Welcome to our All About Sub-Genre Series in which we discuss the ins and outs of various corners of the broader fantasy market. Today we have guest host Jenelle Leanne Schmidt to tell us about the High Fantasy Subgenre High Fantasy High Fantasy is a genre that is fairly difficult to pin down. Readers will often disagree on whether or not a particular book fits into the “high fantasy” category, and to some, it is considered to be more a badge of honor given to certain excellent stories within the overall Fantasy label than an actual genre in and of itself. However, despite all that, there are at least ten objective elements that are required for a book to even be considered for the High Fantasy label.
Of course, since most High Fantasy is held up to the standard of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, the nature of discerning whether or not a certain novel or series can indeed be labelled as “High Fantasy” is somewhat subjective. Just because a novel contains several or all of the above items does not mean that everyone will agree that it deserves the moniker. These elements can help narrow it down, however. So, if you are interested in a story that allows you to adventure through amazing realms set in a medieval era with a large cast of heroic characters for thousands of pages in an epic battle of good versus evil, then High Fantasy is definitely the genre for you! About Jenelle Leanne Schmidt Jenelle is a rare and elusive creature known as an "author." She enjoys wandering in the woods, opening doors in search of hidden passageways, and carrying on animated conversations with those strange and invisible beings known as "characters." Connect with Jenelle on Twitter and Facebook. If you are looking for some high fantasy novels to try out, we recommend these ones from the Fellowship's shelves:
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Welcome to our All About Sub-Genre Series in which we discuss the ins and outs of various corners of the broader fantasy market. Today we have guest host Elise Edmonds to discuss the finer points of Young Adult fantasy. Young Adult Fantasy Young Adult (YA) Fantasy is a subset of fiction written for a teenage audience. As a general rule, characters in YA Fantasy are aged between 13 and 18, and the storylines focus on typical teenage experiences. YA Fantasy is identified by its characters and the issues they face, rather than by the situation. So, for example, you can have YA urban fantasy, YA steampunk, or YA adventure fantasy, etc. Typically, YA Fantasy will contain some or all of the following themes: Coming of Age – This theme involves dealing with the changes that life throws upon the characters in the transition from child to adult. This can involve taking on adult responsibilities, career choices, character growth, development of magical powers or skills, and realisation that the world is not as straight-forward as previously assumed. School/Training – This theme deals with learning experiences and how teenagers take their places in the adult word of work. Many YA Fantasy books are set in schools or training institutions, or involve apprenticeships or first jobs. Love/Romance – First love is a theme often explored in YA Fantasy, combined with learning to deal with brand-new romantic or physical feelings and the development of relationships. Independence – Characters making their own way in the world is a key theme. They can no longer depend on the adults around them and must learn to stand on their own two feet. Often, adults are written out of the picture or take a back seat, in order to allow the teens to work things out for themselves. Adventure/Quest – As a counterpart to the character arc, the YA Fantasy hero or heroine will often either fall into adventure, or have some kind of goal or quest to complete. They will be assisted on the way by their friends and mentor figures. YA Fantasy tends to be strongly plot-driven, and the plot progression and lessons learned on the way allows the teen character to develop and change by the end of the novel, whilst providing an exciting scenario for the reader. In my own YA Fantasy novel, Where Carpets Fly, a teenage girl leaves her family to live in the big city and take magic lessons. She is thrown into an adventure when she takes an unexpected voyage to a neighbouring country, and everything proceeds to go wrong. Throughout the story, she learns magic, has to deal with difficult situations on her own, and also has a romance; so I combined all the elements above in my story. So, if you enjoy exciting worlds and adventures mixed with the trials and tribulations of teenage life, YA Fantasy is the genre for you. About Elise Edmonds Elise Edmonds is a new writer from the South-West UK. Reading and writing have always been her doorways into another world—a way to escape and spend time walking with wizards, flying with fairies and dealing with dragons. By day she is a finance professional, and in her spare time she pursues writing as a creative outlet, to put the magic back into everyday life. In addition to reading, Elise enjoys watching movies, playing the piano, and going to Zumba classes. Her greatest loves are God, her husband, her family and friends, and her two beautiful cats. Some Examples of Young Adult Fantasy from our AuthorsWelcome to our All About Sub-Genre Series in which we discuss the ins and outs of various corners of the broader fantasy market. Today we have guest host Lisa Rector to discuss the finer points of romantic fantasy. Romantic Fantasy Romantic fantasy is for you if you like a light, character driven, more traditional fantasy plot, which includes two characters who find themselves drawn to each other, even if they start out as enemies. During a character's journey to develop powers and overcome trials, romance will ensue with bits of tension. The hero or heroine will undoubtedly be fighting some inner battle that makes them bulk at the chemistry with the other character until they slay their inner demons, save the world, and realize there is room in their heart to love. Romantic fantasy might not be for you if you prefer paranormal fantasy or epic fantasy. Romantic fantasy doesn't have the usual tropes of vampires and werewolves. Usually romantic fantasy novels are set in a high fantasy world, and an ultimate goal, besides love, is sought. Love is just the icing on the cupcake. Here are a few examples taken from my novels. In Master of Lies, Ahnalyn fights a personal battle within herself while facing an outer conflict with the villain Lord Caedryn. Along the way romance ensues with Aneirin, but if the romance was left out, the main plot would continue. Fantasy with romance. In The Two Masters, the novel follows two protagonists, who end up being each other’s antagonists. Einion and Rhianu are both fighting against their competing powers of light and darkness. Take out the tender feelings they have toward each other, and the internal conflict would still be there, but the novel wouldn’t be as juicy. Fantasy with romance. In Master of Time, Catrin and Meuric end up back in time. They end up on a quest to learn the way back home while saving a local village and the first dragon egg. Their feelings of hatred toward each other change, but take out their budding romance, and the main plot would still work. Fantasy with romance. See where I’m going? Fantasy with romance woven in—in a completely different world, making it also high fantasy. So here’s where I say, if you like fantasy elements intertwined with romance, but don’t like the hefty world building of epic fantasy novels, romantic fantasy novels are right up your alley. They are light, but emotional reads. About Lisa Rector: Lisa Rector is a Maryland native and can't imagine living anywhere else. She married her high school sweetheart for time and all eternity in the Washington D.C. Temple after she fell in love with his endless sense of humor. Lisa enjoyed a short stint as a labor and delivery nurse before becoming a stay-at-home mom for her two beautiful daughters. In addition to her new-found love of writing, her passions are her faith in Jesus Christ, gardening, and yoga. Her favorite delights are decadent homemade cakes, cookies, or brownies—never store-bought. Connect with her at https://lisarector.blogspot.com Some Examples of Romantic Fantasy from our Authors |
Fantastic Writes!A blog about all things fantasy from the elements we all love to how to write it. Posts are from our very own Fellowship of Fantasy authors. Archives
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