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Add to FavoritesThe fantasy genre used to bring to mind names like J.R.R Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, along with such series as Dragonlance and the Wheel of Time or Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials. These were worlds populated by casts of realistic, interesting characters that taught the reader something about the human condition, simply through the veil of awondrous setting. Not only were the worlds unique, enthralling, and massive in scope, completely realized and thought out, but, at least with Tolkien and Lewis, the authors were talented writers as well as people with extraordinary imaginations.
Now what does the fantasy genre offer? The Harry Potter series has captivated hordes of readers, and there's something to be said about that. But its plot was predictable, its ultimate ending unsurprising. In terms of writing, the books are mediocre. Albeit the intended audience is for young adults (so was Narnia, though), but fantasy used to be able to captivate all audiences. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" was more children oriented, yet it was beautifully written and full of elements that adults could enjoy, even if they only enjoyed them while reading them to their children. And Lord of the Rings could be read by younger readers for the epic battles and heroic plot, but adult readers could return to it for the symbolism, characters, and a number of other things.
The newest addition to fantasy has been Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. Again, books geared towards young adults with mediocre writing and also flat characters with inconsistent behavior. Again, it's wonderful to see so many people reading, especially young people in a world of modern distractions.
But fantasy used to be an adult genre, one that could be taken seriously aside all other genres and, in some cases, even taken as great literature that happened to have fantastical elements like wizards and dragons. The elements of the fantasy genre were used to show something about humanity, something about life, but perhaps more plainly than could be done otherwise, since the stories so often involved blatantdistinction between good and evil. Now the genre is much more geared towards a younger audience, the elements of magic and otherworldly characters reduced down to mere entertainment value without much consideration for what they once represented or how they could be used to make a statement greater than a simple plot device. The writing has been reduced and now cannot keep pace with literature. The fantasy writing of today will easily be forgotten in a few years as a fad, the works left by the wayside.
Mainly because the genre has steadily been geared towards a younger audience, the mystery and unpredictability that once inhabited fantasy is quickly vanishing, making each story feel more and more like ones we've read before, only before when we read them they were better. The plot twists are tired and worn out and come with very little surprise. Yes, the plots may run differently, but they run on parallel lines with similar pacing. The most noticeable difference has becomes which mythical creature inhabits each story: this novel is different because it uses wizards instead of vampires. It is wonderful that the genre has attracted so many young readers, but fantasy currently has very little to offer a mature reader like it once did, and as long as it continues to be watered down for younger readers without any attempt to create a lasting work of literature, the genre will keep being brushed under the carpet as a genre that isn't as serious as others.
Learn more about this author, Michael Kellichner.
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No
When one first thinks of the term "fantasy novel", he or she most likely refers to the classic images of wizards, knights, trolls and goblins. There is usually one protagonistic hero that gains ultimate power and saves the world. But is this really the definition of the term "fantasy"? What is fantasy? Like any other genre of film or music, the genre of literature is an ever-evolving entity in and of itself. The fact that many have chosen the common road because of its widespread appeal does not exclude pioneers of the road less traveled. Examples of books that have set the bar for the fantasy genre are J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, C.S. Lewis with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and followed later by Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth novels and Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time. There is enough variation and creativity in the writings of these authors to see that evolution is in progress, yet the consistency of the same hero of might and magic theme. While one could argue that this genre has been "played out" by the waves of authors following these trends, I ask you again, what is fantasy? What about authors that have encompassed these elements but expounded on them with new twists? A great example of this is Steven King's The Gunslinger. A novel such as this and its sequels are a collective masterpiece that makes one wonder where does fantasy meet science fiction? Where does that meet horror? In these novels the protagonist is not necessarily always a hero. The magic is not always a fireball, the ending not always happy. The Harry Potter books are a more conservative children's approach that casts old ideas into a new light, but still keeping to the same premise. The answer to whether the fantasy genre is stagnant is the same as whether or not any other genre or form of art is stagnant. No, because the ideas within that genre are based soley on the imagination. In the realm of the imagination there is always room for development and new ideas. The only defining characteristic and the ultimate beauty of the fantasy novel is that the author is required to venture beyond the realm of what we call reality. In this setting he or she can bend or break the rules at leisure and create a world in which anything is possible. Just because the path of wizards and knights has been trodden does not mean the genre is stagnant. It means that readers have not been reading the right literature.
Learn more about this author, Eric Ferraro.
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