Romantic fantasy

Romantic fantasy

Romantic fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy fiction that is set in a romanticised fantastical world, centering on the development of the relationships, social, political, platonic and romantic, of a number of protagonists. [http://bluerose.greenronin.com/blue_rose_devlog_entry.php?id=54_0_15_0 Blue Rose Visions: A Developer's Journal ] ] . It's use of the word does not refer to a genre focus on amorous relationships. Importantly, though romance may play "a key part of the story, it does not subsume plot, characterization, and world building." [http://bestfantasybooks.com/subreads.html]

Some feel that "the borderline between fantasy romance and romantic fantasy has essentially ceased to exist, or if it's still there, it's moving back and forth constantly." [ [http://www.dondammassa.com/r2.htm Fantasy Reviews ] ] , however these commentators often ignore the importance romantic fantasy places on character-driven plot rather than romance-driven plot. Romantic fantasy doesn't always have to have a happy ending for the main romantic couple, such as in Mercedes Lackey's Burning Brightly, which is the defining feature of romance novels. [ [http://www.likesbooks.com/hea.html All About Romance Novels - The HEA Ending: Part I ] ] The happy ending is considered by readers of romance novels "the most important tenet of romance" and irritation results when it is not upheld. [ [http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php/weblog/author_rant_series_vs_romance_do_the_same_rules_apply/ Romance Novel Reviews - Smart Bitches: Come for the Dominican Bitches, Stay for the Man Titty ] ] [ [http://www.writemindedblog.com/?p=669 WriteMinded » The highly revered HEA ] ] [ [http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/2007/01/09/why-mislabeling-will-hurt-new-authors-or-the-one-where-jane-broke-her-ipaq-hurling-a-book-against-the-wal/ Why Mislabeling Will Hurt New Authors (or The One Where Jane Broke Her IPAQ Hurling a Book Against the Wall) | Dear Author: Romance Book Reviews, Author Interviews, and Commentary ] ]

Romantic fantasy has been published by both fantasy lines and romance lines. "Some publishers distinguish between "romantic fantasy" where the romance is most important and "fantasy romance" where the fantasy elements are most important." [ [http://web.utk.edu/~wrobinso/590_lec_fan.html IS 590: A Few Thoughts on the Fantasy Genre ] ]

"Attitudes toward magic in romantic fantasy are usually very different from that expressed in most high fantasy or sword and sorcery. Rather than representing an alien and corrupting force that destroys its practitioners, or a complex, secretive body of lore that isolates magicians from normal society via long study and seclusion, magic typically takes the form of innate abilities that are natural and simple to use, sometimes described as psychic talents like empathy or precognition, sometimes oriented towards affinity for or control of a particular natural element (such as the four classical Greek elements, fire, air, earth and water). Magic is thus presented in the narrative as an innate and positive part of someone's nature, and by extension a "natural" part of the world; fear of these abilities is often depicted as a reaction born of ignorance, poor guidance, or evil."

Common plot archetypes

#A teenager, typically either from an overly strict or abusive family (or alternately from a family or a village that has been slain by bandits or monsters) runs away and discovers that she possess either magical or psychic powers and a glorious destiny. This destiny often involves saving a city, kingdom, or other large group from harm by a powerful villain or a dangerous monster.
#A somewhat older person, often a minor noble or someone who has recently lost a loved one and has left her previous home in search of a new life (this character is also frequently a magician or psychic) either overthrows an usurper or saves her kingdom from outside invasion. Such characters are rarely warriors, and normally uncover the plots through a combination of intrigue, luck, and use of their powers. In the course of this adventure, the character typically falls in love and, by the end of the novel or at least by the end of the series, her lover becomes their life-partner. The complexities of this romance form a significant focus in these novels.
#In a time of troubles, a group of adolescents or adults are drawn together through circumstance and destiny to form a group or organization that is larger than the sum of its parts. Generally, these young people are outcasts, orphans, or people on the fringes of society. Most or all of these people also possess some form of special powers. The groups' special powers sometimes form a complementary set, such as a group comprising four people each of whom has the ability to command one of the four classical elements. These characters eventually find friendship, community, and sometimes love with the others in their newly formed group. This group frequently ends up either overthrowing the current social order (often to restore it to the realm's previous idyllic state) or overcoming some threat that no one else is aware of or able to face.

Character development

Characters may start as solitary wanderers in romantic fantasy, but they never remain that way for long. One of the key features of romantic fantasy involves the focus on social, and to a lesser extent, political relationships. The characters all find close friends, lovers, and other companions with whom they either live or travel, as well as a larger social circle where they all belong. In addition, many character have significant ties with the larger world. Many of these characters have noble titles, or a sworn duty to their kingdom. The rootless travelers of sword and sorcery novels are rarely found in romantic fantasy.

"Romantic fantasy protagonists do often begin their journey by escaping an abusive or oppressive environment, but their goal is not to become free from all social ties. Instead, most characters are looking for a new community or social group where they truly belong. Being part of a supportive social group is considered far superior to being even the most independent and competent loner. Finding (or on occasion helping to create) a new social group where the character fits in and is happy is considered much better than attempting to force their previous group to change -- significant changes of opinion and practice are argued to be more beneficial and effective if they happen gradually, and develop from within rather than being imposed. While it often remains necessary for enemies to be defeated by direct violent confrontation, diplomatic resolution of conflict is considered superior to raw force; many stories contain, in addition to the primary (and usually most explicitly "evil" antagonist) a subsidiary or secondary antagonist with more sympathetic motivations, and who is eventually converted to an ally through negotiation and diplomacy."

Examples of Romantic Fantasy

*Diane Duane's "The Door into Fire" (1979)
*Diane Duane's "The Door into Shadow" (1984)
*Diane Duane's "The Door into Sunset" (1992)

*Elizabeth A. Lynn's "The Watchtower" (1979)
*Elizabeth A. Lynn's "The Dancers of Arun" (1979)
*Elizabeth A. Lynn's "The Northern Girl" (1980)

*Mercedes Lackey's "Arrows of the Queen" (1987)
*Mercedes Lackey's "Arrows Flight" (1987)
*Mercedes Lackey's "Arrows Fall" (1988)
*Mercedes Lackey's "Magic's Pawn" (1989)
*Mercedes Lackey's "Magic's Promise" (1990)
*Mercedes Lackey's "Magic's Price" (1990)

*Tamora Pierce's "Wild Magic" (1992)
*Tamora Pierce's "Wolf-Speaker" (1994)
*Tamora Pierce's "Emperor Mage" (1995)
*Tamora Pierce's "Realms of the Gods" (1996)

*Roberta Gellis' "Dazzling Brightness" (1994)
*Roberta Gellis' "Shimmering Splendor" (1995)

*Elizabeth Kerner's "Song in the Silence" (1997)
*Elizabeth Kerner's "The Lesser Kindred" (2001)
*Elizabeth Kerner's "Redeeming the Lost" (2004)

*Kristen Britain's "The Green Rider" (1998)
*Kristen Britain's "First Rider's Call" (2003)

*Wen Spencer's "Tinker" (2003)

*Catherine Asaro's "The Charmed Sphere" (2004)
*Catherine Asaro's "The Misted Cliffs " (2005)

*Green Ronin Publishing's "Blue Rose (RPG)" (2005)

*Leslie Ann Moore's "Griffin's Daughter" (2007)

References

External links

* [http://bluerose.greenronin.com/blue_rose_devlog_entry.php?id=54_0_15_0]


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