Fantasy — A Genre Redemption
I have often been criticized for my near exclusive preference towards the literary genre of fantasy. The most criticism occurred during my recent 13 month stint reading through all 13 Wheel of Time books. I’ve been accused of being obsessed with dragons (guilty), escaping reality through fiction (semi-guilty), and reading crappy literature (not guilty). So I have taken it upon myself to back up my favorite book genre, and delve into why we (the royal we) read fantasy — what we like, what we look for, and why there is so much value / potential for value within Fantasy as a genre. While I’d like to sum it up with one word — Dragons — I will refrain and attempt a legitimate analysis.
Before I delve into saying what we want from Fantasy, I feel the need to define the term ‘fantasy.’ My realization of how differently people react to the word fantasy really came to light the other day, while at a happy hour. When asked what I was talking about (which turned out to be HBO’s Game of Thrones), I responded with a question of my own — “Are you a fantasy nerd?” To me, this question seemed straightforward, but I instantly had to clarify my meaning. In my experience, here are the three most common definitions of the term ‘fantasy.’
- Fantasy — An imagined ideal situation or experience. For example, someone’s fantasy could be imagining themselves as a rap star, with flocks of pimped out rides, a few mansions, and endless monies. Or, for a typical guy, a fantasy is an imagined perfect (often sexual) experience with the perfect girl(s). You get the picture. So does Ludacris. ‘Nuff said.
- Fantasy — A created sphere in the athletic world. This refers to the internet phenomenon of Fantasy Sports. It stems from the idea, “What if I could come up with my own sports team, using the players currently in the league, and play against those chumps I sometimes refer to as friends?” And so ESPN, CBS, and many other networks have created fantasy leagues, where players do just that. They then can have a personal investment in just about every game of the season, because their players are spread out amongst all the different teams. There is a draft, standings, playoffs, league champions — the whole 9 yards.
- Fantasy — A genre of fiction. Immediately, this is where my mind goes when I hear the word fantasy, and instead of cringing and running away, I often plead, “Go on…” Fantasy as a genre is the literary category in which some form of an alternate world is created — a world that displays different rules, different limitations, different creatures or races, and/or different boundaries. Here Earth’s impossibilities are not only possible, but prevalent. Magic, elves, dragons, vampires, and superhuman elements just a few possibilities.
If you were hoping for a smattering of absurd sexual fantasies or a ranked list of who to pick for the upcoming NFL season (if there turns out to be a season at all), I’m sorry but I have to let you down. I’m sure Google search can assist you.
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Good fantasy has 4 essential elements:
- Original plot embodied by some form of struggle between good and evil
- Real characters, who possess and display real human traits and characteristics
- A realistic (believable) existence, setting, and feel
- A fantastical world, where impossible things are possible
It is the existence of these four essential elements that attract readers to the genre. Granted, every reader has her own tastes — which is why authors such as JRR Tolkien and Jody Picoult can both be successful authors. However, I argue that the first three elements of fantasy are essential elements of any good piece of fiction — and, by extension, that it is those components that create good fantasy, and keep readers coming back for more. The last facet of Fantasy, the existence of a fantastical world, simply places a literary work into the genre — it is the characters, the believable existences, and the plot struggles that really define the work, and elevate it to greatness (or plunge it into the pit of despair). Yet the advantage of fantasy lies in that fantastical element. Certainly, that is not solely, or even largely, what we as fantasy readers look for in a book, but where you combine the fantastical with a good plot, engaging characters, and a believable world you get the ability to soar across places you can only dream of using nothing but your imagination.
Fantasy often gets a bad name, and is thrown into the basement alongside the weird, misunderstood 13-yr-olds playing Dungeons and Dragons. This genre deserves better. Yes, there is terrible Fantasy out there. But there is awful literature out there in every genre. Fantasy is more than an escape from reality, a way to be someone you are not, or the ability to interact with fantastical creatures — fantasy speaks to us about the human condition, about who people are and how they think, act, and change, and about who we want to become. As a genre, the potential is enormous. I am not ashamed of my attraction towards fantasy — in fact, I wear it proudly. And with the creation of popular media portrayals such as Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings and HBO’s Game of Thrones, Fantasy is beginning to earn a good name for itself — a name that it rightfully deserves.
