Comments on: Do You Notice When There’s Reality in Your Fantasy?

By: Paul G. Tremblay

Paul G. Tremblay — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:54:27 +0000

Well said, Jeff. While I’m sure that some read fantasy for the proverbial escape, I’m in the camp of believing the best fantasy fiction (or fiction in general) informs my reality. Or, I think it’s the job of a fantasy author to teach me something I didn’t know about the real world.

To quote Homer Simpson: Stupid reality…

By: Adam

Adam — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:53:20 +0000

Funny you should bring that up, because I just finished reading Joe Haldeman’s “The Forever War” again. It;’s definitely based on his own Vietnam experiences, and I wrote up a quick review of it for a website I write for as a Veteran’s Day feature.

I do think that real-world parallels are tough, though. You can’t make it too obvious and write a story about an empire called Araq being invaded and occupied by an empire called Imerica and expect people not to see through it. If it’s TOO topical, it becomes worth less, I think, than something that merely takes a situation and explores it with more freedom than a political documentary would have, or even a fictional story set in the very real situation. Then there’s the danger of Mary Sues, and all that nonsense.

But fantasy certainly does allow a freedom to explore situations, political elements or any kind of topic without the fear of becoming preachy or polaric.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:33:14 +0000

Great post! I don’t know how anyone would be able to write without, on some level, drawing from their worldview, their ethos, or their past experiences. All that stuff informs our imaginations, no? In fact, I think that’s what makes for the most enriching fantasy out there. That’s what makes it easier to slip into a story and stay there.