books
The Fantasy Genre Gives Fantasy Readers Escapism And Perspective On Every Day Life
The fantasy genre has been a mainstay of modern publishing for close to a century now. Since the rise and enduring popularity of such authors as Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, J.R.R. Tolkien, a steady stream of readers have been loyal to fantasy fiction as evidenced by the current popularity of such titans as R.A. Salvatore, Christopher Paolini, and the remarkable George R.R. Martin.
Certainly on the surface the appeal of the fantasy genre is based on the escape it offers from the daily tedium of life. However, the escapist element of the literature gives readers more than a simple trip away from their problems. Fantasy fiction engrosses readers because it involves them in problems that are so much worse than those faced by the typical modern person. Losing a job can pale in comparison to the threat of darkness overtaking the whole of Middle Earth in Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy if Sauron is allowed to prevail and inflict his cruel and malicious regime upon the world.
Then in the “Song of Ice and Fire” series by George R.R. Martin there is the eruption of civil war as factions vie for the Iron Throne, the birth of dragons, the rise of a new religious cult led by a sorceress clothed in the red who has mysterious powers and control of a king, and the rise of the wildling tribes north of the colossal ice Wall that protects the civilized lands. The upheaval, danger, and intrigue of Martin’s world makes even today’s turbulent times feel safer.
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How to Find an Epic Fantasy Novel That You Will Love
Have you ever looked for a book on Amazon.com and before purchasing it you read through all of the reader reviews only to discover that some readers absolutely panned the book while others praised it as the next best thing since sliced bread?
You probably have done this and it left you a little confused. So is the book good or is it bad? You don’t want to be shelling out your hard earned money on a book that is going to sit on the nightstand collecting dust. There is probably nothing worse than anticipating a new world to explore and discovering you just don’t believe it or the characters just don’t interest you.
So the question of good comes down to what you consider to be good. You can read all the reviews and you can read through all the listings in the chatrooms but when it comes down to it your shoes are going to be the ones getting muddy in this new world so only you can decide whether or not it is “good”.
How do you do that?
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The 5 Most Influential Women Writers of Epic Fantasy
Epic Fantasy is a very wide genre and it encompasses a lot of work that has been defined in a lot of different ways from fantasy to childrens fantasy to high fantasy. Women writers have been breaking new ground and exploring new ideas and concepts in this genre since its inception. Here are some of the pioneering women writers of the genre of epic fantasy.
Edith Nesbit
She was born in 1858 and was a prolific writer who is generally considered to be the creator of the genre of the childrens fantasy novel. She created the whole idea of several children who embark on a grand magical adventure. This is a theme and tool that still stands very strong to this day with works like The Chronicles of Narnia. Some of her most famous works include Five Children and It (1902) and The Story of the Amulet (1905). Her work has fallen into the public domain so you can get copies and read her work for free.