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Fantasy world

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A fantasy world is an imaginary place where magic or other similar powers work. The world may be a parallel realm or dimension tenuously connected to our world via mystic gates (like Narnia[?] and Dreamlands[?]); somewhere in our mythical past (like Middle-earth and Hyborian Age[?]) or future (Earthdawn, Dying Earth); or the story may make no reference to our reality at all.

J. R. R. Tolkien created Middle-earth, one of the better known fantasy worlds, and he wrote at some length about the process of creating them, which he called "subcreation". Most of the commercial fantasy writers like David Eddings and Robert Jordan write close copies of his tale.

Dungeons & Dragons, the first role-playing game has created several detailed and commercially successful fantasy worlds, with established and recognizable characters, locations, histories, and sociologies. The Forgotten Realms is perhaps the most extensively developed of these worlds. These elements of detail can be a large part of what attracts people to RPGs.

Many established fantasy writers have also derided Dungeons and Dragons because new writers tend to read the D&D Monster Manual instead of studying original mythologies from which the fantasy literature has sprung.

Table of contents

Pseudo-medieval fantasy worlds This is the most common type. Social conditions are modeled on medieval Europe (aside from possible polytheism) and, in general, they are variants in plot and setting of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. They include Forgotten Realms and most other fantasy worlds connected to Dungeons and Dragons RPG. See also High fantasy.

Planetary Romance Planets with fantasy trappings and usually magic and/or a pretext why swords and other melee weapons are necessary. Barsoom tales are close runner.

Multidimensional fantasy worlds Some stories take place in a series of connected universes (see: multiverse). Noted for this include:

Sword and Sorcery[?] and heroic fantasy[?] worlds

Other fantasy worlds include:

See also contemporary fantasy, juvenile fantasy, and urban fantasy[?]

Books

  • Diana Wynne Jones: The Tough Guide to Fantasyland explains and parodies the common features of a standard fantasy world



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