What's Missing in Fantasy at the Moment?

[Kazz Wylde]

I agree with Polishgenius, there seems to be something for everybody. And me personally my tastes change or I should say I push myself to try new different things.

[Starchaser3000]

Sorry, what I said previously came out the wrong way. I meant more that the lack of innovation is to what is being represented on American film and TV today. You don't see any of these more unique setting fantasy stories there. Or at least I don't. Its still the same tired old dark age Europe cliche that SyFy channel has been spoon feeding for years.

[MoonDoggie]

I'll admit up front that I'm not as well read as many here, but here's something I'd like to see or discover in the fantasy genre.

A series which centers on mer-people. There are series which include mer-folk like Kate Forsyth's The Witches of Eileanan series and Jim Butcher has introduced Fomorians. But I'd like to see a series for adults that isn't romance which has them as the main focus.

I also agree with others about having more atypical leads. Different races, cultures, beliefs, etc.

[Mister]

I've posted a couple of times that I feel there's a lack of immersive, well-researched, non-European cultural fantasy. I've read most of those mentioned above, and I don't think any of them really qualify. I found a book that does, though.

Kara Dalkey's _Genpei_, based on 12th-century Japanese history as ASoIaF is based on York and Lancaster, has spells and ghosts and demons drawn from Japanese folklore. It's frequently shelved with historical fiction rather than fantasy, despite the magical elements. _Genpei_ has its flaws, and I have a hard time reading a prose style that seems like a conscious imitation of classical Japanese prose... which I have a hard time reading. But this niche, this intersection where historical fiction meets fantasy, deserves to be explored a lot more.

[Kazz Wylde]

I dont know, I'm reading Kameron Hurley's God's War right now, and she write some pretty kickass stuff!

[Starchaser3000]

Kara Dalkey's _Genpei_, based on 12th-century Japanese history as ASoIaF is based on York and Lancaster, has spells and ghosts and demons drawn from Japanese folklore. It's frequently shelved with historical fiction rather than fantasy, despite the magical elements. _Genpei_ has its flaws, and I have a hard time reading a prose style that seems like a conscious imitation of classical Japanese prose... which I have a hard time reading. But this niche, this intersection where historical fiction meets fantasy, deserves to be explored a lot more.

This sounds like an interesting read. Your description sounds like it could be translated into a great action/adventure anime. Ninja Scroll or Blood Reign Yoma come to mind. I think once there is a remote historical reference in these books it automatically becomes historical fiction, despite the fantasy elements included.

[Lord Pendragon]

I'd prefer more fantasy that blended stronger thought-provoking themes subtlely into their work, without overpowering the fantasy/adventure narrative.

What I mean by that is that there is plenty of fantasy that makes a Big Idea its point. But I find most of that overbearing and obnoxious. I have no interest in reading 400 pages of Terry Goodkind going off on his political views.

But I do enjoy a story that can deftly weave thought-provoking content into the fabric of an engaging story. Jennifer Roberson was a master of this, giving her readers the opportunity to consider feminism while in the mist of a story about magical swordsmen.

Recently, Martha Wells' novels "The Books of the Raksura" have gotten me thinking about physical dominance and how that informs the mannerisms seen between genders, all while giving me an amazingly engaging story about a tiny colony of flying shapechangers, magical boats, and cities built on the back of leviathans.

[Riothamus]

Culture!: I cannot stress this enough. Too many stories go without explaining one damn thing about a world's cultures or showing much diversity.

A Better Understanding of How Magic and Religion Work!: Jesus at least pick up a Wicca for dumbies book somewhere. The whole arcane/divine/ridiculous amounts of divisions in magic types has always irked me. Authors are missing out on an opportunity to add flavor to the world or add an extra level of mystery. Furthermore, polytheism does not equal a group of monotheistic cults! Yes a city state might have a patron deity, but they worship the deities as part of an INTEGRATED PANTHEON! It also irks me when authors decide to make everyone have the same religion. It drives me up a wall.

Themes, themes, themes!: I cannot stress this enough! Many of the greatest stories from all time from ancient myths to modern epics like Dune or the A Song of Ice and Fire series have themes! Stories just written because they sounded cool can become a terrible mess.

A setting other than the middle ages, the victorian era, or the present!: There are intervening eras of human history and those that came before. I've always been fascinated by the iron age myself. To me that is the most amazing time in human history.

A setting other than somewhere resembling Europe!: Now granted I like to write in more European style settings I still would like to read a good story/novel about nomadic Mongol like steppes tribe or something influenced by Yoruban mythology. We've been all over Europe essentially and it's starting to feel a little overdone.

[Loerwyn]

A Better Understanding of How Magic and Religion Work!: Jesus at least pick up a Wicca for dumbies book somewhere

Or, um, don't? Wicca is only like forty years old. There's much more out there about 'true' witchcraft, particularly in the sort of Mediaeval period in Europe. That stuff should really help with methods, ideals, social views, etc.

[Riothamus]

Or, um, don't? Wicca is only like forty years old. There's much more out there about 'true' witchcraft, particularly in the sort of Mediaeval period in Europe. That stuff should really help with methods, ideals, social views, etc.

It may only be forty years old but it is based on ancient things and it's more accessible because of the amount of material on it. A bare minimum is better than nothing. Though I am often disappointed by how little of an understanding my brothers and sisters really have of the old ways.

[Loerwyn]

It may only be forty years old but it is based on ancient things and it's more accessible because of the amount of material on it. A bare minimum is better than nothing. Though I am often disappointed by how little of an understanding my brothers and sisters really have of the old ways.

It's still a recent phenomenon. Might as well just avoid it and look at historical cases of witchcraft, how it's been viewed, customs and so on. You'll find so much more value there, and there's so much more material with a lot more variety.

[Riothamus]

It's still a recent phenomenon. Might as well just avoid it and look at historical cases of witchcraft, how it's been viewed, customs and so on. You'll find so much more value there, and there's so much more material with a lot more variety.

True very true. I still consider it source. I create cultures a massive amalgamation of ancient and more contemporary systems of beliefs and cultural patterns. Particular favorites of mine are the Celts, The Norse, Turkic ethnic groups (Mongols, Tatars, Yakuts etc.), ancient Israel, the Finnish peoples, Indian culture (as in India), ancient China, Japan, the Native Americans, ancient Greece, and the Yoruba people. I am fascinated by the beliefs of these peoples in particular. However I consider any belief or cultural phenomena a potential influence for variety's sake.