I’m currently writing a fantasy, however I’ve heard the term high fantasy a lot. So I was wondering what is the difference between high and non high fantasy? And what makes a great high fantasy novel.

nimblesnotebook:

A Song of Ice and Fire, The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles or Narnia, and the Earthsea series are all examples of high fantasy, just to give you an idea of what it is.

High fantasy is characterized by the following:

  • A setting in a fictional world (often pre-industrial) that is complex, detailed, and consistent. This setting may be entered through a portal.
  • Fantasy elements like magic and mythical creatures which may or may not be a focus of the story.
  • Epic characters and plots.
  • Good vs evil in older books and a rise in gray morality in some of the more recent books.

ryushaza:

earendilsplitseams:

nar-what:

nathanielemmett:

demigodoftheatre:

contemporaryelfinchild:

So I made a little size chart of Dragons of Middle-Earth

I think these are right but if anyone has quotes or anything to indicate something different, send them my way and I’ll fix it.

I love this because you realize that all the ego stroking in The Hobbit is Smaug trying to cover up that he’s a tiny, tiny dragon. Smaug the magnificent? impenetrable? Chiefest and greatest of calamities? More like Smaug the small and annoying.

Holy mother of god…how did Ancalagon the Black not destroy ALL of Middle Earth???

this gives me an immeasurable amount of anxiety

One word…Eagles

EAGLES

…..and Earendil