Heroic fantasy

Heroic fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy which chronicles the tales of heroes in imaginary lands.

Characteristics

Frequently, the protagonist is reluctant to be a champion, and/or is of low or humble origin, may have royal ancestors or parents but does not know it. Though events are usually beyond their control, they are thrust into positions of great responsibility where their mettle is tested in a number of spiritual and physical challenges. Although it shares many of the basic themes of Sword and Sorcery the term 'Heroic fantasy' is often used to avoid the garish overtones of the former.

History

Evolution

Initially undistinguished from the other early fantasies of the Nineteenth and Twentieth centuries; pulp writer Robert E. Howard wrote short stories about a Barbarian Hero named Conan; with tales of fantastic adventure with 'a king-sized dose of the supernatural.' Other writers of note added to the still unnamed genre; William Morris, ER Eddison, Evangeline Walton, T.H. White (in his Once and Future King) and C. S. Lewis, heroic fantasy as a genre began to codify and accrue genre conventions following the upsurge of popularity of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, which led to an increase in popularity of fantasy fiction in general.

Heroic Fantasy (anthology)

Heroic Fantasy is an anthology of fantasy stories, edited by Gerald W. Page and Hank Reinhardt. It was first published in paperback by DAW Books in April 1979.

The book collects fourteen short stories and novelettes by various fantasy authors, together with an overall introduction by both editors and three essays on arms by Reinhardt alone.

Contents