Arts & Humanities >
Fantasy & Science Fiction
Get a Widget for this title
RSS FeedHas the fantasy genre become stagnant?
Results so far:
| Yes | 46% | 364 votes | Total: 789 votes | |
| No | 54% | 425 votes |
Yes
Write now
Print
Invite a writer™
Add to FavoritesDragons, swords, and magical lands have been the highlight of fiction in the twenty-first century. Children, teenagers, and adults alike thrill to the adventures of brave heroes who exist in a place beyond reality, but nevertheless accessible through the vibrant pages of a book. Don't believe it? Just step to the young adult fiction shelf of your local bookstore. You'll be hard-pressed to find anything but fantasy.
What is it that draws so many readers to fantasy? Maybe it's the romance of the medieval settings; maybe the compelling action sequences scattered throughout; maybe the mythical creatures like dragons and unicorns that hold such appeal for contemporary audiences. But regardless of the initial attraction, it's hard to escape the realization that most works of modern fantasy usually have a common denominator.
The basic plot is simple: a young and dashing hero wakes up one morning to learn that his true identity is one of greatness.
Unfortunat ely, his life is on the line because a certain wicked villain is seeking to steal his power and rule the world. Throw in some dwarves and telepathic dragons, and your fantasy clich has come full circle. We've all heard itprobably more times than we'd care to tell.
When did such an intriguing genre become an almost exclusive slush-pile? No one denies that Tolkien's Lord of the Rings is a brilliant story by a brilliant author. Same for The Chronicles of Narnia. But as times goes on, and the genre of fantasy grows and flourishes, we tend to see more and more repetition and less originality. Elves, dragons, and magica person can't help but wonder how often the same fictional elements can be mixed up to create a new storyline.
Has the fantasy genre become a stagnant pool of overused ideas? Most definitely. But in trudging through the muck, you're likely to find a few gems still remaining. In the end, writers of fantasy should stop seeking to "be original" with material that has already been used, but rather focus on the story they plan to tell. Observation is beneficial; imitation is detrimental.
C.S. Lewis says it best: "Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring two-pence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it."
Learn more about this author, Beth Maisano.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
No
Let's define fantasy a little bit, shall we? Most people think of the classic JRR Tolkien model of fantasy when they think of a fantasy novel. They think of powerful objects of power, dangerous quests, a great encroaching evil, and heroism in the face of darkness. Most of these novels have the same theme, concept, and at least core influences. JRR Tolkien, David Eddings, Terry Brooks and many others wrote excellent novels using the veins of family, heroism, and identity. These novels are still popular. Simply look at Christopher Paolini sometime. His themes will no doubt strike familiar images to the reader.
This is called High Fantasy, and from the point of a novel, I'm bored with it as a whole. I'm bored of the familiar trappings, the same story replaying out again and again.
Or am I?
Imagine a desert world where a spice controls the destiny of a universe. There a man named Maud'dib becomes a savior to the native people and takes control of the planet. Welcome to Dune, one of the all time great works of science fiction. And one (in my view at least) of the best fantasies.
How about a story about a genius of child going to school, learning about love, magic, heroism and his own worth, all the while losing the very gifts that had defined him as a youth. Pat Rothfuss has created an intriguing world in The Name of the Wind. I can't wait for the sequel.
Or finally, how about a city where art, music and magic go hand in hand. There you can see some of the darkest aspects of humanity, or some of small heroics people do day in and out. Welcome to any book by Charles De Lint.
I could go on and on. I could mention a man in black chasing a wizard, or a boy discovering he's the greatest hero of wizards, but the point I'm getting to is that fantasy can be many forms and take the shape of many different kind of stories. While some things are no doubt similiar in every tale, there are many discernible differences in each story. As well as a unique take on concepts long thought explored.
I find a novel that is well written, has a unique style all its own is a story worth reading. Good fantasy, no matter the trappings does that well. It's the mediocre clones, the paint by the numbers books that seem to follow the great writers that tend to drive away the readers in droves. Much like hollywood, there seems to be a comfort zone in fantasy that needs to challenged. Good writers do that with each page. I'm never bored reading Charles De Lint, Ray Bradbury, Stephen King, JK Rowling, Christopher Stasheff, Frank Herbert, George RR Martin or Patrick Rothfuss. I don't think you would be either. Nor should this list be considered all inclusive. There are many great fantasy writers out there. I think much like the writing, readers need to seek out something different. If they do, they'll find that fantasy is as fantastic as it's always been.
Learn more about this author, Joshua Pantalleresco.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
Difference of opinion? Debate now.
- Fantasy & Science Fiction
- Was the New Moon novel better than the movie?
- Was theTwilight novel better than the movie?
