Fantasy for the Ages

Science fiction, fantasy, and horror rarely get invited to the Academy Awards’ biggest table. The Oscars traditionally favor historical drama, biopics, and prestige filmmaking — not spaceships, monsters, magic, or multiverses.

But every once in a while, speculative fiction breaks through.

In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, Jim ranks every science fiction, fantasy, and horror film ever nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, from the earliest nominees of the 1930s all the way to modern blockbusters like Dune and Get Out. Along the way we’ll look at which films almost won… and the four legendary genre films that actually pulled off the impossible and won Best Picture.

If you love speculative storytelling on the big screen, this is a fascinating look at how the Oscars have (occasionally) embraced the fantastic.

Which of these films do you think should have won Best Picture? Let us know in the comments!

👍 If you enjoy discussions of fantasy, science fiction, and horror across books, movies, and fandom culture, subscribe to Fantasy for the Ages for reviews, rankings, debates, and deep dives into the worlds we love.

Special thanks to our Patreon supporters who help keep this channel well-supported! Consider joining up, and gaining some extra perks in thanks: patreon.com/FantasyForTheAges

#Fantasy #ScienceFiction #Horror #Oscars #AcademyAwards #BestPicture #LordOfTheRings #Dune #StarWars #MovieRanking #FantasyForTheAges

Ways to connect with us:
Follow Jim/Father on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13848336-jim-scriven
Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/jMWyVJ6qKk
Follow us on "X": @Fantasy4theAges
Follow us on Blue Sky: @fantasy4theages.bsky.social
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Follow us on Mastodon: @[email protected]
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Check out our merch: https://www.newcreationsbyjen.com/collections/fantasyfortheages

Jim’s Microphone: Blue Yeti https://tinyurl.com/3shpvhb4
Jim’s Camera: Razer Kito Pro https://tinyurl.com/c873tc2n

0:00 - Opening
1:27 - Episode Explanation
2:45 - The Nominees, Ranked
11:36 - Ranking the Four Winners
13:29 - Wrap-up & Conclusion

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Music and video elements licensed under Envato Elements:
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Today on Fantasy for the Ages, Jim and Zach dive into the results of several recent community polls from the channel! 🗳️

Before revealing how viewers voted, Jim presents the question and answer choices while Zach attempts to predict how the Fantasy for the Ages community responded. Sometimes he gets it right… sometimes he’s way off!

Then we reveal the results and share our own thoughts on the topics.

Seven poll discussions await you here. We also discuss which results surprised us the most, where we agree with the audience, and where we might disagree.

💬 Join the conversation:
Which of these poll results do you agree with?
Which one surprised you the most?
What poll questions should we run next?

Thanks to everyone who participates in the Fantasy for the Ages community polls — your votes make episodes like this possible!

Special thanks to our Patreon supporters who help keep this channel well-supported! Consider joining up, and gaining some extra perks in thanks: patreon.com/FantasyForTheAges

#FantasyForTheAges #FantasyBooks #SciFi #NerdCulture #LordOfTheRings #StarWars #BladeRunner #GameOfThrones #StrangerThings #BookTube

Ways to connect with us:
Follow Jim/Father on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13848336-jim-scriven
Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/jMWyVJ6qKk
Follow us on "X": @Fantasy4theAges
Follow us on Blue Sky: @fantasy4theages.bsky.social
Follow us on Instagram: fantasy_for_the_ages
Follow us on Mastodon: @[email protected]
Email us: [email protected]

Check out our merch: https://www.newcreationsbyjen.com/collections/fantasyfortheages

Jim’s Microphone: Blue Yeti https://tinyurl.com/3shpvhb4
Jim’s Camera: Razer Kito Pro https://tinyurl.com/c873tc2n

0:00 - Opening
2:26 - Episode Explanation
3:11 - The Poll Discussions
20:38 - Closing & Wrap-Up

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Music and video elements licensed under Envato Elements:
https://elements.envato.com/

Are some of the greatest science fiction books ever written… “unpublishable” today?

In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, we explore classic sci-fi masterpieces that might struggle to get published in today’s market—not because they’re bad, but because publishing trends have changed.

Classic science fiction often focused on big ideas: philosophy, sociology, religion, artificial intelligence, the future of humanity, and massive conceptual worldbuilding. Many of these stories were episodic, idea-driven, experimental in structure, or deeply philosophical—things that modern publishing sometimes finds harder to market.

So what would happen if these legendary books landed on a publisher’s desk in 2026?

Would editors ask for:
• faster pacing?
• stronger central protagonists?
• fewer philosophical digressions?
• clearer genre hooks?

Today we’re looking at 11 classic sci-fi books and series that might not get published today—but absolutely should. These works helped shape the entire science fiction genre, influencing generations of writers, filmmakers, and readers.

But would they make it through the modern publishing process today?

Let’s talk about it.

⸻

💬 Join the discussion:
Which classic science fiction novel do YOU think might struggle to get published today?
And which modern sci-fi might not have survived the Golden Age of science fiction?

⸻

If you enjoy thoughtful discussions of science fiction, fantasy, and horror across generations, consider subscribing to Fantasy for the Ages and becoming part of the community. And thank you to our Patreon supporters who help keep the channel going strong!: patreon.com/FantasyForTheAges

#ScienceFiction #ClassicSciFi #SciFiBooks #SpeculativeFiction #BookTube #FantasyForTheAges #Dune #Foundation #Cyberpunk #SpaceOpera #SciFiClassics #ReadingCommunity

Want to purchase books/media mentioned in this episode?
The Book of the New Sun: https://t.ly/klihi
A Canticle for Leibowitz: https://t.ly/tch4I
Childhood’s End: https://t.ly/z0OB4
Dune Saga: https://t.ly/kHwtV
The Forever War: https://t.ly/DmVBh
Foundation Series: https://t.ly/IEoNh
Hyperion: https://t.ly/UlIAM
The Martian Chronicles: https://t.ly/-orjO
Neuromancer: https://t.ly/lN79I
Ringworld: https://t.ly/8I4gi
Stranger in a Strange Land: https://t.ly/gXvOp

Ways to connect with us:
Follow Jim/Father on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13848336-jim-scriven
Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/jMWyVJ6qKk
Follow us on "X": @Fantasy4theAges
Follow us on Blue Sky: @fantasy4theages.bsky.social
Follow us on Instagram: fantasy_for_the_ages
Follow us on Mastodon: @[email protected]
Email us: [email protected]

Check out our merch: https://www.newcreationsbyjen.com/collections/fantasyfortheages

Jim’s Microphone: Blue Yeti https://tinyurl.com/3shpvhb4
Jim’s Camera: Razer Kito Pro https://tinyurl.com/c873tc2n

0:00 - Opening
1:46 - Episode Explanation
3:01 - The Eleven Sci-Fi Classics
9:05 - The Bigger Point
9:32 - Closing & Wrap-Up

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Music and video elements licensed under Envato Elements:
https://elements.envato.com/

What happens when a college mistake unleashes a dragon… and the consequences last for decades?

In today’s episode of Fantasy for the Ages, Jim reviews one of the most talked-about horror novels of 2025 — King Sorrow by Joe Hill. This massive supernatural thriller blends occult horror, folklore, and modern mythology into a sweeping story that stretches across decades. Featuring unforgettable characters, shocking twists, and a dragon unlike anything you’ve seen before, King Sorrow might just be Joe Hill’s most ambitious novel yet.

Jim dives into the book’s premise, its strengths and weaknesses, the themes that drive the story, and why this nearly 900-page horror epic never seems to drag. Is King Sorrow worth the hype? And how does it compare to Hill’s earlier novels NOS4A2 and The Fireman?

Let’s talk about it.

If you enjoy discussions about fantasy, science fiction, and horror, consider subscribing to Fantasy for the Ages and joining the conversation in the comments!

If you enjoy fantasy book reviews, be sure to like the video, subscribe to the channel, and check out our Patreon to help support Fantasy for the Ages: patreon.com/FantasyForTheAges

#JoeHill #KingSorrow #HorrorBooks #BookReview #FantasyForTheAges #SpeculativeFiction #HorrorFiction #DarkFantasy #BookTube #SFFBooks

Want to purchase books/media mentioned in this episode?
The Fireman: https://t.ly/EqQPy
King Sorrow: https://t.ly/rucBo
NOS4A2: https://t.ly/X7CXy

Ways to connect with us:
Follow Jim/Father on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13848336-jim-scriven
Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/jMWyVJ6qKk
Follow us on "X": @Fantasy4theAges
Follow us on Blue Sky: @fantasy4theages.bsky.social
Follow us on Instagram: fantasy_for_the_ages
Follow us on Mastodon: @[email protected]
Email us: [email protected]

Check out our merch: https://www.newcreationsbyjen.com/collections/fantasyfortheages

Jim’s Microphone: Blue Yeti https://tinyurl.com/3shpvhb4
Jim’s Camera: Razer Kito Pro https://tinyurl.com/c873tc2n

0:00 - Opening
1:38 - Book Details
3:50 - Why Jim Read This
4:33 - Spoiler-Lite Summary
6:02 - 10 Reasons You May Enjoy This Book
8:22 - 5 Reasons It May Not Be for You
9:39 - Jim’s Final Thoughts
10:33 - Closing & Wrap-Up

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Music and video elements licensed under Envato Elements:
https://elements.envato.com/

Do different generations look for different things in their fantasy and science fiction stories?Today on Fantasy for the Ages, Jim and Zach explore that question by sharing SFF books and series they love… but suspect the other probably wouldn’t enjoy.With nearly 30 years between their reading experiences, Jim and Zach grew up in different storytelling eras. That means different pacing expectations, different character preferences, and sometimes very different reactions to the same kinds of stories.In this episode, each of them shares five books or series they enjoy that they believe the other is unlikely to love—and then they discuss why.Along the way, Jim and Zach talk about things like:• Why some older epic fantasies feel different to modern readers• Whether pacing expectations have changed across generations• The role of flawed protagonists in storytelling• Why some classic SFF still resonates today• And why generational taste differences aren’t necessarily a bad thing💬 Join the conversation in the comments:What SFF books or series do you love that someone from a different generation in your life just doesn’t connect with?And are there any books your kids, parents, or friends rave about that just aren’t your thing?We’d love to hear about it! Huge thanks to all our Patreon supporters, keeping the lights on for this channel. Check out our Patreon page to see how you also could become part of our community of true believers!: patreon.com/FantasyForTheAges#FantasyForTheAges #FantasyBooks #SciFiBooks #BookTube #SFF #GenerationalDifferences #FantasyDiscussion #ScienceFiction #BookDiscussionWant to purchase books/media mentioned in this episode?The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant: https://t.ly/2Dl6pThe Dandelion Dynasty: https://t.ly/LZT33The Dresden Files: https://t.ly/KWi7IThe Dune Saga: https://t.ly/drmMjKing Sorrow: https://t.ly/rucBoThe Locked Tomb Series: https://t.ly/dM-xQOutlander Series: https://t.ly/q2_GfThe Realm of the Elderlings: https://t.ly/JvhuiThe Remaining Series: https://t.ly/90hDiThe Stand: https://t.ly/UG_4mThe Underland Chronicles: https://t.ly/yYvTzWays to connect with us:Follow Jim/Father on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13848336-jim-scriven Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/jMWyVJ6qKk Follow us on "X": @Fantasy4theAges Follow us on Blue Sky: @fantasy4theages.bsky.socialFollow us on Instagram: fantasy_for_the_ages Follow us on Mastodon: @[email protected] Email us: [email protected] Check out our merch: https://www.newcreationsbyjen.com/collections/fantasyfortheagesJim’s Microphone: Blue Yeti https://tinyurl.com/3shpvhb4 Jim’s Camera: Razer Kito Pro https://tinyurl.com/c873tc2n 0:00 - Opening & Banter2:44 - Episode Setup3:39 - Sharing & Debating Our Selections41:28 - Closing & Wrap-Up————————————————————————————Music and video elements licensed under Envato Elements:https://elements.envato.com/