High vs Low fantasy

From: David Weihe <weihe_at_eagle.danet.com>
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1998 18:21:03 EDT


> From: Arf <A.R.Wilson_at_herts.ac.uk>
> Steve Rennell and Philip Hibs
> > > >One of the things that I always loved about RQ2 was how
> > > >"low-fantasy" Pavis was
> > > Don't you mean "high-fantasy"? Wizards and heroes are "low-fantasy",
> > > complex cultures and little peoples' individual lives are "high-fantasy".
> > > The terms are defined by literary critics, so they picked the
> > > complimentary-sounding term for the high-brow stuff.
> > Woah. that's almost exactly the opposite of how it's used around
> > here. As far as Roleplaying games go the terms are used (around
> > here anyway) somewhat like the following.

Rather than try to define it, why not give some examples? Is LOTR high or low, and what about the Silmarillion? What is an example of *good* fantasy in the other camp, or are there none?

> I think I agree with Philip. Low fantasy to me is "pulp" fantasy eg "Conan"
> Stephen Donaldson's "Mordant", where the prejudice is towards the amount of
> gore and heroics by one or two main characters involved, and minimal effort is
> spent on storyline. High fantasy would be something along the lines of
> Raymond E. Feist's "Magician" series, with multiple main characters more
> action in the plot than a single leading character's sword hand. The
> definition for me is in the level of complication rather than the level of pow
er.

No, that is bad vs (at least attempting to be) good. REH never claimed to be creating art, especially with Conan (and he usually hit that non-mark). Fun to read, but not worth thinking deeply upon.

At least as far as I have heard the terms used, "High" fantasy treats its subjects with a rather soft focus, and usually deals with world-saving actions, vs "Low" which goes into detail about everything, trying for more "realism". The difference is like Lord Dunsany's Edge of the World stories vs Larry Niven's story set in the same place, with an ex-king explaining about the high cost of feeding a dragon from beyond the edge. A good rule is that if they talk about dysentary or saddle sores or economic "realities" then it is low fantasy.


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