As I start to get a handle on this blog and writing my thoughts in general, I figured now was as good a time as any to discuss one important thing: my love for fantasy! If you are here, there’s a solid chance you can relate, which is what has made this experience so fun so far! I’ve had plenty of amazing talks with many of you on my Instagram! Oh, what’s that? You haven’t visited or known about my Instagram account where you can get updates on my current reads and other sneak peeks at my book journey? Well, do I ever have a delight for you! You can find me on Instagram on the account @theliterategryphon.
Having wasted no time at all promoting myself with no evidence of subtlety at all, lets continue on with the topic at hand…
FANTASY!
There are millions of things I could jot down about what I love about the genre of fantasy, but I’ll spare us all and boil it down to the core things. First off on the list we have one of the most appealing, not just in terms of fantasy, but most novels in general…
1. An Escape From Reality
Whether you find yourself in the calming Hobbit holes of Tolkien or the harsh snowstorms of GRRM’s Winterfell, fantasy brings you to places much different from the world you find yourself in everyday (Unless you’re a fellow Canadian, then the only difference between here and Winterfell seems to be the fact that we’ve replaced despair with overt politeness and exchanged Direwolves for Geese that are just as ferocious). We all have that one fantasy book that we can never stop finding ourselves in when times get tough. The real world is overflowing with stress and inconveniences, especially in our current circumstances, and the safety of books never seem to fail me when I need them most. We throw away our mundane worries related to work and schooling, and picture ourselves drenched in ale at the standard tavern that is dripping with adventure and excitement. I always love finding new books and series, as the joy of slowly discovering the world and its fresh sites has never gotten old to me, and I highly doubt it ever will.
I find myself getting so familiar with classic settings that they begin to feel like a second home to me. That makes it much harder when a series comes to an end as a part of us loses that connection. But hey! That’s where the wonder of re-reads comes in!
2. Dragons and Elves and Ogres, oh my!
Alongside many famous locations, fantasy series are filled with a whole slew of fresh creatures and races that we would never find in our world. While I love the classic examples of dragons, skeletons, and the other monstrous beings that go bump in the night, many books bring us innovations to the age old examples. I have just barely scratched the surface of many of the classic fantasy series that I will inevitably read, I have liked what I have seen so far! The Mistwraiths and Kandra of Sanderson’s Mistborn series, the Tiste Andii of the Malazan books (second book will be up here in the next month or so, so be on the lookout for that!), and many other examples come to mind of amazing races and creatures.
It’s just so interesting to me to think of a world where seeing a dragon could be considered even relatively commonplace! Could you imagine how over our heads we would be if we were even met with a handful of dragons? It wouldn’t be pretty, but if it means I could potentially ride one, then sign me up.
3. MAGIC!
Now I’m not talking about card tricks and disappearing quarters, despite those being equally amazing feats to me. No, I’m talking about worlds where people can bend the elements to their will, and summon the sort of eldritch horrors that would leave Lovecraft shocked. Not only is it there mere existence of magic that draws me into the genre of fantasy, but the way its user’s utilize it. Any writer can make a somewhat appealing system of magic, but the true showstoppers are those who push their own systems to their limits and use it in ways that surprise all readers. As hundreds of new fantasy novels are released annually, I have never found authors to be lacking in finding new systems and tropes to turn on their heads.
A non-strict fantasy example of this is the world of One Piece. Although this manga/anime is not labelled fantasy in any way, it depicts mystical and supernatural powers in a successful way. The main character starts with an ability that makes him stretchy like rubber, in a world where other characters can spew flames or freeze oceans. On paper, he is EXTREMELY outmatched, as a piece of rubber does not win in a real world encounter against flames…or much, to be honest. However, this simple power is pushed to it’s limits and used in many ways that make the series always evolving, even after a couple decades.
That about sums up the basic reasons I LOVE the genre of fantasy, whether it is in the form of books, movies, et cetera. This list is kept very broad, but hopefully it hits the main nails on the head so you can get an understanding. How about you guys? Do you relate to the things I listed, or find too many related tropes to those criteria? Let me know your thoughts down below or by using my Instagram!
In the next few days I’ll be letting you know my summarized thoughts on why I love Science Fiction as a genre!
