My take on fantasy with love, hope and adventure; that is, good-hearted characters striving to make their world better, forging close bonds through their exploits.
Sometimes I get a thrill of excitement when I start reading a fantasy novel. It’s that buzz of anticipation that the book I’ve picked up is going to be filled with all my favourite things — that is, a blend of love, hope and adventure.
Hope and adventure
One of the things I love about quest fantasy is the chance for me (as the reader) to head off on an adventure through a fantastical world. Especially if it’s with a band of companions who forge strong ties through their exploits.
I love the grandeur and scope of an epic quest. And I also love intrigue and revelations and renegades… mysteries, investigations and tough choices.
On the flip side, I don’t like things too grim. Or dark. Or grimdark. That’s not to say I want only cotton candy and sunbeams. But I’m not a fan of relentlessly bleak.
There needs to be hope. Something worth fighting for. (Yep, I am one hundred percent more Lord of the Rings than Game of Thrones.)
And there absolutely must be characters I can relate to, cheer for, become invested in. Please give me characters with good hearts.
This is why the ‘hopepunk’ movement resonates with me — where characters fight for positive change, radical kindness, and communal responses to challenges. Also ’noblebright’ in which intrinsically good characters make a difference in their world and society through actions defined by honesty, integrity, and self-sacrifice.
Love and romantasy
I’ve always gravitated towards fantasy featuring a love story alongside all the adventure and adversity. (Cue my old favourites from the 1990s–2000s.*)
In my favourite ‘old school’ fantasy novels, the romantic subplots are important. They were often the thing that kept me reading long into the night, waiting for the payoff. They were also unmistakably subsidiary to the main plot.
Romance in fantasy has changed with the rise of the romantic fantasy or ‘romantasy’ sub-genre, which combines an epic fantasy story with a central romance that drives much of the plot. These books tend to have what I’m calling a ‘romantic gaze’ (often accompanied by detailed intimate scenes), which is quite different to the fantasy love stories of old.
Romantasy is hugely popular — probably the biggest selling fantasy genre at present. But it’s not for everyone. I’ve seen many readers requesting fantasy recommendations with ’zero romance’. I suspect this is a reaction to a market swamped by romantasy, and I find it sad. I hope the fantasy genre doesn’t end up polarised into romantasy vs zero-romance. There is room for a middle ground.
On the whole, I’m all for romantic plots sharing the limelight; they’re often my favourite and most memorable aspect of a fantasy novel. But I also believe a central love story can unfold in an understated way, without a heavy romantic gaze.
My writing
So, if ‘fantasy with love, hope and adventure’ is what I want to read… is it also what I write?
Absolutely.
I draw a lot of my story inspiration from the urge to explore my fantastical world. My characters explore the world on my behalf — having adventures, overcoming challenges, learning about themselves and each other.
And, of course, falling in love.
My stories are set in an epic world, but they focus on people rather than epic events. I write about characters pursuing personal goals in the face of adversity, rather than conflicts involving evil monarchs or malevolent deities. (That’s not to say I’ll never write a story in which the world is in peril…)
My pending debut fantasy novel, Beyond the Humming Downs, kicks off with a love story that is the catalyst for everything that comes after. There are strong romantic overtones, but it was never intended to be a romance and it isn’t romantasy.
It has ‘earth magic’, breaking rules, betrayals, exile, fighting for justice and equality.
It’s fantasy with love, hope and adventure.
* Old favourites from the 1990s and 2000s:
Post updated: October 2024