Welcome to Cyclopaedia 36: High Fantasy. Cyclopaedia has been a monthly article on the InnRoads Ministries website. This is the final article of Cyclopaedia and we are finishing the series with my favorite genre of literature, cinema, and gaming. The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Chronicles of Narnia are my all time favorite fantasy worlds. Dungeons & Dragons is my favorite roleplaying game. Bard’s Tale, King’s Quest, and Baldur’s Gate are some of my fondest video game memories. This final research and writing were such a joy to complete the Cyclopaedia series. Thanks so much for being a part of this series over the past three years. Now put on your armor, grab your sword, and journey forth on your quest!
If you have questions about this topic or previous Cyclopaedia articles, please leave a comment below.
Overview
High Fantasy, also known as Epic Fantasy, can be challenging to define clearly. The fantasy genre has split into so many sub-genres that High Fantasy can oftentimes be lost in the mix. Sword & Sorcery is often confused with High Fantasy, then there is the complex additions of Dark Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy, Steampunk, and Urban Fantasy (and more specific ones as well). What makes High Fantasy its own genre and one of the most popular historically?
High Fantasy, at its core, focuses on epic tales of good versus evil in imaginary worlds. The term was first used by Lloyd Alexander in his 1971 essay “High Fantasy and Heroic Romance.” The works of J.R.R. Tolkien, especially his The Lord of the Rings, are regarded as the archetype for High Fantasy.
The theme usually focuses around a single hero or group of heroes with the concepts of good and evil being well defined. The central conflict of the story often focuses on the moral issues and dilemmas of these definitions and how they impact the heroes and the world around them. The story also often focuses on the growth of the heroes from young and/or untrained to unique and legendary heroes of the world.
The setting is an imaginary world, not the “real world” as we know it. The world has its own consistent rules and a deep history, usually influenced by magic and magical creatures. It is populated by races, creatures, and nationalities beyond what we have in our own world.
All these unique elements and the epic storylines draw us into High Fantasy for the escapism and to follow our intrepid heroes on their fantastical journeys.
High Fantasy Elements
Certain elements help high fantasy to stand apart from other fantasy and science fiction. These elements combined are common to most high fantasy stories:
- An imaginary world
- Battle of good versus evil
- Consequences if the hero fails
- Deep history to the world
- Epic scale
- Magic
- Medieval-influenced setting
- Non-human races
Following are sources of information pertaining to High Fantasy to assist prospective game masters, game designers, writers, and storytellers in knowing where to start their research.
ARTICLES
The Epic Tradition in Science Fiction and Fantasy.
By Mahon, Robert Lee
Source: Teaching English v14 p47-51 Feb 1987
High Fantasy versus Low Comedy: Humor in J. R. R. Tolkien
By Stevens, C.D.
Source: Extrapolation v21 (198007) 122-129
BOOKS
The A to Z of Fantasy Literature
By Stableford, Brian
The Belgariad
By Eddings, David
The Black Company
By Cook, Glen
The Chronicles of Amber
By Zelazny, Roger
The Chronicles of Narnia
By Lewis, C.S.
The Chronicles of Prydain
By Alexander, Lloyd
Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever
By Donaldson, Stephen R.
The Coldfire
By Friedman, C.S.
Complete Book of Swords
By Saberhagen, Fred
Discworld
By Pratchett, Terry
Dragonlance Chronicles
By Weis, Margaret and Hickman, Tracy
Dragonriders of Pern
By McCaffrey, Anne
The Dresden Files
By Butcher, Jim
Earthsea Saga
By Le Guin, Ursula
The Elric Saga
By Moorcock, Michael
Eragon
By Paolini, Christopher
The Farseer Trilogy
By Hobb, Robin
A Game of Thrones
By Martin, George R.R.
Harry Potter
By Rowling, J.K.
The Hobbit
By Tolkien, J.R.R.
The Icewind Dale Trilogy
By Salvatore, R.A.
The Kingkiller Chronicle
By Rothfuss, Patrick
The Lord of the Rings
By Tolkien, J.R.R.
Memory, Sorrow & Thorn
By Williams, Tad
Mistborn
By Sanderson, Brandon
The Neverending Story
By Ende, Michael
Phantastes
By MacDonald, George
The Princess Bride
By Goldman, William
The Riddle-Master
By McKillip, Patricia A.
The Riftwar Saga
By Feist, Raymond, E.
Silmarilion
By Tolkien, J.R.R.
Sword of Truth
By Goodkind, Terry
Thieves’ World
By Asprin, Robert
Wheel of Time
By Jordan, Robert
Xanth
By Anthonry, Piers
GAMES
13th Age – RPG
Anima: Beyond Fantasy – RPG
Ars Magica – RPG
Baldur’s Gate – Video Game
Bard’s Tale – Video Game
Blue Rose – RPG
Castles & Crusades – RPG
Claustrophobia – Tabletop Game
Dark Souls – Video Game
Defenders of the Realm – Tabletop Game
Descent: Journeys Into Darkness – Tabletop Game
Diablo – Video Game
Dragon Age – Video Game
Dungeon – Tabletop Game
Dungeons & Dragons – RPG
Dungeons and Dragons Adventure Games (ie. Wrath of Ashardalan) – Tabletop Game
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Video Game
Everquest – Video Game
Exalted – RPG
Fantasy Hero – RPG
Final Fantasy – Video Game
Gloomhaven – Tabletop Game
GURPS Fantasy – RPG
Hackmaster – RPG
HeroQuest – Tabletop Game
Heroscape – Tabletop Game
Ironclaw – RPG
Kingdom Death: Monster – Tabletop Game
King’s Quest – Video Game
Legends of Andor – Tabletop Game
Mage Knight – Tabletop Game
Mice & Mystics – Tabletop Game
Might & Magic – Video Game
Mouseguard – RPG
Neverwinter Nights – Video Game
One Deck Dungeon – Tabletop Game
The One Ring – RPG
Palladium Fantasy Role Playing – RPG
Pathfinder – RPG
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game – Tabletop Game
Planescape Torment – Video Game
Quest for Glory – Video Game
Rolemaster – RPG
Runebound – Tabletop Game
RuneQuest – RPG
Talisman – Tabletop Game
Tunnels & Trolls – RPG
Ultima – Video Game
War of the Ring – Tabletop Game
Warhammer Fantasy – RPG
Warhammer Quest – Tabletop Game
The Witcher – Tabletop Game
The Witcher – Video Game
World of Warcraft – Video Game
CINEMA
Berserk – Anime
The Chronicles of Narnia
Claymore – Anime
The Black Cauldron
The Dark Crystal
Dragonheart
Dragonslayer
The Dresden Files – TV
Dungeons & Dragons
Earthsea
Eragon
The Fantasy Makers: J.R.R. Tokien, C.S. Lewis, and George MacDonald
Galavant – TV
Game of Thrones – TV
The Golden Compass
Harry Potter
The Hobbit
Legend
Legend of the Seeker – TV
The Lord of the Rings
Maleficent
The Neverending Story
The Princess Bride
Record of Lodoss Wars – Anime
The Shannara Chronicles – TV
Slayers – Anime
Stardust
Twelve Kingdoms – Anime
Warcraft
Willow
LOCATIONS
C.S. Lewis & Friends Colloquium
https://cslewisandfriendscolloquium.org/
The Eagle and Child Pub
https://www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk/restaurants/southeast/theeagleandchildoxford
Game of Thrones Tours
https://www.gamethronestours.com/?msclkid=1b547e4103191db0b46525afdac78226
Hobbiton, New Zealand
https://www.hobbitontours.com/en/
Oxonmoot
https://www.tolkiensociety.org/society/events/oxonmoot/
Wizarding World of Harry Potter
https://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/things-to-do/rides-and-attractions/the-wizarding-world-of-harry-potter/
PEOPLE
Piers Anthony
Terry Brooks
Corey and Lori Anne Cole
David and Leigh Eddings
Raymond Feist
Terry Goodkind
Gary Gygax
Tracy Hickman
Ursula Le Guin
Robert Jordan
C.S. Lewis
George MacDonald
George R.R. Martin
Terry Pratchett
Brandon Sanderson
J.R.R. Tolkien
Margaret Weis
Roberta Williams
Roger Zelazny
I hope you find these resources informative and inspiring for your adventures, storytelling, or game design.
Stay Creative!
T.R. Knight
( If you would like to save this list of resources as a convenient PDF for later reference, you can find that HERE )
WHO IS T.R. KNIGHT?
He is a freelance editor, proofreader, and writer in the game industry. He is also a Husband and Caregiver to his wife Angie, Father of Twins Emily and Rachel, Gardner and Hobby Chef, and Director of Academic Technology and User Services at Taylor University. You can learn more about T.R. at his blog http://www.thomasrknight.com.