Urban fantasy takes place in our world, can have soft magic systems, and usually come in shorter books. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. (Am I going to reference Shadowhunters as much as I referenced LOTR? Don’t get me wrong, it’s there in high fantasy, too, but think about it. And yet, if you forced me to choose, right now, what I would write for the rest of my life, it would be urban fantasy. High Fantasy has less rules and limitations- inherently allowing them to in the end be more varied and different than most Urban and Low Fantasy settings ever can be. There can be as much magic as you like, but most people in the world are completely in the dark about it. There have been times when I’ve been in the woods and pretended to walk like a dwarf up a particularly steep climb. Urban fantasy is perhaps one of the most exciting subgenre fantasies right now. I don’t know that I’ve ever read a city-specific high fantasy, but it definitely makes sense that that’d slot into urban fantasy, as well. At the end of the day, it will always, always be what I reach for first, and yeah, I know I said I wasn’t going to do this, but if someone was forcing me to choose, high fantasy would be it for me. But first, we have to answer the question of what the difference actually is between high and urban fantasy. Es handelt sich vielmehr um eine frei erfundene Welt, mit eigenem Worldbuilding, teils bekannten und teils unbekannten und frei erfundenen Spezies und Fähigkeiten. And it’s so cool to see those subgenres kind of blend together and reshape how we think about them. High fantasy all the way for me! Although you’ve also listed quite some urban fantasies that I’m really interested in reading! My dad practically threw The Lord of the Rings at me when I was little, and, to this day, Middle-earth continues to be my favorite fictional world out there. I hate the versus here because it sounds like I’m pitting urban fantasy against high fantasy when, really, I’m just talking about what I like about each, and why they’re such different subgenres of fantasy, but that would be too long of a title, so we’re stuck with the versus. The list goes on. Perhaps "staple" is a strong word. I always say that Ronan was my first real character, that his story, which was set in an alternate fantasy universe rife with dragons and elves and faeries, (oh my!) Fairy tales. My understanding of urban is a little more specific than yours (for example, I wouldn’t include Wild Beauty) but like waytoofantasy, I also thought of a title that I consider ‘urban fantasy’ that is set in a secondary world – the title being Perdido Street Station by China Mieville. The whole idea of urban fantasy is based in hope. Great post, I love looking at subgenres. Low fantasy, or intrusion fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy fiction in which magical events intrude on an otherwise-normal world. What are your thoughts about it? A noir aesthetic: Urban fantasies lift genre conventions from noir and gritty police procedurals. Tolkien the trendsetter: high vs. epic fantasy In many instances, you will see the ‘brand’ of fantasy made popular (though around for a long, long time prior – think back to Beowulf or even The Illiad ) by Tolkien referred to interchangeably as either high fantasy or epic fantasy. Urban Fantasy; Urban Fantasy is the subgenre that got us into this in the first place. TTT: Characters I’m Still Screaming about, #marywrites: High Fantasy – Mary and the Words, Follow Mary and the Words on WordPress.com. But first, we have to answer the question of what the difference actually is between high and urban fantasy. But high fantasy takes place in a whole other world where magic and other fantasy elements is widely known and is a whole different world than our own. ( Log Out /  But it’s *really* a great example of magical realism. Epic/High Fantasy. So 3 urban fantasy writers translated to almost 70 books over the past two years, while 3 non-urban fantasy writers translated to 18 books, and 3 of those were urban fantasy anyways. Oh, that’s a good point! I put magical realism as a square on the book bingo I run one year and there was this whole debate over what exactly magical realism is vs something like…mythic fantasy which also strays into contemporary fantasy or crosses over into urban fantasy (say, stuff like Charles de Lint’s work is mythic but also contemporary and maybe also could be called urban fantasy). Which is very interesting, I’ve got to say, considering it’s not what I write. ... A time when Tamora Pierce revived the Tortall books and Diana Wynne Jones turned high fantasy on its head with Dalemark and Howl's Moving Castle. There’s just something so satisfying about being able to fully peel yourself out of the real world and drop into something completely unrecognizable. ( Log Out /  Personally I’m neutral I like both urban and high fantasy books. It is much more limited in setting. That definitely makes sense! Urban Fantasy novels that have a romantic element from those that don't .although apparently ALL novels that have vamps, w-wolves, magic and such are considered Urban Fantasy.paranormal is a sub genre. Consider fantasy to be a kind of parent genre; it’s a broad, umbrella term that encompasses many sub-genres, all of which have one thing in common: magical or fantastical things happen. I got rid of about thirty books this past weekend, most of them ones that I was just keeping for nostalgia. I think for me, an urban setting has to be a critical component of book for me to think of it was urban fantasy. I feel like magical realism, in some cases, could also be urban fantasy, but maybe not in every case? Alex Stern could be hunting ghosts at Yale at the same time as Esta is time traveling to save the world at the same time Esme is discovering she’s part of an underground witch gang. Thank goodness for all our Fantasy flavors. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" series. ( Log Out /  Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Romance Differences How to tell the difference between UF and PNR The characteristics listed are generally true for most UF or PNR series. Just imagine it–you’re at home, with kids riding by on bicycles, the sound of the highway nearby, with all the modern amenities available, and a sword-wielding badass in all black tells you that there’s a realm existing alongside your own, and he’s one of the guardians that keeps demons at bay. Eragon was just about the best thing that could have ever happened to young Mary, and I look back on those books with such fond nostalgia because of the dragons as heroes archetype that it finally gave my starved, scaly soul. For the longest time, high fantasy was where my heart lived. Im Gegensatz zu einem Urban Fantasy-Buch spielt ein High Fantasy-Roman nicht in der realen Welt, die wir kennen. The same holds true for low fantasy. High fantasy is not just a book on the top shelf, and low fantasy isn’t for readers feeling a bit gloomy. Don’t we all want to be whisked away from our everyday lives and find ourselves dropped into a magical world of mayhem and creatures and possibility? High fantasy takes place in an alternate universe. Even Sauron might be an improvement right now! Differences between the two Some would classify Epic Fantasy and High Fantasy together. Change ), http://www.sarcasmandlemons.com/2012/01/urban-fantasy-vs-high-fantasy-city.html. Not all … Because honestly? Works of urban fantasy may be set in an approximation of our world in which fantastic exists secretly or in a world (such as an … was my first, but, truthfully, it wasn’t. It really is! . Maybe publishers are pushing more urban fantasy because they know it works. Most subgenre terms used today are Epic Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Grim-Dark, YA Fantasy, or just plain Fantasy. Urban fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy in which the narrative uses supernatural elements in a 19th-century to 21st-century (or equivalent) urban society. ( Log Out /  For Urban Fantasy, one of the key elements is the setting. Wow, I’ve just seriously convinced myself that my sleepy little dead end is way cooler than it actually is, and that is why I love urban fantasy so much. she/her | yoga teacher | Tibetan Buddhism | part-time witch | full-time author | astronaut in a previous life, Great discussion! I think we tend to lump too many things into UF. I’ll drop some of my favorites of each throughout each section, but, really, what it boils down to is this: High fantasy takes place in an alternate universe. I think part of it is that I generally prefer my fantasy to be heavily influenced by the real world. The best way I can think to describe it is, urban fantasy takes place in the modern world like ours but there is magic or fantasy elements that the majority of the population is unaware of it. Low fantasy is related to urban fantasy or contemporary fantasy, dark fantasy, magical realism, and paranormal genres. Intended for children, these fairy tales and folk tales are typically set in distant … And who hasn’t wanted a) a pet dragon, b) to ride a dragon, or c) to slay a dragon (ya weirdos) at some point in their childhood? A lot of the time, that means city-dwelling stories, but it can just as easily take place in a smaller town, as long as it’s set on Earth. We’re talking Middle-earth, Alagaësia, Krynn, Ravka, many more that I can’t remember. If you have a special affinity toward high fantasy, explore book recommendations within this specific sub-genre. I totally agree! This world is pretty much the way it is now, earth’s history is the same. Perhaps the most traditional sub-genre, high fantasy or epic fantasy takes place in an entirely fictional fantasy… I’ve seen a lot of people talk about what type of fantasy is better; Urban Fantasy or High Fantasy. That’s the dream, isn’t it? (new) Feb 24, 2017 06:04AM. But I’ve also watched a few YouTube videos of people talking on the subject and I’ve read a few blog posts ( I will put the URLs them below if anyone is interested for other opinions) and the popular opinion seems so be that urban fantasy is what people gravitate towards. And that, in itself, is saying something. by M.A. Tolkien is the founder of this sub-genre. Still in the middle of several large fantasy tomes, but taking a break with one of my faves. Urban fantasy falls under low fantasy, and in urban fantasy Seattle might have a thriving vampire population, or sorcerors who meet for poker night, or what have you; but at the end of the day, it's still Seattle. Now I’m not saying there aren’t popular high fantasy YA books off the top of my head I can think of the Throne of glass series. No vampires showing up to kill Hitler or saving the queen from evil witches. Also, I’d argue that you can have UF that is in a secondary world. Or, when I’m out walking the dogs in the winter, and the snow is falling all around, I’ll just twirl and flail around a bit like I’m some elf dancing in the snow. Most of the best fantasy books for 2020 fit into one of two categories: high fantasy or low fantasy. I want to burrow deep beneath a hobbit hole. Urban fantasy is a genre of fiction, a subgenre of fantasy in which the narrative uses supernatural elements in a 19th-century to 21st-century (or equivalent) urban society. Dragons truly might be the best part of high fantasy, let’s be real. Finished my Crows duology reread and wrapping up my current read this evening, which means it’s finally time for NIKOLAIIIIIII!!! However, I’ll never publish that contemporary, despite rewriting it again and polishing it up so that it could be published (long story), so we’ll call Ronan my first. Secondly, while with Urban Fantasy the stakes can be super high as well it always will take place in the or a city. Last night: I’m gonna read a contemporary to take a break from fantasty, but don’t forget that we’re only reading one book at a time. I hope you enjoy whatever you check out! Well, that’s just about the coolest thing imaginable. The term thus contrasts with high fantasy stories, which take place in fictional worlds that have their own sets of rules and physical laws. I know, I can’t believe I just matched LOTR with Shadowhunters, either, but they’re both such quintessential high and urban fantasy books that it had to be done. Also, I just really like jazz. It takes the known, shakes it up a bit, and dumps it back out with a touch of unknown dashed through it. High fantasy takes place in another world, has a hard magic system, and high word counts. Intrusion fantasy places less emphasis on elements typically associated with fantasy and sets a narrative in realistic … I prefer high fantasy over low fantasy (though I’ve read some great low fantasy stories), and epic fantasy is my favorite subgenre. And hobbits raises a pretty excellent point because one of my favorite things about high fantasy is the different races! But yeah, I agree with you, high fantasy forever! The Sizzle. Tradition dictates I must take a psycho picture when a new @maggie_stiefvater releases! When you’re coming from a city with people and noises all around, to step into the Shire, where the hills are green, the hobbits are lazy, and the birdsong is plentiful–there’s nothing quite as wonderful as that. Such is the realm of low fantasy, which can distinguished from fantasy books of old (or epic or high fantasy) by the fact that their magical elements are intrusive in the known world, rather than indicative of a whole other imagined world. This is definitely not an end all be all kind of thing, though I think it used to be some years ago, and so, a lot of the older high fantasy definitely plays at having its own language. Some say urban fantasy is easier to get into because there is less world building, the world is like our own and high fantasy you have to understand/get familiar with a whole new world. And that? Last but not least, urban fantasy is sexy. (This is biased, I love Sauron with all my heart.). I’m sure, if I spent enough time, I could break down why I write urban fantasy over high fantasy, but I would literally have to talk myself in circles before I even came close to the answer, so. Why is that? Rereading this in between fantasy tomes is keeping me sane right now. So maybe I should read some more Urban fantasy before making the conclusion :p. I’m definitely always going to lean toward high fantasy, too, but there are SO MANY urban fantasies books out there that are just amazing. Low and High Fantasy are a scale where the closer a setting is to our reality the lower it sits on the scale. I would say I prefer High fantasy, and you listed so many good ones! There are literally countless high fantasy books that I could rec, and choosing just a few to feature in this post has been difficult beyond all belief. I want to live with these characters who I wish, more than anything, existed in my real world because it would probably be a better place. Magical realism is included here. I don’t truly know why. It really depends on *how* you’re defining things. Well, for original stories, all of my fanfiction was just straight up drama and romance, but we’re not talking about those. Duh.) I want to watch rock giants battle each other out under cover of thunder. It relies heavily on myths and archetypes, tends to be grand or even grandiose in scope, and often deals with monumental battles of Good vs. ), shove them into the real world, and call it urban fantasy. Note- that is also how I distinct between them. Percy Jackson, The Mortal Instruments, Daughter of smoke and bone, The raven cycle, etc. Essay: Urban Fantasy vs. High Fantasy: The City Takes Over by. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. We hope that everyday people can accomplish incredible things, so we let them talk to ghosts and travel through time and control the elements. I mean, what a gift! The best way I can think to describe it is, urban fantasy takes place in the modern world like ours but there is magic or fantasy elements that the majority of the population is unaware of it. The term ‘High fantasy” is used by different people in different ways, but most often i have found that it refers to the scope. 1 Key Characteristics of Urban Fantasy 2 Key Characteristics of Paranormal Romance 3 See Also 4 External References The … As opposed to high fantasy, low fantasy is set in an otherwise normal world. I have four eight foot tall bookcases, which is six shelves, I think, and an entire bookcase, all six shelves, is dedicated to high fantasy. Maybe Lily is my familiar, maybe the falling autumn leaves become ghosts at night, maybe the streetlight out front flickers because it’s a meeting spot for the unknown. Whether that’s Elvish, an Ancient Language, Dothraki, again more that I can’t remember. However, I’ve noticed that urban fantasy is seemingly more popular in the young adult genre anyway. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. I love that all of this can be so normal, but maybe my next door neighbor is a vampire. It’s really, in a lot of ways, a love letter to NYC at its heart (even though he explores a lot of other themes in the book as well). But high fantasy takes place in a whole other world where magic and other fantasy elements is widely known and is a whole different world than our own. I’ve become more open to other subgenres like steampunk, historical fantasy, and urban fantasy over time, but my heart always comes back to high and epic fantasy in the end. Urban Fantasy is a tricky thing to define — it looks like contemporary fantasy, it looks like it’s paranormal, but it’s often its own thing. Some readers refer to low fantasy as intrusion fantasy since magical and fantastical elements intrude into the real world. I’ve always been iffy about magical realism, if they’re just another subgenre entirely, (though the whole idea of labeling books is another thing entirely) and it makes sense that an urban fantasy should rely on its urban setting as a big focal point. Take me away from this world, haha, and give me some magic and quests while you’re at it. Urban Fantasy. Blog post: http://www.sarcasmandlemons.com/2012/01/urban-fantasy-vs-high-fantasy-city.html. I’m not even going to come out at the end of this saying I like one better than the other, either, despite the fact that I primarily write in one subgenre because I just love urban and high fantasy so much, and this post is really just a space for me to scream about why I love them. You can try to tell me that you’ve never wanted to be an elf before, and I would 100% not believe you. Fantasy centers on magic and magical creatures and is usually set in the ancient or a medieval-like past, often in another "world," exemplified by J.R.R. Even if you don’t have an all-out love … One example is Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin which takes place entirely in New York City. My writing combines the two. Epic or “High” fantasy is probably what most people think of when they think of fantasy. Or adulthood, it’s cool, I definitely still want to ride a dragon right now. Of course authors of Urban Fantasy can play with a setting but at the core, the book has to be set in the city or a very urban setting for it to be considered Urban Fantasy. on. Sometimes, when a book is set in a city that I’ve either been to, or I’ve read about, or I just have some kind of knowledge of, it feels too close to home. 19 Mar. Of, course, authors sometimes will break with one of the "rules" or trend of their genre. It was deep high fantasy, too–mythical creatures, my own language, a non-human MC, dragons, a war as old as time, you name it, I had it. I think it’s because I love the idea that magic is real. Although that’s a definition that also has its limitations…. First lets talk about what’s the difference between urban and high fantasy? Often, high fantasy will also have its own language.

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