What do you like and dislike about Fantasy?

SilverBlade said:

Here's what I dislike about Fantasy, movies especially

The over-use of magic/sorcery. It almost used as a crutch, to be the automatic 'go-to' to solve a problem.

"We need to defeat this monster!"
"I know..magic!"

I'd rather see the characters try to use mechanics and knowledge to solve something, than to try to use magic. Magic seems to just eliminate any urgency or fear.

"We need a bridge to get across to the other side!"
"No problem, I'll just command the roots to grow supernaturally"

Ugh, no originality, no suspense, just boom, done. Lame.

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I disagree slightly, more on the terminology than the thing you are talking about, I think.

If isn't too much magic, but rather cheap and blunt magic. Like 6 shooters in the west that somehow never run out of bullets or a magic spell that will destroy any enemy. Oh and that use does not tire or put a strain on the user.

Actually thinking about that one could write a rather good story where a major character pretty much HAS to do everything by magic because they are physically very limited. Such a story would have lots of magic. But the interesting part would be that for many simple mundane things it would be HARDER for that person than for a very ordinary individual.

Mr_Hursh said:

I am currently working on a fantasy world, and I was just wondering what people - Christians mostly - like or don't like about the Fantasy Genre. What would you change, remove, or add?
Personally, I would add more detail and decision - just to name a few.

What are your thoughts?

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I did spend a lot of time myself crafting a fantasy world of my own, and watched as I inadvertently infused it with Christian themes...it actually got quite intriguing. At this point, I think we just need more trail-blazing. One of my favorite series of all time is the Seventh Tower series, completely unique in and of itself. It should be more about creating and less about redoing/rehashing. That would be my main point to share