Why I Love Fantasy

I’ve mentioned before on this blog that while I’m happy to read a bit of just about anything, my preferred genres are mystery, historical fiction, fantasy and nonfiction. Today I thought I’d talk about one of those genres, and share with you some of the reasons I love reading fantasy novels so very much.

The World Building

There’s nothing quite like being pulled into a beautifully crafted, carefully developed fantasy world. Whether it’s Middle Earth or Narnia, Ankh-Morpork or Pern, in the hands of a master craftsperson world building truly can be a thing of wonder and amazement. If you’re looking to escape the everyday, you can rarely do better than to pick up a fantasy novel and immerse yourself into a magical fantasy world.

The Epic Quests

Defeat the dark forces of evil and save the world. Sounds pretty simple, right? Well, yes and no. The majority of fantasy novels are based on some variation of this theme, but a talented fantasy author can take these simplistic tropes and turn them into something truly inspiring, and indeed cathartic. Who doesn’t feel like cheering when the one ring is finally cast into the fires of Mount Doom? There’s something so satisfying about following along with a motley crew of (typically) unlikely heroes as they surmount incredible odds and achieve their final goal. It’s inspiring, it’s engaging, and it’s a perfect antidote to the typical tedium of everyday. Adventures are (thankfully) rare in our modern day lives, but through the pages of a fantasy novel we can let our imaginations run wild, and let them carry us on the epic, life-changing quest of our dreams. All from the safety of our living room.

The Camaraderie

The Fellowship of the Ring. The Citywatch. The Black Company.  

Fantasy novels often feature tightly-knit groups of comrades who embark on an epic quest together. The group members could be life-long friends or strangers brought together by outside forces, a large group or a pair  – whatever the form, it’s the bonds that link these teammates together that I find so wonderful to explore and experience. Watching a group come together, and following along as relationships grow and change and develop, is one of my favourite aspects of reading fantasy novels. In this busy modern world, it can be difficult to forge and maintain close, lasting bonds. Fantasy novels allow us to insert ourselves into these bands of brothers and sisters, and to feel as though we are part of a closely-knit group of friends and comrades, together through thick and thin until the bitter end.  

The Variety

Fantasy is a surprisingly varied genre, far more so than a cursory glance at a shelf of fantasy novels might suggest. There’s contemporary fantasy, high/epic fantasy, magic realism, paranormal fantasy, comedic fantasy,  romantic fantasy, and fantasy set in all sorts of imaginative settings. Terry Pratchett, J. R. R. Tolkien and Glen Cook all create worlds in the high fantasy tradition, you might say, with fantastical creatures and magic users, but their writing styles and tones are completely different, and might appeal to different readers. Before you decide that fantasy isn’t for you, take a moment to explore the genre in its entirety, and talk to your local library for suggestions – you might just be surprised at what fantasy has to offer!

I could go on, but hopefully my two cents have encouraged you to take another look at this  wonderful genre!