"If SF is the literature of change, the fantasy is the literature of longing." "Fantasy often ends with the reestablishment of order, with evil conquered and good on the throne. SF often ends with the establishment of a new order, a new way of doing things, with the evolution to a higher order." ~ Treitel
"A totally unmystical world would be a world totally blind and insane." ~ Aldous Huxley
"Youngsters grow up believing in fantasy. They wish on candles, wait for tooth fairies, talk to their stuffed animals and play with imaginary friends." ~ Kylen Beers
"Fantasy opens the door to experiencing the magic that is in the world around us and more importantly the magic in ourselves. As a genre, fantasy is about moving from our world into the world of experiences beyond. By tapping into those experiences we come to know more about ourselves." ~ T.A. Barron
"...In pure fantasy, readers on the journey discover truths about themselves and about their connection to humanity. The first level of truth is achieved at the level of the senses: Can readers see the world of the protagonist? Can readers visualize, touch and smell the world in the book?" ~T.A. Barron
"Heroic fantasy yearns for a time of rigid class distinction, when good and evil were a part of breeding. When the strong ruled the weak and weak gamboled happily - providing rustic atmosphere in the way good peasants should. But even if their purpose is evil, only the aristocrats have the natural talent for wielding power, and the peasantry will never know release until the lost ruler returns justice to the land." ~ Patrick Hudson
"Heroes take arduous journeys, confront dragons (and/or other mythological creatures), discover lost treasure, and change the nature of the world through their singular acts of courage and selflessness. They are legendary figures, endowed with great strength or ability, who dare to heed the call of adventure. While others (of a lesser ability) might choose to ignore this summons and become the victims of an impotent kind or repressive culture, heroes endure much opposition, hardship, and danger to transcend the realm of the commonplace." ~ John L. Lynn
"While many heroes arise from humble origins to command the respect of minions, some others are actually displaced princes who must struggle to regain their rightful place. In both scenarios, the hero often comes into the world as an innocent; then, for one reason or another, he finds himself orphaned, deposed by forces that he most later confront and subdue. Wandering alone for days, months, or years, the hero learns valuable lessons about survival and self reliance. Sometimes, he is aided by a wise priest, shaman or magician; other times, he is awarded a special gift or talent from some supernatural source. Ultimately, the hero emerges as an invincible warrior who, by asserting his will, changes the world." ~ John L. Flynn
"For, most significantly of all, heroic fantasy holds out hope for
the future. Its heroes triumph over death and despair and, although the
price is sometimes high, at the end they discover that 'treasure hidden
in the centers of our souls' a- and teach it to use, their readers, who
have traveled the journey with them." ~ Kate Forsyth
'Fantasy is one of the most flexible genres. It is one of the few
genres in which the same book can be read by an adult and a 12-year old
-- comfortably and without any explanation."
"Fantasy writing must be grounded in both truth and life experience
if it is to work. It can be as inventive and creative as the writer can
make it, a whirlwind of images and plot twists, but it cannot be built
on a foundation of air." ~ Terry Brooks
"Just as children are often smarter and more perceptive than adults
give them credit for, the books they read are often more astute and
engaging than grown-up readers assume. ... Children's fantasy evolved
from a simply didactic tool to a more intense imagining of the fears,
challenges and transitions in young people's lives. "~
"Genres are there because readers want them to be. They're the
result of readers wanting to have a clue. 'If I like this, what else
will I like.'" ~ Patrick Nielsen
"'Escapist' is one of those terms that gets used with a snarl, but
I'm getting to be more and more of the opinion that it has a value in
its own right that isn't being properly appreciated." ~ Lois McMaster
Bujold
"I love magic, as long as it's doled out in small, precious
quantities. Too much magic is like too much salt -- it hides everything
else, and spoils its own appeal. ~ Tad Williams
"I wonder whether authors can break into this field so crowded with
trilogies and series without a publisher saying, 'Give me a franchise I
can sell -- I want three books in ten years. ... I'm not sure if
authors today are more apt to have larger stories to tell that need to
be broken into three or more books, or if the phenomenon is spurred on
by publishers wanting to capitalize on commercial success or perhaps by
reader demand." ~ Patty Cryan
It is often difficult to separate fantasy and science fiction on the WWW, especially since the same publishers typically issue both and some authors will write for both. Live would be much easier if the two genres were separated in libraries and book stores. Several important sites will focus on both genres.
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Research Database is compiled by Hal W. Hall, a pioneer librarian in this field. This site provides access to a large number of items about SF, fantasy, and horror.
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of American Links Page can be useful.
Great Science-Fiction &
Fantasy Works is a compilation of works considered to be of
"literary quality." The author list can be quite helpful.
Locus is the premier print
periodical for SF, fantasy, and horror fiction. Especially good for
reviews and forthcoming books. Although not available on the website,
the Locus best books of the year are essential of the collection
developer, especially for the small press titles.
The SF Site includes reviews of
fantasy works as well. Includes reviews for worthwhile British titles
often invisible in the U.S. sources. Monthly updates.
The Science Fiction and
Fantasy-Related Sites from the Schenectady County Public Library
includes a wide variety sites on a variety of SF and fantasy topics.
Essential.
dmoz has a reasonably comprehensive set of links to fantasy sites. A good place to begin.
Herald has placed the links in her Fluent in Fantasy, plus some newer ones here.
Fantasy Finder provides a reasonable selection of links. Note that most comprehensive science fiction sites such as SF Site also include fantasy.
Henriksen Parallax Book Reviews includes reviews by year for SF and fantasy works.
Of Sorcery & The Sword is a good review source with tagged reviews.
The Recommended Fantasy Author List can be useful for reader guidance.
Fantastic Fiction is a bibliographic database covering fantasy as well as SF and horror.
Fiction_L has a book list on fantasy with strong world building
David Pringle's 100 Best Fantasy Novels.
Fluent in Fantasy: A Guide to Reading Interests by Diana Herald is part of the Genreflecting Advisory Series.
Fantasy Literature: a Reader's Guide edited by Neil
Barron is an excellent, comprehensive work. Since he is now associated
with Gale's What Do I Read Next, that data base may
be used as somewhat of an update. What Fantastic Fiction Do I
Read Next is more recent but also includes horror and SF.
Another relevant and more recent work by Barron is Fantasy and
Horror: A Critical and Historical Guide to Literature, Illustration,
Film, TV, Radio, and the Internet.
The Encyclopedia of Fantasy edited by John Clute and John Grant is a comprehensive source of information on the genre as seen in various media.
Fantasy Literature for Children and
Young Adults [by Ruth Nadelman Lynn]is now in its fifth
edition. As the Harry Potter books
have shown, many of these titles will also appeal to adults.
The Reference Guide to Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror by Michael Burgess includes core collections by library type.
The St. James Guide to Fantasy Writers edited by
David Pringle covers a variety of American and British authors. Essays
are not always critical. Some have questioned the selection criteria
and the space allocated to individual authors but that is always a
problem in such a work.
Science Fiction and Fantasy
Readers' Advisory by Derek M. Buker includes 16 chapters on
fantasy with good introductions to the genre and categories.
Wizardry & Wild Romance: a
study of epic fantasy by Michael Moorcock is a thoughtful,
interesting study by one of the best known fantasy authors [recently
reissued].
While some mention the Epic of Gilgamesh or Homer's Iliad, modern beginnings focus on the late 19th Century when some writers and artists rebelled against an increasingly industrial and technological society. William Morris (1890s) wrote News From Nowhere and The Story of the Glittering Plain with medieval settings and believable magic. He also wrote long stories with many pages.
In the early 20th Century, Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote A Princess of Mars (1917) which combines fantasy and some science fictional elements. Later, Lord Dunsany wrote The Gods of Pegana (1905) and The King of Elfland's Daughter (1924). At about the same time (1922), E.R. Eddison wrote The Worm Ouroboros
The pulp adventure magazines in the 1920s and 1930s launched several important new fantasy authors. The first "Conan the Barbarian" story by Robert Howard appeared in 1932 became the most popular and well known of the "sword and sorcery" sub genre. Howard was probably influenced by the work of Burroughs.
The epic "Lord of the Rings" was issued in the mid 1950s and
gradually became the most well known of all the heroic fantasy novels.
The Hobbit was issued in 1937 and the Silmarillion
in 1977. Tolkien's emphasis on comprehensive world building was notable
and has been followed by many others although not to the same degree of
detail. T.H. White's The Once and Future King, issued
in 1958, was popular and helped to grow interest in heroic fantasy
after a period of decline.
The success of the film versions of the Lord of the Ring and the
Harry Potter stories have dramatically increased interest in fantasy.
Fantasy continues to substantially outsell science fiction.
The controversy surrounding the definitions of science fiction and
fantasy has been mentioned elsewhere. Here, a reminder that fantasy
deals with " plausible impossibilities. "What ifs" are important. "WHAT
IF" we lived on a world where dragons really existed? "WHAT IF magic
could be learned and practiced rather like engineering or mathematics.
Connie Rockman says that fantasy typically includes strong messages:
Fantasy stories are often based upon myth or legend. A myth is a story that is believable and often believed, but is not true. To become a myth a story has to have had a reasonably large number of believers and a belief that has lasted over time. Myths are usually associated with ancient times. A legend is a story that may be partially true, but has been embellished to take on a larger life and context.
Sometimes the setting is exotic and very different from anything we
have known. In other stories, the setting could well be historical
fiction except that names have changed slightly and there are two
moons--one yellowish-white and the other blue. Medieval Europe is the
most favored setting, but there are many other possibilities. Settings
are often quite detailed.
Something magical is almost always part of fantasy. Magic may be seen in the setting or in the plot. It may be practiced by the characters. Without magic, many fantasies would simply be alternative historical fiction, i.e. what if Hitler had been killed in 1942 or what if the Roman Empire continued into the 19th Century?
Fantasy is also characterized by the fight between good and evil. A few people without power or authority are often able to defeat the powerful and the evil though not without cost. Today's fantasies are more likely to include characters who are both good and evil, but still good triumph in some important way. A QUEST of some kind is often part of the fight against evil. The quest may be for an artifact that will yield great power or it may be for a character that will make an essential difference.
WORLD BUILDING or creating a detailed setting is an integral element of the fantasy story. Tolkien, for example, created a detailed language for Middle Earth. The setting of the fantasy story includes all of the details that make it believable and "true."
COMING OF AGE or RITE OF PASSAGE is often an essential part of the fantasy story. The main character and others must find themselves and how to use their talents and grow into an important new role whether they be young or old.
TREACHERY is another important element. Those in power often attempt to seize power as do those who would like to be more powerful. Intrigue at court or in the castle must be dealt with. Intrigue often yields interesting new plot directions.
With its roots in myth and legend, fantasy is the most ELEMENTAL of all the genres. It is certainly interesting that many people for many generations believed in myth and legend in a way that dramatically affected their life and their culture.
Myth and legend has been an important part of culture since the
beginning.
Literature began with these stories. They explained the world that
people
lived in, provided lessons about behavior and consequences, and
entertained
as well. Fantasy literature is myth and legend created in more recent
times. Often, in our hard-edged world there is little that people can
believe in. There seem to be few heroes. Good fantasy stories tell a
compelling story and that is often missing in contemporary literary
fiction.
While evil is encountered in contemporary life, it and its
manifestations are much more clearly drawn in most fantasy stories. The
temptations that lead to evil acts and their consequences are also much
more clearly seen, even if later in the story. Good and evil in
contemporary life are often caught up in political and religious
arguments that make both less immediate and somewhat removed from daily
life.
Treitel's observation that fantasy is a literature of longing is
important.
In fantasy, the reader may return to a simpler time--the world as we
wish
it might be. Often, nature receives considerable attention. Good is
good
and evil is evil. Eventually there is often a happy ending although
important secondary characters may have been killed. Stories of the
Odyssey, Arthur, and the like have influenced and shaped culture for
centuries.
While also true of other genres, fantasy stories often begin with a
main
character of poor circumstances who turns out to make a notable
contribution in the war of evil. Often, these characters have had a
most
difficult childhood before their special abilities or powers are
discovered. In a notable juvenile fantasy, the future king begins as an
assistant pig keeper. Tolkien's Hobbits were not great or powerful
characters until adventure made them be.
With more and more accomplished female authors, there are more
novels with a strong female heroine. This may be one of the reasons
that fantasy has a strong female audience [and women buy more books
than men].
While the cost may be great and major characters may die along the way, fantasy stories allow evil to be defeated, often by those who seem to have little power or authority. Not only is there a happy ending, but evil is thoroughly defeated. This rarely happens in our world.
Fantasy is the genre least likely to be affected by age. Many adults
have enjoyed the Hobbit
or the Harry Potter books. Many older children have enjoyed
the Lord of the Rings. As fantasy stories
become more "realistic" in their explicit sexual activity and violence,
some fantasy stories are not appropriate for
many children. The fact that children's fantasy often appeals to adult
readers has attracted more authors of adult fiction and adult fantasy
to writing stories for children, tweens, teens, and adults.
Some fantasy stories will have considerable appeal to those who enjoy historical fiction. For example, Guy Gavriel Kay's Sailing to Sarantium and Lord of Emperors is the story of Byzantium as alternative history, but told in a way that is true to the original in many details.
Most fantasy novels are lengthy and require some time to read. In
addition, three volume [and longer] series are popular. Typically,
fantasy stories are substantial with considerable world-building and
many characters. It's difficult to complete a substantial story in a
single volume. Robert Jordan's
"Wheel of Time" series is a good example of what appears to be a
never-ending story with waits of a year or so before the next part of
the story is issued.
Many graphic novels include substantial fantasy elements and their
popularity may also increase interest in traditional text-based fantasy
stories. Manga is a good example, although fantasy and SF elements may
be intertwined.
While fantasy novels often contain original and well developed characters, Guy Gavriel Kay is an excellent example, they may also contain stereotypical characters who lack development. This is often true of secondary and minor characters. It may be that since some character types--the brawny barbarian or the evil magician, for example--are so well known that little development is possible.
In the past, especially with the pulp fiction authors, fantasy was
seen as action stories for teen age boys who were not especially
successful in life and found relief in fiction where the underdog could
triumph. Robert Howard, although a notable author, is a good example of
this. As more female authors have written notable fantasy novels, the
boy only stereotype has become less prevalent. There are many strong
female heroines today and that increases the genre's appeal to female
readers.
Fantasy novels are not always "safe." In the past few years, stories
have become darker and readers are
more likely to encounter quite detailed sexual and violent scenes.
While fantasy has not been a "gentle read" in
the past, this explicitness and the darkness will offend some readers
who prefer more traditional treatments.
Dungeons & Dragons, the fantasy role-playing game created a
strong and continuing interest in fantasy. TSR,
the D&D publisher, began to issue novels based upon game situations
and characters and these have proved to be very popular. The
"Dragonlance" novels are especially well known among the several TSR
series. Since revenues from game and gaming sales continue to exceed
film revenues, there will be more novelizations and story collections
based on current fantasy games.
Given the popularity of the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter,
publishers and authors are rushing to issue more fantasy books. At some
time, over production will result in a diminished market and sales will
sag. This is typical of genre book publishing. Still, fantasy is
presently the most popular genre for middle graders and teens and that
should guarantee interested adults in the future.
In contrast to other popular genres, fantasy has long featured foreign authors and that continues today. Besides many fine fantasy authors from Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand have produced popular fantasy authors in the last few years.
1. Do you believe in magic? How difficult then is "suspension of disbelief"> Why would people read about something unreal?
2. How important is the linkage between fantasy and myth/legend? Why?
3. Fantasy is often defined as a longing for the past. Why? What is that an important appeal element?
4. Some adults are extremely upset about the popularity of fantasy with children? Why? Can one be a Christian and enjoy fantasy?
5. To what degree does most genre fiction contain unrealistic characters and adventures?
6. Fantasy has, in the last few years, had many female authors and strong female characters. Why might fantasy appeal to female authors and readers?
7. What can readers learn from reading fantasy?
8. Fantasy novels are often much longer than those in other genres?
Why? Is this an asset or a liability?
