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| Yes | 46% | 366 votes | Total: 791 votes | |
| No | 54% | 425 votes |
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Add to FavoritesYes, fantasy has reached a point of stagnancy because of the general social accceptance of science fiction thoughts in our society. Their has been absolutely no social hiearchy in the science fiction world in determining what is appropriate and inappropriate for certain people to actually read especially with the push for democracy. The cloudieness is a direct consequence of impoverished individuals living in a democracy where intelligence is predicated by people with a different perspective on intelligence when in fact, a democracy respects a free flow economy, but since people have continuously based their decision off of things such as experience or religion, instead of actual thought on the best possible outcome for the individual itself, the push for understanding and continual growth in the scienct fiction genre has been limited by mortality and spirituality.
Also, the root perspective of fantasy has been swallowed up by a mob oriented approach to what fantasy actually is with the mainstream fantasy novels being read by the people with the respect and dignity necessary to formulate a difference in the social class of the fantastical world of literature. Meaning, the books that aren't getting read in the fantasy realm are the ones stagnating the fantasy movement in literature according to Hitler's views of fundamentals.
Another key factor in fantasy literature of course exists in an elemental respect lost in the fantasy genre because of the aging of it's younger readers. With the aging of the younger fantasy genre readers, the genre's older readers do not appeal to the reading as much because of the unpopular zest that a fantasy book may or may not possess. This of course has created mass fear and chaos in the world becuause of the imperfections of society and the perfections that good literature possesses. Squeezing out as much fantasy as America has done in the past years is a direct response to that younger zest by people such as Hitler when they were children and is completely obvious to so many people that it is actually overlooked. Meaning, we did not go to war with Germany sooner not becuase of the impossibilities of actually winning the war but because of the American dream's of so many individuals that we would have surely lost in a war. In respecting this past example, the historic repeat of Hitler's movemement is being repeated here by myself because I am in fact one of those kids that actually control fantasies stagnantsy and popularity despite Englands intelligent and necessary efforts to allow not only America's media to get a hold of the fact that Harry Potter's other was in fact impoverished before she published her series but also by showing that a mainstream fantasy series may reproach a repeat in history like society predicts over and over again in school's teachings.
Yes, fantasy is stagnating right now but expect to see a climbing effect in popularity with non mainstream fantasy over the next 10 years with the effects of rock and roll music and acceptance by other impoverished non mainstream literary figures that Harry Potter did make a lot of money and has made a generous effect on societies outlook on fantasy not only in the literary world but of course in Hollywood as well.
Learn more about this author, Karl Luedecke.
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No
Is fantasy stale? Maybe if the only fantasy you read is the trite young adult stuff written for the tweens that the media has in turn, sold to us. Or all you do is trounce around in your hobbit feet muttering about your precious Tolkien. I read fantasy for ten years before I read a word of his work.
Anyone who hasn't read Stephen Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen series, go read it, then come back and tell me that's been done before. Mortals ascending into gods. An ancient race people one and all immortals, millions of years old. Ascension of new gods, the death of old. A medieval style army armed with explosives. Intricately plotted books that boggle the mind and leave you with no idea where the author is taking you.
Pick up Robin Hobb's recent Soldier's Son trilogy and tell me that her fantasies are filled with stock characters and rehashed plot lines. The tale of a young man chosen by the primitive magics of an indigenous people. A magic that cuts his conciousness in two and consistantly wrecks his life forcing him on the path the magic needs him on. Separating him from everything he ever wanted and everyone he ever loved. These books are a whole new kind of fantasy flavor. They are as psychologically complex as anything written by anyone anywhere.
Sure, there's magic and fighting wizards and magical beings. That's what makes it a fantasy. And if you're gonna write a trilogy or more the fate of the world had better lie in the balance. Why else would we be reading?
And some authors can take these fantasy elements and twist them so out of shape as to be almost unrecognizable. George RR Martin's Song of Fire and Ice is one of the best fantasy series ever written and it's not even done yet. Who here read Terry Gookind's the Sword of Truth series? I did. Most of the books more than once. Not only was it a great fantasy, but it is one of the most important works of objectivist literature since Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. Has there ever been a mind like Neil Gaiman's? We won't even go there.
But if you still think Tolkien or CS Lewis are the greatest ever or all you read is the pop lit stuff mass marketed at Wal-mart, then yeah, I imagine your fantasy meal is a little stale.
If you still hunt the book shelves and take note of those writers you see steadily churning out well received books and because you haven't heard their name on Access Hollywood. Or you have the courage and wisdom to take the recommendation of a stranger in a bookstore, you would know that fantasy is more varied, vibrant and yes, fresh than ever.
Learn more about this author, Robert Hamm.
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