An extraterrestrial race saving the Humans of Earth?

[Terra Arkay]

I'm an amateur writer and I need your opinions...

What do you guys think about an extraterrestrial race saving a large percentage of the Human race and safely transporting them to planets in the deep ends of space far far from the coming darkness? A bit far-fetched? Does this meet the fantasy criteria? I MUST remember that this is a fantasy story... I tried to develop a reason to get my characters off of planet Earth but now looking back at this... it sounds a bit eccentric. If this is a bit eccentric, how can I get my characters off planet Earth?

[Elder the Dwarf]

Sounds sci fi... maybe that's just my opinion though. If you have any well-meaning gods/deities, they could easily do it. I think something similar happened in Dragonlance in the war of souls series. Although that might have been just the gods leaving/ only one coming back. Anyways, back on topic. Gods would be the easiest way to accomplish it, I think. Also, depending on how powerful your mages are or if you have magic, that could be an option.

[Brian Scott Allen]

I see no problem if you create a fantasy/sci-fi hybrid where perhaps the ETs are the peoples' deities and then a huge twist of them being superior beings.

[Lord Darkstorm]

What is the comming darkness? I know Larry Nivnen had quite a few books that had the majority of the stars near the center of the galaxy going super nova all at the same time, the destruction traveling outward, and some alien races finding ways to escape it.

If it is fantasy, I would think it more of moving to another dimension than leaving the planet, although fantasy ships does have some basis (there was a dungeons and dragons expansion for it).

The bigger question is what are they running from, and where are they trying to run too.

[lawrence]

Hmmm...yes as soon as alien races and interplanetary travel comes in, the story becomes Sci Fi I think ?

Check out the movies 'Outlander' and 'Knowing' for interesting takes.

I would agree that using supernatural/magical beings and cross dimensions would mesh better with a High Fantasy / Sword and Sorcery novel.

[Devor]

I think there's an episode of Doctor Who which did something very similar.

Walk the line. If spaceships fly because of matter/anti-matter micro-collisions you're in sci-fi. If spaceships fly because of a crystalline structure which fuses their engines with the same intergalactic mystery-web that mages use to cast spells, you're in fantasy.

[Seth son of Tom]

it does sound more fitting for sci-fi, but either way i like the sound of it. go for it if you like it.

[Paul]

The idea of extraterrestrials saving the human race sounds like sci-fi(to me) but i read somewhere about a genre of fantasy called 'science fantasy'; a genre of fantasy that involves science. For example, you can substitute cell regeneration(sci-fi) for immortality(fantasy) and psionics(sci-fi) for magic(fantasy).
However, you can add elements of fantasy to your story in order not to divert to sci-fi.

[Paul]

The idea of extraterrestrials saving the human race sounds like sci-fi(to me) but i read somewhere about a genre of fantasy called 'science fantasy'; a genre of fantasy that involves science. For example, you can substitute cell regeneration(sci-fi) for immortality(fantasy) and psionics(sci-fi) for magic(fantasy).
However, you can add elements of fantasy to your story in order not to divert to sci-fi.

[Solomon Tan]

I think it's a cool idea adding both together. Science fantasy yeah?

You could also allow humans to use magic or get the aliens to teach the humans magic to aid them in their escape or even their fight against this darkness..

Or some fantasy creatures like dragons or powerful liches?

I am also planning to add in elements of science into my magic system for my story.. I just prefer a wizard to cast a spell and need to contemplate with the reactions of different atoms.. Makes the wizard much more smarter and powerful..