A Fantasy Fan's Guide: Understanding the Subgenres

There was a question on Twitter about the distinction between fantasy and high-fantasy. I replied with a brief tweet, and then I realized it’d be a great topic for a blog post. After all, my blog is all about fantasy. So now that I told you what prompted this post, let’s talk about fantasy.

What is fantasy as a genre of fiction?

Essentially, fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that explores supernatural themes, magic, and imaginary worlds and creatures.

It’s a genre that lets authors tackle themes like good versus evil, heroism, and the power of the human spirit. What makes fantasy unique compared to other genres is its use of elements that are not typically present in the real world, including magic, mythical creatures, and fantastical settings.

Fantasy differs from science fiction and horror by not focusing on scientific or macabre themes, although they can still be present. Fantasy settings often resemble Earth, but with a touch of otherness.

A cool thing about fantasy is that the author can make up their own rules. Realistic fiction has to follow the rules of reality, but fantasy doesn’t. When writing fantasy, authors create characters, situations, and settings that aren’t possible in real life.

Real-world folklore and mythology serve as a significant source of inspiration for many fantasy authors. While the fantasy genre typically includes supernatural elements like magic, it is not a requirement.

Fantasy is often compared to sci-fi and horror because they’re the main categories of speculative fiction. Fantasy and science fiction are set apart by how believable the story elements are. Science fiction narratives require logical scientific or technological extrapolation, while fantasy narratives do not. Despite similarities in their use of the supernatural, fantasy and horror are separate genres. Horror evokes fear by exploring the protagonist’s weaknesses or inability to defeat the villain.

Fantasy Sub-Genres—A Spectrum of Worlds

Within the broader fantasy genre, there are many distinct sub-genres, each with its own unique characteristics and appeal, but I’m going to focus on the most popular ones

Contemporary fantasy

In contemporary fantasy, the story unfolds in the present day. Its subgenres include Occult detective fiction, urban fantasy, low fantasy, and paranormal fiction, making it incredibly popular. 

• Occult detective fiction. Think of it as detective stories, but with a touch of the supernatural and fantasy. The occult detective deals with supernatural cases, unlike traditional detectives who focus on common crimes. Occult detectives often have psychic or magical abilities.
  Title: Storm Front
  Author: Jim Butcher
  Released: 01.04.2000
  Reviews:
  Amazon: Buy from Amazon
  GoodReads:

  3.98 (read)
  Our review:

  4.00 (read)

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• Urban fantasy. Urban fantasy is a fantasy subgenre with supernatural elements set in a contemporary urban setting. The combination allows for classic fantasy elements and unique characters, without needing a completely made-up world.
  Title: Glimmer of the Other
  Author: Heather G. Harris
  Released: 01.09.2021
  Reviews:
  Amazon: Buy from Amazon
  GoodReads:

  4.28 (read)
  Our review: No review yet

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• Low fantasy. Low fantasy is a subgenre where magical events occur in a normal world. Unlike high fantasy, it's grounded in the real world with its own rules and laws. Fantastical elements blur reality and the psychological or supernatural. The term “low” just means there’s not a lot of typical fantasy elements.
  Title: Harry Potter: The Complete Collection
  Author: J.K. Rowling
  Released: 14.12.2015
  Reviews:
  Amazon: Buy from Amazon
  GoodReads:

  4.73 (read)
  Our review: No review yet

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• Paranormal fiction. Paranormal fiction is a subgenre of fantasy that focuses on supernatural elements and phenomena. While it shares many characteristics with fantasy, paranormal fiction often delves into more mysterious and unsettling themes, often exploring the boundaries between the natural and supernatural worlds.
  Title: Midsummer Night's Curse
  Author: Anca Antoci
  Released: 20.10.2023
  Reviews:
  Amazon: Buy from Amazon
  GoodReads:

  4.67 (read)
  Our review: No review yet

  ---

Dark fantasy

Dark fantasy incorporates disturbing and frightening themes. The term is used for stories that combine horror and fantasy elements.

Dark fantasy includes stories from a monster’s point of view or with a sympathetic portrayal of supernatural beings. Early examples of this dark fantasy style include The Vampire Chronicles, Saint-Germain, and The Sandman. Traditional horror, in contrast, emphasizes victims and survivors. 

Dark fantasy is sometimes used as a synonym for supernatural horror.

Grimdark fantasy

Grimdark is a subgenre of speculative fiction characterized by a dystopian, amoral, and violent tone. The term is based on Warhammer 40,000’s tagline: “In the dark future, there’s only war.”

High Fantasy

High fantasy is known for its grand scale, epic quests, and complex world-building. It often features magic, creatures, and heroes.

In high fantasy, the story unfolds in an alternative world that is different from our own, known as the secondary world. Unlike high fantasy, low fantasy takes place on Earth or a familiar fictional world, but with magic.

Two well-known examples of high fantasy are J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” series. These books are considered high fantasy because they are set in huge secondary worlds, have intricate politics, and epic adventures.

Epic Fantasy

Epic fantasy is a sub-genre that includes high and low fantasy, but it focuses on telling grand-scale stories and epic adventures. It often has large casts, complex plots, and epic battles. Sanderson’s “The Stormlight Archive” and Jordan’s “The Wheel of Time” are epic fantasy examples. These books are classified as epic fantasy due to their vast scope, intricate world-building, and epic quests.

Gaslamp Fantasy

Gaslamp Fantasy is a Victorian-inspired subgenre of fantasy. It combines historical fiction and fantasy to form an atmospheric setting. It often incorporates elements of steampunk, such as advanced technology powered by steam or clockwork. Dark and atmospheric settings, mysterious characters, and supernatural elements are common in gaslamp fantasy. Fantasy seamlessly blends with history, creating magical realism.

Steampunk Fantasy

Steampunk is a sci-fi subgenre with retro futuristic technology inspired by 19th-century machinery. Steampunk stories are set in fantasy worlds or alternative Victorian or American frontier histories with steam power.

Although similar, gas-lamp and steampunk have key differences. Gaslamp fantasy emphasizes historical setting, while steampunk focuses on advanced technology. Steampunk showcases fantastical technology while gas-lamp fantasy integrates technology into historical settings.

Gaslamp fantasy is like a historical drama with fantastical elements, while steampunk is like a futuristic adventure set in a historical period. Both subgenres offer unique and imaginative worlds, but with different emphases.

Sword and sorcery

Sword and sorcery is a fantasy subgenre with sword-wielding heroes in violent adventures. Romance, magic, and the supernatural are frequently included. Unlike high fantasy stories, the stakes are personal instead of world-endangering matters.

In sword and sorcery tales, morally gray characters engage in conflicts for personal gain or against tyranny.

Romantasy

Romantasy combines elements of fantasy and romance in storytelling. Relationships, both social and romantic, are central to romantic fantasy. A social media trend emerged in 2023 and 2024, with romantic fantasy novels, referred to as “romantasy,” gaining significant attention.

There’s a difference between “romantic fantasy” (where fantasy is key) and “fantasy romance” (where romance takes center stage) according to some publishers.

Final Thoughts

The fantasy genre has so many different worlds to explore, from epic to dark and gritty. By understanding the different sub-genres and their unique characteristics, you can better appreciate the complexities of this captivating genre.

It's not uncommon for fantasy novels to defy easy categorization, as they sometimes incorporate elements from multiple subgenres, creating a unique and captivating reading experience. It’s possible for a single book to have grand quests, mythical creatures, and grim elements, creating a fusion of high fantasy, epic fantasy, and dark fantasy. Similarly, a book that takes place in a contemporary city and includes supernatural elements can fall under both the genres of urban fantasy and paranormal fiction. The cool thing about fantasy is that authors can create unique and imaginative worlds without limits.

Whether you prefer the epic adventures of high fantasy or the grounded realism of low fantasy, there is a fantasy sub-genre out there to suit every taste.