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.
Note
The 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.
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.
We proposed that this high fantasy boom was further propelled by audiences’ desire for escapism into intricately built fictional realms during an era of increasing global upheaval and division.
While recognizing that authors like Maas and Leigh Bardugo had carved out dedicated readerships before, we observed that their works, along with those of their contemporaries, only achieved mainstream commercial success and name recognition as the high fantasy craze took off in the 2010s.
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We discussed how the genre is characterized by extensive world-building, complex histories and lore, and narratives centered around adult protagonists grappling with mature, often dark themes. This forces writers to invest significant real estate into laying out the foundations of their imagined realms before even initiating the core arcs.
Fantasy For Adults
Ultimately, we concluded that the unique ability of high fantasy to fully transport readers into immersive new universes, departing entirely from the boundaries of the real world, underlies its surging mainstream appeal in recent years.
By offering denizens of our turbulent era an enthralling escape into the depths of boundless imagination, the high fantasy genre has captivated legions of fans seeking refuge from the constraints and upheavals of the present day.
The surge in popularity of high fantasy stories has allowed authors to explore darker, more mature themes and content compared to the young adult fantasy that was predominant before. We noted how series like A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas incorporate more explicit sexuality and violence that would have been toned down or implied in YA works.
We theorized that the mainstream success of Game of Thrones opened the gates for this edgier, adult-oriented fantasy storytelling to reach wider audiences. The show primed viewers to embrace grimmer, more psychologically complex fantasy worlds. We pondered if this paved the way for literary high fantasy to explore grittier subject matter as well.
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The Lord of the Rings
ISBN: 345339703
The Future of High Fantasy
Turning to adaptations, we lamented the challenges in faithfully translating beloved book series to the screen while pleasing diehard fan bases. We used examples like the backlash over character casting and narrative changes in Amazon’s Rings of Power series to illustrate how ardent fans stubbornly cling to their own visualizations of the source material.
We wondered if production companies might avoid adapting massively popular series like A Court of Thorns and Roses altogether to sidestep intense scrutiny from “feral” fan communities.
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We discussed how quality, meticulously crafted adaptations require enormous budgets and yearslong production timelines to do the source justice. We debated whether animated series could be a more viable adaptation approach for high fantasy books.
Ultimately, we speculated that while the high fantasy craze is still riding high, novel book-to-screen translations may become too risky and polarizing for studios to tackle fan-favorite properties. We’ll be happy to revisit this topic in a few years to assess whether the genre remains as prevalent or if popular tastes have shifted elsewhere.
Until then, we’re happy to enjoy this resurgence in popularity for an incredible genre!
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