DETAILS

Title: High/Epic fantasy

Categories:

Fantasy

Speculative Fiction

Location: J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord Of The Rings Terry Brooks, Sword Of Shannara Series Robert Jordan, Wheel Of Time Series

Pagination: 0

Illustrations: - self-contained world - battle of good against evil - complex storylines spinning out through many lengthy volumes - talismanic artifacts

Document Type: Graffiti

Notes:

High, or epic, fantasy fulfills the classic conception of what fantasy should be. Through a series of volumes, epic fantasies construct self-contained magical worlds, separate from our own in time and space, with distinct histories, cultures, races, languages, and customs. Frequently, authors fuse elements of many cultures and periods with fictional creations to produce a complex and richly-layered story world within which to situate their characters and plotlines. Epic fantasies are sweeping in scope, featuring a few highly-developed 'good' characters battling against overwhelming forces of evil for control of a land, an empire, or the world in its entirety. As such, the journey and the battle are central elements in the story. As well, high fantasy ususally features talismanic artifacts, such as a sword or a crown, that play a symbolic role in the narrative, and act to link characters, plots, and settings. High fantasy operates within its readership on the level of myth. Its vast epic span provides a sense of higher purpose and macroscopic importance to very basic story elements. By playing with archetypes and familiar structures, high fantasy reinforces underlying cultural values and half-forgotten folk traditions.