Some Fantasy Subgenres

by Shotaro Koizumi and Mike Shi

Fantasy is a fictional genre set in a fantastical universe of magic, dragons and heroes, often drawing inspiration from folklores and myths. The category as a whole spans many separate types of stories, each with unique and engaging premises. Although a few entries in this list may be daunting at first, there are many beginner-friendly books with easily digestible language and length.

The Fantasy genre spreads into various subgenres that build on fantasy with additional, unique, and surprising twists that add on to the previously established formula of fantasy genre. The following list includes most of the subgenres of fantasy, their characteristics, and notable examples In literature.

High/Epic Fantasy tells the story of multiple heroes setting out on a great quest against the forces of great evil, often with the fate of the world resting on their hands.

· Eragon (trilogy)by Christopher Paolini

· The Stormlight Archive (series) by Brandon Sanderson

· The Wheel of Time (series) by James Oliver Rigney Jr, finished by Brandon Sanderson

· The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

· The Chronicles of Narnia (series) by C. S. Lewis

· The Lord of the Rings (trilogy) by J. R. R. Tolkien

· A Song of Ice and Fire (series) by George R. R. Martin

Low Fantasy tells a fantasy story (with all the magic) in a real-world setting. There might be an underground society of wizards or finding something paranormal in school.

· The Indian in the cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks

· Harry Potter (series) by J. K. Rowling

· The Mortal Instruments (series) by Cassandra Clare

Sword and Sorcery/Swashbuckler Fantasy tells a dynamic story of valiant and skilled heroes in fast-paced adventures. One might see heroes crashing through windows, duel with scheming villains and dart in-between royal courts and treasure-seeking ships.

· Conan the Barbarian by Robert E. Howard

Gothic Fantasy tells fantasy mixed with elements of the gothic genre, which deals with mysterious, dark stories in chilling settings. It seeks to horrify and thrill the reader. One might find abandoned castles, the undead and graveyards.

· The old kingdom chronicles (series) by Garth Nix

· Dracula by Bram Stoker

· Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

· The strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

· The Spook’s ... (series) by Joseph Delaney

Dark Fantasy tells the story of grey morals, antiheroes and criminal underworlds in a more depressing and brutal setting.

· Shattered Sea (series) by Joe Abercrombie

· The Black Company (series) by Glen Cook

· Mistborn (series) by Brandon Sanderson