types of fantasy?

[shilsen]

Did Merlin actually use his magic much in the Arthurian tales? I'm no expert on the subject, but weren't most of the heroics in the Arthurian tales were performed by King Arthur and his knights? IIRC, Merlin served mostly as an advisor to King Arthur, and only used magic every once in a while.

Of course, I could be wrong. It's been a long time since I've read the King Arthur legends.

No, you are correct. It depends on which version and author you read, but on the whole Merlin does seem to fit with Gandalf the Grey in the archetype of the old wise counsellor. There is little overt magic, especially of the flash-bang type, that he uses.

 

[johnsemlak]

I would agree that Gandalf and Merlin both rarely actually use magic in the literature. However, wasn't it generally accepted by the characters in worlds they inhabited that they were capaable of magic of some sort? I don't think the image they protrayed was that of a mere advisor, they were masters of arcane matters.

 

[Tonguez]

I would agree that Gandalf and Merlin both actually use magic in the literature. However, wasn't it generally accepted by the characters in worlds they inhabited that they were capaable of magic of some sort? I don't think the image they protrayed was that of a mere advisor, they were masters of arcane matters.

The thing with both Merlin and Gandalf is that (in DnD terms) they were more Druid/Diviners than 'Wizards'.
Merlin was half-demon and was known to have the ability to speak to animals and see into the future. Gandalf we know was a celestial
Even in Conan it was kind of implied that most of the powerful Wizards had pacts with demons

The distinction between Arcane and Divine magic is a modern one and imho partly distinguishes High Fantasy from other fantasy (ie High Fantasy has Arcane Spellcasters with no connection to divine forces (either celestial, fey or feindish) who do stuff because they want to...

 

[johnsemlak]

The thing with both Merlin and Gandalf is that (in DnD terms) they were more Druid/Diviners than 'Wizards'.

In DnD terms, a Diviner is a wizard, no?

I think this may be the root of why Gandalf and Merlin are not thought of as wizards by some, as they don't go around casting evocation spells constantly. However, they certainly seem to use more subtle, but equally arcane, magic.

You're definitely right that the arcane/divine magic split is modern, probably created by D&D.

 

[Nightfall]

Well I don't know if it fits a type, but Scarred Lands is my cup of tea any day of the week. That, Midnight and of course Oathbound.

 

[William Ronald]

Originally posted by hong
Crossworlds fantasy: stories where the PCs are real-world people who get transported into a fantasy world. Think CS Lewis' Narnia.

Another example is Stephen R. Donaldson's The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, where the protagonist is an anti-hero in what is largely a heroic or epic fantasy. Mind you, some of the fantastic characters can be down to earth, cynical, or embittered.

(Incidentally, Donaldson is working on a Third Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. You can fins some details and rumors about it at Kevin's Watch)