When does fantasy become historical?

[Juliana]

I didn't get sent to live with a wizard

Well, damn!

 

[Don Coyote]

A historical novel is based on actual events and historical figures. Once you add the fantasy aspect, it's no longer historical regardless of what period it's set in.

What "sub genre" is Stranger Things? It's set in the 80s.

Does your story have a "coming of age" theme?

 

[AnyaKimlin]

A historical novel is based on actual events and historical figures. Once you add the fantasy aspect, it's no longer historical regardless of what period it's set in.

Historical fantasy is a sub genre. They don't seem to always revolve around actual events and historical figures. Outlander sucks when it comes to realism.

What "sub genre" is Stranger Things? It's set in the 80s.

Sci Fi Horror according to Wikipedia.

Does your story have a "coming of age" theme?

Enough to call it YA - although I'd rather not.

 

[Karn's Return]

I know this is too late (and I think going with YA fantasy was a good call), but I was listening to a podcast a while back where the agent being interviewed was talking about how even a book set in the 90s is considered historical. I can't remember which podcast or episode (I listen to a lot of them), but that stuck with me because wow, way to make me feel old!

Aside from the fact that I'm in that same boat, Juliana-I was born in 1986 so I was a child of the 90s-the idea of a generation in terms of time is roughly 30 years, I've come across in the past, and as a result, 90s decade is starting to become historical due to a new generation of adults who never experienced the world in the 90s are out there, henceforth.


But when does fantasy become historical? It's coming dangerously close. Martin had a few points in his favor in his great epic remaining fantasy, but, I honestly think the removal of magic as a general concept is a heavy blow to the genre. (I don't think there were really any mages/wizards/sorcerers in the series, and the gods are apparently all dead, but who knows, perhaps I'm totally wrong on it.)


Point being, the removal of new, created worlds in favor of urbanizing the genre-hence the sub-genre urban fantasy-that's another pretty serious blow, but it's often balanced by introducing fantastical species and abilities to compensate. That said, it's certainly getting further and further away from the days of Tolkein and early editions of DnD...and it's up to you, whether or not that's a good thing. Personally, I have to say, I don't think it really is. It might be widening the genre to others, but that's also, in my eyes, corrupting it. Molding it into something that loses its charm to me, just another sludge of pop culture to be chewed up and spat out. (I mean, anyone remember Twilight? Really, people?) Apparently nothing can be sacred anymore.

 

[AnyaKimlin]

Point being, the removal of new, created worlds in favor of urbanizing the genre-hence the sub-genre urban fantasy-that's another pretty serious blow, but it's often balanced by introducing fantastical species and abilities to compensate. That said, it's certainly getting further and further away from the days of Tolkein and early editions of DnD...and it's up to you, whether or not that's a good thing. Personally, I have to say, I don't think it really is. It might be widening the genre to others, but that's also, in my eyes, corrupting it. Molding it into something that loses its charm to me, just another sludge of pop culture to be chewed up and spat out. (I mean, anyone remember Twilight? Really, people?) Apparently nothing can be sacred anymore.

I write whatever fit the stories but I have never been good at sticking to genre conventions I have created my own world but I want to set a series of stories in the North of Scotland with a North West England voice.

I don't have any vampires let alone sparkling ones - the whole necrophilia thing isn't for me.

 

[BT Jones]

I would tend to agree that the second you add fantasy, it ceases to become a historical piece.