WHAT IS FANTASY?
All
stories can be divided into categories, called genres.
Stories that take place in the past usually fall under the genre of
historical fiction. Detective
stories are mysteries. These make
sense, but what makes up the fantasy genre?
Fantasy is any story in which the magic is real.
From fairy tales to Harry Potter, fantasy means imagination, new worlds,
and interesting creatures.
The
genre of fantasy is so broad that people usually divide it into categories.
No one agrees on what those categories should be.
But below are the most typical ones:
Fairy
tales
High fantasy
Dark
fantasy
Contemporary
Fantasy
Dream
fantasy Light
fantasy
v
Fairy tales are the most
recognized category of the fantasy genre. They
include classics like Cinderella and East of the Sun, West of the Moon.
However, fairy tales are getting a new look, as masterful storytellers
fracture them. New stories like Snow
White in New York and Cinder-Elly put a humorous, modern spin on
the old tales.
v
High fantasy is what most
people think of when they think of fantasy.
They include kingdoms, magical creatures, and the ultimate fight between
good and evil. Usually one
character goes out on a quest to win the battle.
v
Dark fantasy is often
confused with horror genre. It is
designed to scare you. If it is a
horror book that uses magic, then it is probably dark fantasy.
v
Contemporary fantasy is any
novel that uses fantasy but takes place in modern times.
v
Dream fantasy is any book
where the whole thing takes place in a dream.
The most common example is The Wizard of Oz.
v
Light fantasy includes magic
but is mostly designed to be humorous. This
would include Bruce Coville’s novels.
GENRE’S
SIMILAR TO FANTASY
Sometimes it is difficult to agree on what genre a story falls under. Even the experts do not agree. Here are some other genres which are confused with fantasy:
Science
Fiction
Horror
Fable
Gothics
Talking Animal
Myth
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HERE TO FIND SOME TERRIFIC FANTASY
BOOKS