Romance
in fantasy? But, isn’t fantasy all about dragons, swords and sorcery, maybe
elves, goblins and other magical folk? That’s certainly the image projected by
much that falls under the umbrella of ‘epic fantasy’.
Fantasy,
of course, includes dozens of sub-genres, and strays into areas reserved for
other forms. Perhaps, before continuing, we need to define what fantasy is in
regard to story-telling? It’s a tale set in a world, time, or dimension, or a
combination of these, different from what we believe is reality. It may also involve
animals as protagonists as well as beings that don’t exist in the known world.
Animal Farm, the Twilight series, the
cult of Demonic Eroticism, Alice in
Wonderland, paranormal stories, much of soft science fiction, animal-based
novels like The Stonor Eagles and Watership Down, and many others fall
within the wider definition of fantasy. And, clearly, romance does exist within
this broader definition.
Noticeably,
however, it’s far less common in epic fantasy. One reason may be that this specific
sub-genre is often aimed at the YA/teen market and, more specifically, at boys.
Boys are not, as a rule, attracted by romance. Sex, yes, but romance, no.
There’s no more than a hint of romance in the most famous epic fantasy, the Lord of the Rings trilogy (Sam and
Rosie, Arwen and Aragon), and this holds true for many within the genre. With
the entry of more female authors into the field, it is becoming more common.
Perhaps
we should also define ‘epic fantasy’? It usually involves a world that is ‘other’,
a quest, magic in some form, battles, and themes that include ‘good versus
evil’. But romance? Not commonly, especially from male authors.
No
rules, and no valid reasons, exclude romance from epic fantasy. My own feeling
is that the inclusion enhances such a tale and allows readers to enjoy the
invented world much more. So, perhaps it depends on what readership the author
envisages. In fact, I suspect that the exclusion of a romantic element has
actively discouraged many readers who would otherwise appreciate this form of
fiction.
My epic
fantasy trilogy, A Seared Sky, is
aimed at an adult readership, though it is also suitable for a YA audience over
the age of 15. I’ve woven the story around three sets of couples in each of the
three volumes. These threads are romantically based, though the underlying
story they carry is far more complex than that simple scenario might imply. I
have some magic, in the form of a limited type of telepathy. I have battles,
physical and mental, involving war between good and evil. And I have a central
quest, involving many characters in a search for what they believe is a crucial
artefact.
Romance
is as fundamental to the telling of my tale as any other element. But the story
remains a fantasy and is an epic, covering adventure over many lands in an
invented world. Will you see it in those terms? Discover for yourself. Joinings, the first volume, is published
by Fantastic Books Publishing on 30th March in both paperback and
ebook formats. There’s a launch party, to which you’re all invited. The
publisher is putting on quite a show. It’s a virtual event, online, so you can
attend from anywhere in the world. To find out more, click this link.
P.S. As
an illustration of how little romance there is in epic fantasy, I searched for
hours to find a suitable illustration for this post and the one up top was the
best I could find!
[cross-posted from Linda Acaster's site 23.03.14]
