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 can find what you like and be able to connect to other fantasy fanatics.
High Fantasy:
High fantasy is, by definition, a story that takes place in an alternate world that is different than our own. This doesn’t mean that the world has to have strange creatures never seen before or different races other than humans. It could be a world that seems similar to our own, but has clearly different cultures, environments, science/technology, or magic. However, unhuman races and creatures can also be common traits in this type of fantasy. If you are a fantasy reader that has a preference on how fantastic and different the world and inhabitants in the world are, it can be helpful to find what you like, and then search for recommendations related to the titles you already enjoy. If you need some examples of high fantasy, here you are:
-Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
-The Girl and the Stars by Mark Lawrence
– Raine Benares by Lisa Shearin
– The Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
– The Belgariad by David Eddings
Low Fantasy:
Low Fantasy isn’t a term used very often, at least in my experience. It is a story that takes place in our world and has fantasy elements. Obviously, the version of Earth that is depicted will have some differences from our own since magic and unusual creatures are involved, but it is still recognizable that the world the story takes place is supposed to be our own. This can be any point in time on our Earth. However, this term highly overlaps with Urban Fantasy. If you need some examples of low fantasy, here you are:
-Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling
-Twilight by Stephanie Meyers
-Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Urban Fantasy:
Urban fantasy has become a very popular in the last couple decades. This type of fantasy is very similar to low fantasy. It is also a story that has fantasy elements and creatures that exist in the real world. The only difference is that urban fantasy takes place in the modern time. Most low fantasy is urban fantasy. This means that technology and magic often interact with each other and the author defines the rules of how magic and science relate to each other. History must also be redefined as well depending on when magic was discovered or how long it has been around in the author’s version of our Earth. Every story can have a different and unique spin on how magic and mythical creatures interact with the world as we know it today. If you need some examples of Urban Fantasy, here you are:
-Harry Dresden by Jim Butcher
-Alex Verus by Benedict Jacka
-Alpha & Omega by Patricia Briggs
-World of the Lupi by Eileen Wilks
-Elemental Mysteries by Elizabeth Hunt
Paranormal Romance
Paranormal Romance is often another type of low fantasy. This type of fantasy is a romance story that includes fantasy elements and creatures. In many cases, one or more of the romantic interests can use magic or are a mythical creature. This type of fantasy also has to balance how technology and history change and interact with the added fantasy elements, but it is generally not the focus. The fantasy is more of an embellishment of the story instead of the focus. If you need some examples of paranormal romance, here you are:
-Black Dagger Brotherhood by J. R. Ward
-The Immortal Guardians by Dianne Duvall
-Elder Races by Thea Harrison
