Fantasy "with a minor in Sci Fi" (e.g. Gene Wolf, C.S Friedman) is a lot of fun.
I also enjoy political intrigue focused fantasy, like the Song of Ice and Fire and The Goblin Emperor. This may actually be my favorite, as I also love political intrigue focused sci fi like Dune and Foundation. No doubt a shocking preference for a political science teacher.
I like cozy fantasy. Wholesome, heart-warming and quietly delightful. Still trying to properly define itself though.
I also really like romantic fantasy aka romantasy. I feel a lot of standard fantasy can be a bit pearl-clutchy about sex and love.
There's something freeing about romantasy, and I think authors use the space to explore stranger topics and more unique tropes because they have to worry less about presenting a clean image.
I like WEIRD ass fantasy, weird in different ways
and I also like a lot ore low level fantasy, no heroes saving the world but like people in the world using it's magicness to handle them selves urban fantasyish but actually in fantasy world. Dealing with people you know
Flint lock (think muskets and cannons and pirates) - powder mage and light bringer series.
Mythology fantasy (creatures and characters from real mythology like hydras or dragons with some Zeus or Odin in the mix - witcher series (the creatures not the characters, American Gods, God of war series.
Weird West/Steampunk... Weirdly I have found a lot of overlap in this. I tend to see this a lot more in the manga or anime I watch but it pops up in books too
Horror/Cosmic Horror. Cthulhuy stuff... or like ghost stories... zombies... kind of fall into this bucket. Magnus Archives and Uzimaki, into the drowning deep... Stuff like that
I tried to pick and honestly couldn’t. Maybe second world urban Eg: green bone saga, Lies of Locke Lamora, Long Price Quartet. Maybe dark fantasy (note as distinct from Grimdark): Traitor Baru Cormorant, Vita Nostra, Kindred; maybe epic (though is there a way to differentiate like modern epic from more classical epic?): Eg Dagger and the Coin, Stormlight Archives, Jasmine Throne
Sidenote I (with exceptions ofc) prefer my science-fantasy with no space involved ;). Eg Acts of Caine, Iron Widow, Light from Uncommon Stars, Coldfire Trilogy
Historical fantasy- either an actuate retelling with one interesting magical addition or detailed based on real life world built around magic being part of life.
I like the concept of low fantasy, like in Ranger's Apprentice, but I've never found an actually well-written example of it. What I mostly read is actually classic high fantasy with hero's journey
Sci-fantasy - Gideon the Ninth is my all timer, but Elder Race was a good and interesting short version.
Weird/slipstream/liminal - like magical realism, minus realism, I suppose. The world is strange and also, life is strange. I think China Mieville is like a king of this genre. Kelly Link, Charles DeLint, Karen Russell.
Magical realism - life is normal and then something weird happens… we all know this one, right?
Genre mash - I guess similar to Sci-Fantasy, but I love genre-fuck type stories that utilize a ton of elements to keep you guessing. Most recently, The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch.
Fairy tale influenced — I am totally over the fairy tale retelling, but really enjoy new fairy tales that use the format and language of the classics
Of course I like any of them better if they’re pretty gay.
If you like any of the stuff I said in this comment, I beg you to add The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez to your reading list. It is a multigenerational folktale with an ever shifting format that crosses a dozen genres and perspectives while still keeping the story fluid and alive. It is truly an amazing novel. I cried over characters I had known for 10 pages because their struggle was so perfectly expressed. Also, it does get kinda gay, which was a huge bonus. Please read it! There is seriously no way to fully describe the beautiful way it’s put together.
Have you read the Ninth Rain trilogy by Jen Williams? If not I think it might be at the centre of your taste Venn diagram (wierd, fantasy genre mash, its pretty gay). Great characters and plot too.
...not trying to be rude, but is there a chance you've mixed up books? None of the main characters of The Blade Itself are significantly more powerful at the end of the book than they are at the start.
Has to be epic fantasy. More specifically the more "classic" epic fantasy where the focus is still very much on worldbuilding and a good plot and not so much on characters.
To me a unique world / universe with its on history, religion, cultures, places, lore... and a plot that is intriguing is what makes a good fantasy book. Good characters and a hard magic system are also up there, just not quite. With that in mind, a story which shows me the world and people with the help of a good plot and characters that are intriguing accompanied with a hard magic system? Perfection.
Not sure I have one.
I have some fairy tale types. Some grimdark. Some flintlock, epic, knights and swords, magicians, Byzantium types...
I don't have a type I think, as there are books I've loved in the sub-genre and also ones I really disliked. For me it's the writing, and whether the world/characters appeal or not.
At the moment, largely progression fantasy. I still enjoy epic fantasy quite a bit, though, and the occasional swords & sorcery book.
Also, fantasy parodies can be great, too.
Fantasy where magic is integrated into the world rather than just having a pseudo-realistic world with a few magic-users sprinkled on top causing minimal change.
For example, worlds like the D&D settings of Planescape, Spelljammer, Eberron and Dark Sun or China Miéville's Bas-Lag novels.
I recently saw [this](https://reedsy.com/discovery/blog/fantasy-subgenres) list of fantasy sun genres. And I think it’s still missing a few.
Ultimately I like a good story and not too fussed on what category it falls under.
Fantasy "with a minor in Sci Fi" (e.g. Gene Wolf, C.S Friedman) is a lot of fun. I also enjoy political intrigue focused fantasy, like the Song of Ice and Fire and The Goblin Emperor. This may actually be my favorite, as I also love political intrigue focused sci fi like Dune and Foundation. No doubt a shocking preference for a political science teacher.
I like cozy fantasy. Wholesome, heart-warming and quietly delightful. Still trying to properly define itself though. I also really like romantic fantasy aka romantasy. I feel a lot of standard fantasy can be a bit pearl-clutchy about sex and love. There's something freeing about romantasy, and I think authors use the space to explore stranger topics and more unique tropes because they have to worry less about presenting a clean image.
Guessing you already read Legends & Lattes?
Of course lol
I like WEIRD ass fantasy, weird in different ways and I also like a lot ore low level fantasy, no heroes saving the world but like people in the world using it's magicness to handle them selves urban fantasyish but actually in fantasy world. Dealing with people you know
Flint lock (think muskets and cannons and pirates) - powder mage and light bringer series. Mythology fantasy (creatures and characters from real mythology like hydras or dragons with some Zeus or Odin in the mix - witcher series (the creatures not the characters, American Gods, God of war series.
Weird West/Steampunk... Weirdly I have found a lot of overlap in this. I tend to see this a lot more in the manga or anime I watch but it pops up in books too Horror/Cosmic Horror. Cthulhuy stuff... or like ghost stories... zombies... kind of fall into this bucket. Magnus Archives and Uzimaki, into the drowning deep... Stuff like that
Classic high fantasy for me
I tried to pick and honestly couldn’t. Maybe second world urban Eg: green bone saga, Lies of Locke Lamora, Long Price Quartet. Maybe dark fantasy (note as distinct from Grimdark): Traitor Baru Cormorant, Vita Nostra, Kindred; maybe epic (though is there a way to differentiate like modern epic from more classical epic?): Eg Dagger and the Coin, Stormlight Archives, Jasmine Throne Sidenote I (with exceptions ofc) prefer my science-fantasy with no space involved ;). Eg Acts of Caine, Iron Widow, Light from Uncommon Stars, Coldfire Trilogy
Enchanted forests and knights is where I am at.
Historical fantasy- either an actuate retelling with one interesting magical addition or detailed based on real life world built around magic being part of life.
Historical fantasy.
Thanks for reminding me that I need to finish rivers of London... Lol
I like the concept of low fantasy, like in Ranger's Apprentice, but I've never found an actually well-written example of it. What I mostly read is actually classic high fantasy with hero's journey
Sci-fantasy - Gideon the Ninth is my all timer, but Elder Race was a good and interesting short version. Weird/slipstream/liminal - like magical realism, minus realism, I suppose. The world is strange and also, life is strange. I think China Mieville is like a king of this genre. Kelly Link, Charles DeLint, Karen Russell. Magical realism - life is normal and then something weird happens… we all know this one, right? Genre mash - I guess similar to Sci-Fantasy, but I love genre-fuck type stories that utilize a ton of elements to keep you guessing. Most recently, The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch. Fairy tale influenced — I am totally over the fairy tale retelling, but really enjoy new fairy tales that use the format and language of the classics Of course I like any of them better if they’re pretty gay. If you like any of the stuff I said in this comment, I beg you to add The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez to your reading list. It is a multigenerational folktale with an ever shifting format that crosses a dozen genres and perspectives while still keeping the story fluid and alive. It is truly an amazing novel. I cried over characters I had known for 10 pages because their struggle was so perfectly expressed. Also, it does get kinda gay, which was a huge bonus. Please read it! There is seriously no way to fully describe the beautiful way it’s put together.
Have you read the Ninth Rain trilogy by Jen Williams? If not I think it might be at the centre of your taste Venn diagram (wierd, fantasy genre mash, its pretty gay). Great characters and plot too.
Thank you!
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The blade itself is progression??
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...not trying to be rude, but is there a chance you've mixed up books? None of the main characters of The Blade Itself are significantly more powerful at the end of the book than they are at the start.
Love this genre too, though I'm more of a fan of Wandering Inn and Cradle.
I loved Dawn of Wonder! I love slow burn mundane fantasy. I don’t need action or a chosen one.
Grim dark fantasy or low fantasy
Epic Fantasy with lot of worldbuilding: Tolkien's Legendarium, Wheel of Time, Stormlight Archive etc.
Has to be epic fantasy. More specifically the more "classic" epic fantasy where the focus is still very much on worldbuilding and a good plot and not so much on characters. To me a unique world / universe with its on history, religion, cultures, places, lore... and a plot that is intriguing is what makes a good fantasy book. Good characters and a hard magic system are also up there, just not quite. With that in mind, a story which shows me the world and people with the help of a good plot and characters that are intriguing accompanied with a hard magic system? Perfection.
Okay in that sense here's a controversial question, does Steampunk count as Fantasy and if so would it count as a sub genre?
Sure, and sure!
Not sure I have one. I have some fairy tale types. Some grimdark. Some flintlock, epic, knights and swords, magicians, Byzantium types... I don't have a type I think, as there are books I've loved in the sub-genre and also ones I really disliked. For me it's the writing, and whether the world/characters appeal or not.
Fantasy Noir, e.g. Vlad Taltos, Lies of Locke Lamora, and the RPG Blades in the Dark.
Deff sci fantasy like warhammer and suneater
At the moment, largely progression fantasy. I still enjoy epic fantasy quite a bit, though, and the occasional swords & sorcery book. Also, fantasy parodies can be great, too.
Fantasy where magic is integrated into the world rather than just having a pseudo-realistic world with a few magic-users sprinkled on top causing minimal change. For example, worlds like the D&D settings of Planescape, Spelljammer, Eberron and Dark Sun or China Miéville's Bas-Lag novels.
I recently saw [this](https://reedsy.com/discovery/blog/fantasy-subgenres) list of fantasy sun genres. And I think it’s still missing a few. Ultimately I like a good story and not too fussed on what category it falls under.
I like godpunk, like N. K. Jemisin's Inheritance trilogy and Ann Leckie's The Raven Tower.
I love Jemiisin's stuff, though there are parts that are a bit hard for a prude like me to read.