We began our podcast episode by defining and analyzing the high fantasy genre, which has seen a remarkable surge in popularity over the last five years or so, particularly among adult readers and literary communities.
What Is Considered High Fantasy?
We established that high fantasy refers to stories set entirely within fictional, constructed worlds that do not exist in reality, as opposed to stories with fantastical elements that take place in the real world.
Prominent examples we cited include epochal series like The Lord of the Rings, A Game of Thrones, and more recently, the acclaimed A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas.
NoteThe following is an editorialized transcript of our weekly literary podcast. If you would like to listen to the podcast, click the play button above orlisten on your favorite platform with the links below.
A High Fantasy Renaissance
In attempting to account for this high fantasy renaissance, we first pointed to the mainstream cultural phenomenon of Game of Thrones, the television adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s epic book series.
We posited that the show’s immense popularity primed global audiences to actively seek out and immerse themselves in other richly detailed fantasy universes featuring mature, adult-oriented storytelling. This contrasted with previous eras where fantasy tended to be aimed primarily at young adult or children’s audiences.
A Game of Thrones
Google Books Preview:
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Author:
George R. R. Martin
Published:
08/01/1996
Genre:
Fantasy
Publisher:
Bantam
Number of pages:
865
ISBN:
9780553573404
Show Details
Moreover, we noted how the proliferation of social media enabled a grassroots sharing and recommendation of popular high fantasy book series among readers. As critically acclaimed works like the Throne of Glass series gained online buzz, they opened the gateway to the genre for an influx of new fans.
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