Fantasy Terminology
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Seductive Magical Creatures
-Mermaids There are many different myths and fantasy stories that incorporate mermaids and mermen. These creatures are half human and half fish. Though there are many different depictions on how friendly or antagonistic they are, merfolk are known to be very seductive and beautiful. In many of the original myths, merfolk would lure the sailors off course and drown them in the ocean. Even the merfolk that are known to be friendly, or at least not malevolent, are usually still presented as seductive men and women. – Succubus These demonic women’s very essence is to be a seductress. They prey upon men and sleep with them. It is often shown…
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Common Supernatural Beings
*I classify supernatural beings as mythological and fantasy beings that are mostly depicted in stories that take place in our world. These definitions and descriptions may be different depending on the author and how they create their beings and mythological lore. Angels- are beings that are almost always related to religion. They are often depicted as beautiful men or woman with large white wings and a holy glow or light about them. However, despite their relation to religion, they are not always depicted as good. There are many stories that show angels as cruel and vain as well as many stories that show them as good helpful guides. It really…
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Typical Types of Magic Users
Important note: Authors manipulate, change, and reimagine these terms for their own stories, and they can be quite malleable. This is just a base for what these terms generally mean and are often associated as. While reading and writing, there is room to see what you or other authors do to make these magic users unique. Wizard/Witch- These terms are very popular for magic users and there are many different visions on what a witch and wizard may look like. They usually cast their magic with spells and ingredients or even a ritual of some kind. Common associations with these terms include wands, brooms (in the case of witches), potion…
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Basic Character Terms
Protagonist Definition: A character(s) who the story revolves around. He or she is often the main character(s) and it is often around his or her perspective. The fate of this character or characters matters more than any other to the plot and the end result of the story. Example: Harry Potter is the protagonist of the Harry Potter series. He is the one who is working towards the main goal of the story throughout the books. His fate is what drives the plot forward, and the story would not be able to take place at all if he was removed from the books. Antagonist Definition: A character(s) who directly opposes…
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Types of Point of View
This past week I ended up chatting with some family members about point of view. Even though they are avid readers, they realized that they really couldn’t tell the difference between the types of point of view or how to recognize which one they were reading. So, I thought I should clear up the terminology for those new or experienced readers who are unsure exactly what the different kinds of point of view are or how to tell which one they are reading. First Person First person point of view is the easiest to recognize. It is a book written from the perspective of the main character. You will know…
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Types of Fantasy
For those of you who are new to the fantasy genre, sometimes it can be tough knowing what the different labels for fantasy mean. For those of you who have delved in a bit and like some books, but aren’t sure how to find more like the ones you’ve already read, it can help to know what kind of fantasy you like in the first place. Maybe, you like watching fantasy stories and have decided you want to branch out into books and need to know a place to start. No matter what place you are at, I will help you figure out the different types of fantasy, so you…
