Saturday, May 9, 2015
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
What Makes Fantasy Epic? - VIDEO
At the
Emerald City Comicon in Seattle ,
Washington
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Brandon Sanderson & Brian McClellan on Google+ Hangouts - VIDEO
Discussion Panel on Epic Fantasy - VIDEO
Fantasy Authors Discuss the Genre & Writing - VIDEO
Discussion Panel on Magic Systems - VIDEO
A Discussion Panel of Fantasy Authors - VIDEO
The Evolution of Modern Fantasy - VIDEO
Discussion About Epic Fantasy with Brian McClellan and Sam Sykes - VIDEO
How A Game of Thrones Changed Fantasy...or Did It? - VIDEO
Brandon Sanderson & Brian McClellan on Google+ Hangouts - VIDEO
Discussion Panel on Epic Fantasy - VIDEO
Fantasy Authors Discuss the Genre & Writing - VIDEO
Discussion Panel on Magic Systems - VIDEO
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Discussion About Epic Fantasy with Brian McClellan and Sam Sykes - VIDEO
Here is an interesting and fun discussion about Epic Fantasy with authors Brian McClellan and Sam Sykes, hosted by Orbit Books via Google+ Hangouts (Feb. 24, 2015).
RELATED POSTS:
A Discussion Panel of Fantasy Authors - VIDEO
How A Game of Thrones Changed Fantasy...or Did It? - VIDEO
Brandon Sanderson & Brian McClellan on Google+ Hangouts - VIDEO
Discussion Panel on Epic Fantasy - VIDEO
Fantasy Authors Discuss the Genre & Writing - VIDEO
Discussion Panel on Magic Systems - VIDEO
A Discussion Panel of Fantasy Authors - VIDEO
How A Game of Thrones Changed Fantasy...or Did It? - VIDEO
Brandon Sanderson & Brian McClellan on Google+ Hangouts - VIDEO
Discussion Panel on Epic Fantasy - VIDEO
Fantasy Authors Discuss the Genre & Writing - VIDEO
Discussion Panel on Magic Systems - VIDEO
Friday, February 20, 2015
George R.R. Martin and Publisher Tom Doherty - VIDEO
Here is a very interesting video of a long interview with George R.R. Martin and Tom Doherty from October 23rd of last year at the Brown University Library in Providence, Rhode Island. It is rare to see two giants in fantasy fiction (one a publisher and the other an author) sitting together and discussing the genre. The bulk of the conversation is centered around Martin (of course) and his A Song of Ice and Fire series, but having Tom Doherty (founder of Tor Books) discussing the fantasy genre and the industry is really great.
Now, this video is over 90 minutes long (you can pretty much skip the first 5 minutes), so you want to make some time and grab a snack before you watch.
RELATED POSTS:
A Discussion Panel of Fantasy Authors - VIDEO
How A Game of Thrones Changed Fantasy...or Did It? - VIDEO
Fantasy Authors Discuss the Genre & Writing - VIDEO
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Are Fantasy Readers Looking For Heroes?
It seems like we can look back on most fantastical tales and read about the hero’s journey in some form or another. Mythologist and writer Joseph Campbell explored this well in his monomyth, which, after the study of much of the world’s myths and stories, concluded that all of these tales, from the Epic of Gilgamesh to The Odyssey to the Arthurian Legend to modern works of literature, pretty much all tell the same kind of story—the hero’s journey. We see the same type of story in The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Sword of Shannara trilogy, The Eye of the World, Harry Potter, the Mistborn trilogy, and, though not yet complete, we can see signs of it in The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss.
What draws a reader to fantasy fiction? Is it adventure, magic, or heroism? Fantasy fiction, which draws much inspiration from mythology, mostly carries the same principles of a character—a character who comes from common, humble beginnings and braves a quest (often reluctantly) that changes them and their world. For the most part, the typical reader of fantasy is looking for a story to escape in—to venture into a new world where they expect to be swept away until the end. The only way for the reader to experience this adventure is through the character(s) of the story—a person who they can walk beside, or become, and take on the world and challenges that befall.
Are fantasy readers trying to escape the mundane by entering an adventure, almost becoming that hero through the duration of the story—seeking to be that hero? Is there an inner desire for purpose, a reason in which we feed on the accomplishments and successes of the fictional hero—wanting to be heroes ourselves? I would like to think that is what we desire, because the mundane life is monotonous and strenuous. We must escape, and experience some kind of success—be it through a fictional hero or by being inspired by the hero.
Stories where the characters are rich and believable give us just a pinch—a smidgen—of reality, where we can put ourselves in that character’s position and experience the moment. When reading about young Kvothe’s life in the The Kingkiller Chronicle we can live those moments where he is down out of his luck, or where he is doing amazing things—which may be too amazing, but, hey, it’s fantasy. Same can be said of Kip Guile in Brent Weeks’ Lightbringer series. The flawed heroes of today’s modern fantasy help us believe (or just enjoy) that people like us can overcome or do great feats. Even the “perfect” heroes of fiction, past and present, can make one feel good.
The epics of old and the mythologies throughout history seemed to have always painted (at least one part of) mankind as conqueror of monsters and gods. Mankind is weak and frail, yet the creators of myth, legend and fantasy have always strived to show mankind as victors over great forces; over challenges that, in the natural, would destroy any man—even heroes. There’s something in us that strives to be victorious; to be something more than what we are. Today’s fantasy is a continuation of those myths and epics that inspired culture and literature—yet we’re having more fun with it than just taking it seriously. But, every now and then, a writer will take the fun a little deeper, inspiring and touching a mass of readers.
In closing, the fantasy reader is basically looking for a story to enjoy. But a strong character that can come to life in the reader’s mind becomes someone in which the reader hopes will excel to hero status. So, yes, I would say that fantasy readers are looking for heroes.
What draws a reader to fantasy fiction? Is it adventure, magic, or heroism? Fantasy fiction, which draws much inspiration from mythology, mostly carries the same principles of a character—a character who comes from common, humble beginnings and braves a quest (often reluctantly) that changes them and their world. For the most part, the typical reader of fantasy is looking for a story to escape in—to venture into a new world where they expect to be swept away until the end. The only way for the reader to experience this adventure is through the character(s) of the story—a person who they can walk beside, or become, and take on the world and challenges that befall.
Are fantasy readers trying to escape the mundane by entering an adventure, almost becoming that hero through the duration of the story—seeking to be that hero? Is there an inner desire for purpose, a reason in which we feed on the accomplishments and successes of the fictional hero—wanting to be heroes ourselves? I would like to think that is what we desire, because the mundane life is monotonous and strenuous. We must escape, and experience some kind of success—be it through a fictional hero or by being inspired by the hero.
Stories where the characters are rich and believable give us just a pinch—a smidgen—of reality, where we can put ourselves in that character’s position and experience the moment. When reading about young Kvothe’s life in the The Kingkiller Chronicle we can live those moments where he is down out of his luck, or where he is doing amazing things—which may be too amazing, but, hey, it’s fantasy. Same can be said of Kip Guile in Brent Weeks’ Lightbringer series. The flawed heroes of today’s modern fantasy help us believe (or just enjoy) that people like us can overcome or do great feats. Even the “perfect” heroes of fiction, past and present, can make one feel good.
The epics of old and the mythologies throughout history seemed to have always painted (at least one part of) mankind as conqueror of monsters and gods. Mankind is weak and frail, yet the creators of myth, legend and fantasy have always strived to show mankind as victors over great forces; over challenges that, in the natural, would destroy any man—even heroes. There’s something in us that strives to be victorious; to be something more than what we are. Today’s fantasy is a continuation of those myths and epics that inspired culture and literature—yet we’re having more fun with it than just taking it seriously. But, every now and then, a writer will take the fun a little deeper, inspiring and touching a mass of readers.
In closing, the fantasy reader is basically looking for a story to enjoy. But a strong character that can come to life in the reader’s mind becomes someone in which the reader hopes will excel to hero status. So, yes, I would say that fantasy readers are looking for heroes.
RELATED POSTS:
Friday, February 6, 2015
Honoring Black Authors of Science Fiction/Fantasy - VIDEO
Since February in the U.S.A. is Black History Month, I
thought I’d share the short video below from Open Road Media, honoring black
authors of Science Fiction/Fantasy.
Black Authors Writing Fantasy...Where Are They?
Sunday, January 18, 2015
The Difference Between High Fantasy & Epic Fantasy
For quite a while now, there has been constant discussion
regarding the difference between High Fantasy and Epic Fantasy. Most have
concluded that the two are interchangeable, and that there’s not much difference
between the two. High Fantasy is not a term that a lot of fantasy authors use
these days to describe what they write. Most subgenre terms used today are Epic
Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Grim-Dark, YA
Fantasy, or just plain Fantasy. High Fantasy has kind of fallen out of term,
and has likely evolved into the term Epic Fantasy, which is why the two terms
are considered to be interchangeable.
I’m not completely sold on the two terms being the same.
I agree that High Fantasy is a work of fiction set in a secondary world filled
with a riot of fantasy races—like elves, dwarves, dragons, gnomes, and so on.
The setting is mostly based on the medieval period, populated with a character
or more bound on a task or adventure. Examples are: The Hobbit, Dragonlance
and Forgotten Realms novels.
Epic Fantasy takes the High Fantasy elements and ramps up
the magnitude of the story. The stakes are greater; the land/world is in peril;
the conflict shakes all who dwell in the world of the story. J.R.R. Tolkien
took his High Fantasy world of Middle-earth (introduced in The Hobbit) and composed it masterfully into a long epic: The Lord of the Rings. The Lord of the Rings is Epic Fantasy,
and really the first of its kind in modern fiction, setting the mold for
High/Epic Fantasy up to today. Just as Leo Tolstoy’s novel, War and Peace, took historical fiction
to an epic scale, Epic Fantasy is that transformation of High Fantasy into epic
proportions; usually a long story, stretched out over multiple volumes and
building a host of characters within an ongoing conflict.
Epic Fantasy does not have to keep the exact identity of
what High Fantasy is. It still dwells in a secondary world; however, one is not
bound to only use the medieval setting, nor use the many different fantasy
races often found in High Fantasy. Works like the Wheel of Time series and the first Shannara trilogy are epic fantasies that followed in the same vein
as the Lord of the Rings. But Epic Fantasy does not have to stay in that
fashion.
Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn
trilogy is Epic Fantasy and has the medieval setting, but does not have
“sorcery” or “magic” so to speak, but abilities (powers). And there are no
fantastical creatures, at least not like we’re used to seeing, as all the
different kinds of beings in the story are of humans. George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series is epic,
and, though it has dragons in it, and even giants, you will not find very many
High Fantasy components within the story, as they are toned down around a host
of characters in a dark medieval setting, but still very much fantasy in many
ways.
Thanks to the likes of the new Flintlock Fantasy, works
like Brent Weeks Lightbringer series,
Brian McClellan’s Powder Mage
trilogy, and Django Wexler’s Shadow
Campaigns series, Epic Fantasy does not have to dwell in a secondary world
based only on a medieval setting.
So, to sum it up, High Fantasy can be Epic Fantasy, but it is not always. And Epic Fantasy does not necessarily have to have all the elements that make up High Fantasy. But, these two terms are closely related—not interchangeable—but near-identical siblings.
RELATED POSTS:
The Secondary World
Inspirations of Fantasy
Epic Worldbuilding
Epic Characters
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