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Fantasy Sub- by Lee Masterson

Arthurian = Encompasses stories about , the Knights of the Round Table or etc. Marion Zimmer Bradley's "Mists of Avalon" is a fine example of this sub-.

Comic Fantasy = Tales designed specifically as spoofs of other serious , or containing humorous elements to a light-hearted tale. A hallmark of this type is the heavy use of puns and parodies of other works. This can take many forms: making fun of the genre itself is probably the easiest target, because most other fantasy takes itself so very seriously. Another technique is to add ridiculous elements to tropes, such as a that talks, but only when spoken to politely or some such thing. Giving an exaggerated flaw that introduces some difficulty in achieving or maintaining the expected 's bearing can be quite funny, but many times the hero himself plays the “straight man” in these stories, while the other characters are made ridiculous – http://bestfantasybooks.com/comic-fantasy.html Robert Asprin's '' series is a good example of this as well as books

Dark Fantasy = Encompasses the nastier, grimmer side to the usual fun of the fantasy genre. includes the nightmarish, darker side of magic, creatures, evil and .

Dark fantasy "emphasizes the themes of horror, fear, and impending death." The or goal in a dark fantasy is often to avoid that impending death. The most popular and common dark fantasy deals with or ghosts, especially vengeful ghosts. Anne Rice: The Interview with the Stephen King: The

Epic Fantasy = Generally tales of a young nobody, thrown unexpectedly into a massive "Good vs. Evil" struggle, where he must learn to uncover his own latent heroism to save the day. Often also includes a "grail-finding" quest - regardless of whether the 'grail' is an icon, a person, a magical talisman or any other form of symbolic token. Usually involves a very large cast of characters and spans a vast area of a fantastical world. J.R.R. Tolkien is undoubtedly the father of this sub-genre, with his sweeping Lord of the Rings trilogy C.S.Lewis, J.K. Rowling

Fairy Tales and Mythology = tales are not just for kids! The original versions of many fairy tales and were often violent stories set in mystical lands, sometimes with strange creatures and sometimes even stranger heroes.

High Fantasy = is the type of fantasy that most people expect when they regard ‘'fantasy'’ as a genre. Includes lords and ladies, medieval styles and settings, kingdoms and castles, and and knights. High fantasy, while generally rooted in classical mythology and medieval European , focuses its themes on Good versus Evil. Sometimes called "Epic fantasy". Often plotted to encompass three or more books. Eddings

Magic Realism = Stories where magic is an accepted part of the system and of the culture. There must always be consequences to the use of magic, or involve some form of 'prop' to get the magic working, like an , , talisman or . and the nasty consequences that come from its use. fuses lyrical and, at times, writing with an examination of the of human existence and an implicit criticism of society, particularly the elite.

Modern Fantasy = Tales of magic and wonder set in modern times. Modern fantasy posits that magic exists in our modern-day world, and often wrestles with contemporary issues.

Masterson, Lee. http://www.fictionfactor.com/articles/fsubgenre.html

Fantasy Genre Elements

Often based on myth or

Detailed settings (designed to make story more believable)

Magic generally involved

Fight between good and evil (good usually wins)

Often features a quest/for or with a talisman

“Coming of Age”

Treachery

Fictional creatures and creations

Romance/Strong friendship