Fantasy fiction is a genre of fiction that involves elements that cannot exist within the real world.
This fictional universe includes things like magic, mythology, or life from other worlds or universes.
Fantasy fiction incorporates lots of elements from folklore into the genre, such as tales of monsters,
fairies, and magical powers. The setting in most fantasy fiction is entirely different from the modern
day and fantasy worlds usually do not have the modern technology, clothing, language, or social
structures of our world.
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Subgenres in fantasy fiction
Dystopian fantasy: Sometimes grouped in with science fiction, speculative fiction, and literary fiction,
dystopian fantasies imagine worlds gone wrong. The settings are at once familiar to contemporary audiences
and also alarmingly worse than the present world.
High fantasy: Sometimes called “epic fantasy,” high fantasy is set in a magical environment that has its
own rules and physical laws. This subgenre’s plots and themes have a grand scale and typically center on
a single, well-developed hero or a band of heroes.
Sword and sorcery: A subset of high fantasy, this subgenre focuses on sword-wielding heroes as well as magic or witchcraft.
Paranormal romance: This fantasy subgenre combines romantic themes with fantasy elements like vampires, werewolves, shifters,
faeries, and zombie armies. Many contemporary fantasy series blur the line between urban fantasy stories,
coming-of-age tales, and paranormal romances.
