The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Do most fantasy novel nowadays have traceable elements of Tolkienism in them?

blantyr · 03-03-2013, 02:14 PM

I'd also note that much of fantasy writing has hopped off the Tolkien themes entirely. Modern urban fantasy set in the current day is awfully common. Charles de Lint with Moonheart and many similar books might be an early proponent of the subgenera. Of late, and more cliched, we have had Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Twilight with it's vampire werewolf conflict. The leading character is often female and a quite competent combatant. There is generally a strong romance element, borrowing the love-hate style familiar to those who have touched regency romance. If werewolves and vampires have been over done, one can find angels, demons, furies and any other similar sort of beast. The powers and abilities of the heroine might change, but the themes and style of the work doesn't. I've recently discovered mermaids have become a popular theme in the young adult market.

There are still books exploring the fringes of the territory established by Tolkien, but an awful lot of the market is chasing an entirely different set of cliches. I suspect many in this group might find Tolkienesque writing a higher class of thing than the typical modern vampire story, but younger readers, judging from sales and market share, might find the urban fantasy style work speaks more to the world they are growing up in.

While there is common ground between Frodo and Buffy, I don't see the two styles as aspects of the same genera. The rules and traditions seem distinctly different.

03-03-2013, 02:14 PM	#9
blantyr Wight Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Settling down in Bree for the winter. Posts: 208	Modern Urban I'd also note that much of fantasy writing has hopped off the Tolkien themes entirely. Modern urban fantasy set in the current day is awfully common. Charles de Lint with Moonheart and many similar books might be an early proponent of the subgenera. Of late, and more cliched, we have had Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Twilight with it's vampire werewolf conflict. The leading character is often female and a quite competent combatant. There is generally a strong romance element, borrowing the love-hate style familiar to those who have touched regency romance. If werewolves and vampires have been over done, one can find angels, demons, furies and any other similar sort of beast. The powers and abilities of the heroine might change, but the themes and style of the work doesn't. I've recently discovered mermaids have become a popular theme in the young adult market. There are still books exploring the fringes of the territory established by Tolkien, but an awful lot of the market is chasing an entirely different set of cliches. I suspect many in this group might find Tolkienesque writing a higher class of thing than the typical modern vampire story, but younger readers, judging from sales and market share, might find the urban fantasy style work speaks more to the world they are growing up in. While there is common ground between Frodo and Buffy, I don't see the two styles as aspects of the same genera. The rules and traditions seem distinctly different.