Fantasy isn’t just Magic and Monsters
I write fantasy, just in case you hadn’t realised. It’s a genre I love and constantly dive into for a good read. But even after the popularity of romantasy and grimdark (dark fantasy) in recent years, I still see fantasy being dismissed by many readers. I’ve even met with that dismissal personally when asked what I write. I don’t think it’s because those readers lack whimsy or imagination. I think it has much more to do with assumptions they make about fantasy as a genre. They assume that all fantasy stories:
- exist in a medieval/old world setting like Lord of the Rings
- come with a heavy dose of romance like A Court of Thorns and Roses
- stand apart from sci fi and technology
- feature magical monsters and gods
- concentrate on the adventure at the expense of character development
While there are plenty of fantasy novels that include some of the above elements, that isn’t always the case. In fact, I’d argue that fantasy is mainly about something completely different to magic, monsters, and castles.
What is fantasy really about?
At its heart, I don’t think fantasy is about magic at all. I think it’s actually about people. They’re often ordinary people in extraordinary situations, but they’re still people who feel and react and suffer just like you and me.
Fantasy may give us dragons, enchantments, and adventurous quests, but those are only ever the top surface of the tale. Beneath that, the story is always driven by something much more familiar and human: courage, belonging, grief, love, loyalty, the search for home, and the desire to protect the people we care about. Magic simply builds on what is at stake.
Think of The Lord of the Rings. There are epic battles, terrifying monsters, and ancient powers, but the heart of the story is about friendship, hope, and the cost of carrying a heavy burden.
In The Witcher book series, there are more of those epic battles, so many monsters (some good and some bad), and a group of men who have changed themselves to help a world that shuns them. At its core though, the Witcher is about found family and the unseen consequences of decisions we make for the best of reasons.
When I work on the Haven Chronicles, the hidden magic and strange corners of that world are the backdrop but the story always comes back to the people living there. Their relationships, their decisions, and the ways they learn and grow are where the real heart of the series lies.
That’s why I think fantasy is so often misunderstood. The surface is dazzling with its spells, monsters, and impossible landscapes but the emotional truth of those stories is universal. You don’t need to know how a magic system works to understand a character’s fear, hope, or determination. You don’t need to believe in dragons to recognise what it means to face something overwhelming and choose to keep going anyway.
In my eyes, fantasy may wear the vestments of magic and monsters but it’s really a way to explore what it means to be human.
