What do you like and dislike about Fantasy?

[Lessien]

lol. Fantasy is supposed to be UNREALISTIC! The whole reason I love writing fantasy is because you're supposed to be able to do things there that you can't do in other genres--and one of those freedoms should be THE FREEDOM TO PICK YOUR OWN ERA!!!!

 

[Tariel]

lol. Fantasy is supposed to be UNREALISTIC! The whole reason I love writing fantasy is because you're supposed to be able to do things there that you can't do in other genres--and one of those freedoms should be THE FREEDOM TO PICK YOUR OWN ERA!!!!

or create your own era if you want too

 

[NeoScribe]

Truth be told.

 

[Lessien]

or create your own era if you want too

Exactly. You should be able to create your own era or pick an era besides the Middle Ages and NOT have people constantly asking you whether it's fantasy or not. It's like cliches have become the new norm...and that's all people will accept as fantasy....

 

[NeoScribe]

Well, that is something we will have to change. Either its in the middle ages and the story is so good and different that setting becomes a moot point, or the setting is so outlandish that it isnt middleages but cant be anything but fantasy (Alice in Wonderland ring any bells?)

 

[chaoschristian]

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?

Lot's of disgruntled talk here about elves and dragons.

Unfortunate is the fact that the fantasy genre seems to be dominated by medieval-esque elf, dragon, knight, bard stories.

Blame Tolkien, or Wizards of the Coast as is your preference.

But not all of fantasy, as been pointed out here, is so inclined.

My personal favorite for fantasy is Ray Bradbury.

Despite his reputation as a science fiction writer, the vast majority of Bradbury's works are fantasy. Best of all he is extremely varied in his selection of environments, characters and story lines.

 

[Lessien]

I liked the elves in Tolkien's fantasy, but now they're really starting to get on my nerves.

Has ANYONE ever heard of the concept of an evil elf whose life is just as short as a human's, who can actually *gasp* grow a beard?!

For some reason, I hated Paolini's elves...they were too PERFECT!

 

[Nienor]

Most the fantasy books I read don't involve elves...so when they do show up in the odd book I read, it doesn't really bother me. Unless they're too perfect.

I think Tolkien wrote the best elves. They were erethral, but they were far from perfect- especially once you start getting into the Silmarillion

 

[NeoScribe]

I thought elves were supposed to live longer and not have beards. that was what made an elf different from a human. Most fatasies have their elves all act the same. thats really irritating. They need more personality, conflicting views, and their own ideas. And they cant be all super perfect. If elves were so perfect then why have the main character be a human?

 

[Lessien]

Because they want the character to have to 'mature and become a better person.' But why not just make the elves imperfect, then have the main character be an elf?

 

[Nienor]

The main character is a dark elf in some of Salvatore's stuff, but that's the only book that I can remember having elves as the main character...

 

[Mr_Hursh]

I thought elves were supposed to live longer and not have beards. that was what made an elf different from a human. Most fatasies have their elves all act the same. thats really irritating. They need more personality, conflicting views, and their own ideas. And they cant be all super perfect. If elves were so perfect then why have the main character be a human?

This is why I made the High Order of the Elves of Firzobet. The largest and most dangerous Satanic Elf-cult in all of Endin.

 

[Lessien]

I just don't use elves. I'd rather use humans.

 

[NeoScribe]

In my story elves play a role as the most populas race, but there are good ones and bad ones. Some are smart some are illiterate, some are ambitous, some are downright creepy, and some are wandering drunkards.

 

[Tariel]

I just don't use elves. I'd rather use humans.

I like Tolkien's Elves, but that's about it.

 

[NeoScribe]

Be we elves or be we humans, we all deserve the chance! to be! In a story! (LOL)

Unless we're lame, then erase our existence.

 

[Lessien]

lol. What bugs me is that unless they're angels or something, there shouldn't be any 'perfect races' in a book! Not 'perfect' as in 'we-think-our-race-is-better-than-your-race' perfect, because then that race isn't perfect. What I mean by 'perfect' is 'physically-attractive-in-every-way, would-never-harm-another-living-thing-except-for-when-I-eat-vegitables, wise, always knows the right thing to say and the right way to say it, and lives in hiding because they don't want to be 'corrupted' by the 'imperfect' races.'

 

[NeoScribe]

Yeah! that annoys me more than a sack of potatoes!


(Don't ask why I think a sack of potatoes is annoying.)

 

[Lessien]

lol. Why? jk

Tolkien's elves and Christmas elves are fine with me, but Paolini's elves got on my nerves.

 

[Mr_Hursh]

What's with Paolini's Elves?