pa_3084016.jpg) > “Science fiction is fantasy with bolts painted on outside.” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Science fiction builds on scientific ideas while fantasy adds magical elements, making the genre a blend of plausible tech and imaginative wonder. **In simple terms:** Sci‑fi adds magic to tech. Key Takeaway Embrace both logic and imagination. Themes genre blending creativity imagination science fantasy Mood playful thoughtful Type literary analytical When to use this quote - writing stories - game design - film concepts - educational tools Key Concepts World‑building speculative fiction genre hybrid Questions to Reflect On - How does magic enhance scientific storytelling? - When does fantasy dilute scientific credibility? A Different Perspective May oversimplify scientific rigor. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-fiction/) ## Related quotes > [I thought it'd be something cooler, like a van with 'Death to Demons' painted on the outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-thought-it-d-be-something-cooler-like-a-van-with-death-to-demons/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Fiction is lies; we're writing about people who never existed and events that never happened when we write fiction, whether its science fiction or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin-2/fiction-is-lies-we-re-writing-about-people-who-never-existed-and/) [George R. R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin-2/) > [Part of the particular interest and beauty of science fiction and fantasy: writer and reader collaborate in world-making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/part-of-the-particular-interest-and-beauty-of-science-fiction-and/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [The difference between science fiction and fantasy … is simply this: science fiction has rivets and fantasy has trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/the-difference-between-science-fiction-and-fantasy-is-simply-this/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [I grew up a really nerdy kid. I read science fiction and fantasy voraciously, for the first 16 years of my life. I read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-spaihts/i-grew-up-a-really-nerdy-kid-i-read-science-fiction-and-fantasy/) [Jon Spaihts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-spaihts/) > [Of the two, I would think of my work as closer to Science Fiction than Fantasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-m-auel/of-the-two-i-would-think-of-my-work-as-closer-to-science-fiction-than/) [Jean M. Auel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-m-auel/) > [“Science fiction and fantasy, though they seem to be about the future or fictional worlds, are always at their core really about the problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-joseph-adams/science-fiction-and-fantasy-though-they-seem-to-be-about-the-future/) [John Joseph Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-joseph-adams/) > [In my early teens, science fiction and fantasy had an almost-total hold over my imagination. Their outcast status was part of their appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hari-kunzru/in-my-early-teens-science-fiction-and-fantasy-had-an-almost-total/) [Hari Kunzru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hari-kunzru/) > [Im a massive science fiction and fantasy geek.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kazinsky/im-a-massive-science-fiction-and-fantasy-geek/) [Robert Kazinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kazinsky/) > [ “\[...\]i’m not a leftist trying to smuggle in my evil message by the nefarious means of fantasy novels. I’m a science fiction and fantasy… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/china-mi-ville/i-m-not-a-leftist-trying-to-smuggle-in-my-evil-message-by-the/) [China Miéville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/china-mi-ville/) > [I've always loved science fiction, fantasy, manga, comic books; so I guess, to some degree, those things influence my personal idea of what looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goldman/i-ve-always-loved-science-fiction-fantasy-manga-comic-books-so-i/) [Jane Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goldman/) > [“Women create an idealized, hopeful vision for the future to inspire other women. Fiction and fantasy are the crucial first steps to changing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-rodale/women-create-an-idealized-hopeful-vision-for-the-future-to-inspire/) [Maya Rodale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-rodale/) > [Another priest said,"Is it true you've said you'll believe in any god whose existence can be proved by logical debate?""Yes."Vimes had a feeling about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/another-priest-said-is-it-true-you-ve-said-you-ll-believe-in-any-god/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“When you mix Science Fiction with Fantasy you don't have a pure genre, the two are, to a professional separate genres. I noticed today…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/when-you-mix-science-fiction-with-fantasy-you-don-t-have-a-pure-genre/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [“I’m in love with fiction. A fantasy that slips between my fingers when reality sets in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moryah-demott/i-m-in-love-with-fiction-a-fantasy-that-slips-between-my-fingers-when/) [Moryah DeMott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moryah-demott/) ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More Bolts quotes > [Well, well what do we have here? A most pathetic excuse for a bucket of bolts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vegeta/well-well-what-do-we-have-here-a-most-pathetic-excuse-for-a-bucket-of/) [Vegeta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vegeta/) > [ \[The movies\] glamorize game day a little bit too much. It's such a focus. They miss a lot of the nuts and bolts, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-kehres/the-movies-glamorize-game-day-a-little-bit-too-much-it-s-such-a-focus/) [Vince Kehres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-kehres/) > [Our training pushes us to develop a new set of instincts: instead of reacting to danger with a fight-or-flight adrenaline rush, we're trained to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/our-training-pushes-us-to-develop-a-new-set-of-instincts-instead-of/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [ Few years ago I did 30m in 3.7 seconds. Whether that makes me quicker than \[Usain\] Bolt, I don't know! We all know Usain… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-emerick-aubameyang/few-years-ago-i-did-30m-in-3-7-seconds-whether-that-makes-me-quicker/) [Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-emerick-aubameyang/) > [This is what our yoga practice is trying to accomplish. Not white light descending from heaven and engulfing you, not energy released from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-kest/this-is-what-our-yoga-practice-is-trying-to-accomplish-not-white/) [Bryan Kest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-kest/) > [The iron bolt...mysteriously fastens the door of hope and holds our spirits in a gloomy prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/the-iron-bolt-mysteriously-fastens-the-door-of-hope-and-holds-our/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Muzzle control has to be a religion. You cannot point that weapon at one of your brothers-or yourself. Know where you barrel is at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-couch/muzzle-control-has-to-be-a-religion-you-cannot-point-that-weapon-at/) [Dick Couch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-couch/) > [“In mythology, lightning represents either the loss of ignorance or punishment for those who overstep their bounds. I used two bolts since we intend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joelle-charbonneau/in-mythology-lightning-represents-either-the-loss-of-ignorance-or/) [Joelle Charbonneau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joelle-charbonneau/) > [The nuts and bolts of shooting a film and writing a film are still really difficult. But what makes it easier is the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-pegg/the-nuts-and-bolts-of-shooting-a-film-and-writing-a-film-are-still/) [Simon Pegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-pegg/) > [If Vin Scully calling a game is just as good in 2013 as he was in 1963, that's the way a game should sound.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-vin-scully-calling-a-game-is-just-as-good-in-2013-as-he-was-in/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [I don't deal with the nuts and bolts of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/i-don-t-deal-with-the-nuts-and-bolts-of-life/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [My first climb was on lead; there were pitons, no bolts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ueli-steck/my-first-climb-was-on-lead-there-were-pitons-no-bolts/) [Ueli Steck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ueli-steck/) > [The brightest thunder-bolt is elicited from the darkest storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/the-brightest-thunder-bolt-is-elicited-from-the-darkest-storm/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [The church must never become a government factory, carrying on a nationalized industry of religion with the people as the bolts and nuts; with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-archer/the-church-must-never-become-a-government-factory-carrying-on-a/) Glenn Archer > [They say dreams are the windows of the soul-take a peek and you can see the inner workings, the nuts and bolts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-bromell/they-say-dreams-are-the-windows-of-the-soul-take-a-peek-and-you-can/) [Henry Bromell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-bromell/) Browse all 143 Bolts quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Science fiction is fantasy with bolts painted on outside.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Terry Pratchett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/science-fiction-is-fantasy-with-bolts-painted-on-outside/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bolts" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/science-fiction-is-fantasy-with-bolts-painted-on-outside/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e5/terry-pratchett-19_bolts_science-fiction-is-fantasy-with-bolts-pa_3084016.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e5/terry-pratchett-19_bolts_science-fiction-is-fantasy-with-bolts-pa_3084016.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e5/terry-pratchett-19_bolts_science-fiction-is-fantasy-with-bolts-pa_3084016.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Science fiction is fantasy with bolts painted on outside.” — Terry Pratchett", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Terry Pratchett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Science fiction is fantasy with bolts...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/science-fiction-is-fantasy-with-bolts-painted-on-outside/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/science-fiction-is-fantasy-with-bolts-painted-on-outside/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```