Another great post from Susan Morris!
Not exactly a post, really. A flowchart. All those attempts to sort out the subgenres of fantasy? This flowchart may not be utterly complete, but it’s funny and (I think) accurate. Take a look.
My favorite tidbit is: Can The Hero Win? Y — vs — Outlook not so good. I’m sure you can guess that the former leads to heroic fantasy (among other options) and the latter to what the flowchart calls “dark” fantasy, but I would guess is these days sometimes referred to as grimdark. Or, hey, let’s have one more iteration down in that corner:
Are any characters or the world better at the end of the story than at the beginning? Or: Is there any hope?
Y: Dark fantasy
N: Grimdark
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That’s a good point! That would make a great addition.
Bwhaha, this is great. I personally enjoy the “your book is lame”…because how is it fantasy without magic or magical creatures?
Yeah, I’m all good with magical realism (Sarah Addison Allen, anyone?), but no magic at all? You need a different flowchart.