Over on this thread there's a discussion going on how to define fantasy as a genre of literature. On what, exactly, fantasy is. I thought I'd provide a few guidelines to literary genres in the hopes it'll help you the reader, adventurer and (potential) game designer.
Fantasy
Since fantasy games are the most popular overall we'll start with the fantasy genre. The first thing to note about fantasy is that it includes the supernatural as a part of life. Not always as a daily part of life, but still present. Beasts of legend live in the wild, spells are effective, and charms and amulets can provide protection and other benefits.
In fantasy ordinary lives become part of extraordinary events. Sometimes small extraordinary events (dealing with a vigilant foo dog), sometimes great extraordinary events (returning a stray wife to her dark lord husband). Though not always. Sometimes ordinary lives get caught up in ordinary events in a world where magic exists.
The important thing to note about fantasy is that the story happens in a world that, with the exception of the supernatural, is rather ordinary. Farmers farm, judges judge, and rat catchers catch rats. Quite often the extraordinary events happen with no acknowledgement from the rest of the world. Even when such events come to the attention of the extras they usually consider it more a source of juicy gossip than of anything to be concerned about. Were it not for the dark lord pro tem, the hyperactive foo dog, or the politically active pixies you'd think you were in a rather ordinary place.
Horror
While often associated with the supernatural, such is not strictly necessary in horror. In horror the goal is to horrify the reader by putting sympathetic characters in horrific situations. Most often by isolating the characters in some manner and rendering them helpless. Though it is possible to write a horror tale that occurs in a busy city in the middle of the day. Difficult, but not impossible.
The important thing to remember is that while events don't have to be horrific in and of themselves, they must add up to horror as the reader puts things together. Such as a tale in which problem children are sent to a special school where they are treated kindly but firmly and are released with no imagination, no initiative, and no individuality.
Science Fiction
Science plays a role in science fiction. Scientific facts may determine what happens in the course of the story. The story could occur at a future time when new technologies made possible by science are a part of life. Or, the story could be concerned with the effect on society or individuals of advances in scientific knowledge or technology.
Larry Niven's Flash Crowd deals with the effect cheap and ubiquitous teleportation has on events that have the potential to trigger a riot. People hear about an incident somewhere and 'flash in' to join in the fun. Thus making matters much worse than they otherwise would've been.
Next Time
In my next posting I'll be looking at romance, the gothic, mysteries, historicals, and the western. Which should cover all the genres out there. Though I get the feeling I'm missing one. Charles Dicken's work would fall under this last category.
Till then.
(BTW, plots is really not the right category for this, but it's the closest I could find.)
Fantasy
Since fantasy games are the most popular overall we'll start with the fantasy genre. The first thing to note about fantasy is that it includes the supernatural as a part of life. Not always as a daily part of life, but still present. Beasts of legend live in the wild, spells are effective, and charms and amulets can provide protection and other benefits.
In fantasy ordinary lives become part of extraordinary events. Sometimes small extraordinary events (dealing with a vigilant foo dog), sometimes great extraordinary events (returning a stray wife to her dark lord husband). Though not always. Sometimes ordinary lives get caught up in ordinary events in a world where magic exists.
The important thing to note about fantasy is that the story happens in a world that, with the exception of the supernatural, is rather ordinary. Farmers farm, judges judge, and rat catchers catch rats. Quite often the extraordinary events happen with no acknowledgement from the rest of the world. Even when such events come to the attention of the extras they usually consider it more a source of juicy gossip than of anything to be concerned about. Were it not for the dark lord pro tem, the hyperactive foo dog, or the politically active pixies you'd think you were in a rather ordinary place.
Horror
While often associated with the supernatural, such is not strictly necessary in horror. In horror the goal is to horrify the reader by putting sympathetic characters in horrific situations. Most often by isolating the characters in some manner and rendering them helpless. Though it is possible to write a horror tale that occurs in a busy city in the middle of the day. Difficult, but not impossible.
The important thing to remember is that while events don't have to be horrific in and of themselves, they must add up to horror as the reader puts things together. Such as a tale in which problem children are sent to a special school where they are treated kindly but firmly and are released with no imagination, no initiative, and no individuality.
Science Fiction
Science plays a role in science fiction. Scientific facts may determine what happens in the course of the story. The story could occur at a future time when new technologies made possible by science are a part of life. Or, the story could be concerned with the effect on society or individuals of advances in scientific knowledge or technology.
Larry Niven's Flash Crowd deals with the effect cheap and ubiquitous teleportation has on events that have the potential to trigger a riot. People hear about an incident somewhere and 'flash in' to join in the fun. Thus making matters much worse than they otherwise would've been.
Next Time
In my next posting I'll be looking at romance, the gothic, mysteries, historicals, and the western. Which should cover all the genres out there. Though I get the feeling I'm missing one. Charles Dicken's work would fall under this last category.
Till then.
(BTW, plots is really not the right category for this, but it's the closest I could find.)
