Fantasy, general
imaginative fiction featuring especially strange settings and grotesque characters.
typically covers “magical and supernatural elements that do not exist in the real world” as its defining characteristic.
High Fantasy
- fantasy that does not take place in our world
- secondary world with its own rules, limitations and magic system
- high fantasy contains its own subgenres as well, such as sword & sorcery, heroic fantasy and so on
Low Fantasy
- fantasy set in our world with a high degree of mundanity, save for “a small fantastical detail”
- a magical gift, a mysterious source of power, or a supernatural event that causes ripples through an otherwise normal world
Epic Fantasy
- epic and high fantasy have many overlaps - epic fantasy does not necessarily take place in an alternate world
- epic fantasy is usually defined by its plot, typically a cataclysmic event that sets everything in motion and creates a series of quests
Fantasy of Manners
- fantasy that, while it contains magical and supernatural elements or settings, focuses on social intrigue, etiquette as limitations, politics and so on
- has overlaps with historical fantasy, as most FOM take place in the past or alternative past
Historical Fantasy
- again has overlaps with other types of fantasy, but its defining trait is taking place in the past
- historical fantasy has its own subgenres, usually corresponding to specific time periods: medieval fantasy, gaslamp fantasy, gunpowder fantasy, etc
Grimark Fantasy
- dark side of fantasy, sometimes overlapping with horror and horror fantasy
- dark refers to both plot and worldbuilding elements, or characters that are morally grey (or bankrupt)
- Antiheroes and villain-centered stories are expected
Magical Realism
- this subgenre originated from and belongs to Latine authors. It refers to literature and art created to reflect the political turmoil between the 1940s to 1970s
Paranormal Fantasy
- supernatural creatures, particularly with human or humanoid interactions, are the defining element of PM
- vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, witches
Urban Fantasy
- this subgenre is sometimes used to contrast historical fantasy (with urban settings presumed to show modernity) but it really just means taking place in an urban environment
Portal Fantasy
- intersects with science fiction, containing parallel universes, worlds and selves