What is Fantasy? (Erin)

Hello! So nice of you to stop by! You’re probably here because you love fantasy, or you love us. (If the latter, thank you!) Either way, I’m sure you have a pretty good idea of what fantasy is. Basically, anything that comes out of someone’s imagination and couldn’t happen in the real world qualifies as fantasy. Think magic, talking animals, mystical creatures, and living legends.

But, did you know the fantasy genre can be broken down into several distinct categories? Read about some of them here, then post a comment to tell us which you like best.

Take Note: Each of our bloggers’ names is in parentheses next to the type of fantasy they are currently writing.

High Fantasy (Hannah):  This is fantasy that is set in an entirely different realm, with no connection to anything in the “real” world (i.e. Earth). High Fantasy often includes histories of separate lands, like the Shire, Rohan, and Mordor, in Middle-earth; races such as Elves and Hobbits; new languages (Can you read Elvish or Dwarvish?); and lots of maps.  

Click here for an interactive map of Middle-earth.   

Can you tell J.R.R. Tolkein’s The Lord of the Rings series is a great example of a High Fantasy?

Arthurian Fantasy: Arthurian Fantasy in based on the legends surrounding King Arthur, Merlin, Morgan Le Fey, and the Knights of the Round Table. Examples are Stephen Lawhead’s Pendragon Cycle and Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising series.

Classical Fantasy: Fantasy based on Greek and Roman Mythology, like Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series.

Historical Fantasy: Fantasy that takes place in a historical setting, such as the Civil War, or Victorian England. Check out King of Shadows by Susan Cooper or The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

Fairytale Fantasy (Laurie and Laura): Based on fairy tales, but full of realistic characters, twists and surprises. My daughter’s favorite is Adam Gidwitz’s A Tale Dark and Grimm series. 

Science Fantasy: Often set in space and science plays an important role, but different than Science Fiction. Science Fiction must be possible according to scientific principles, given logical technological advances. In Science Fantasy, anything goes! Madeleine L’Engle’s book, A Wrinkle in Time was one of the first Science Fantasy books written for younger readers. She had a hard time finding a publisher, because no one could figure out how to categorize her book! 

Portal Fantasy (Elizabeth): Fantasy where characters move back and forth between the real world and a fantasy world, via some type of portal, like the wardrobe in C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series, or Platform 9 ¾  in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.

Time Travel Fantasy: Fantasy where the characters move forward and backward in time. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells, of course.

Low Fantasy: Fantasy set entirely in the real world, but including fantastical elements unknown to most people. Did you know there are vampires and werewolves in Forks, WA? (If you can’t answer that, you may need to read Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series.)

Magical Realism (Erin and Laura): Real life in the real world, but requires you to believe in legends, random magic, or mystical occurrences. Magical Realism doesn’t rely on fantasy elements as much as Low Fantasy, but includes just enough wonder and mystery to make you think it couldn’t really happen. Read The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel, to see what I mean.

Of course, authors often use more than one fantastical device, so many of the books I mentioned could be placed in more than one category.

Remember to post a comment and let us know your favorite type of fantasy.

Also, let me know if you think of a type of fantasy I missed!

Thanks for reading!

Erin