Elves & Fantasy Novels.......... - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

GollumsPrecious · 01-13-2002, 11:00 AM

Howdy...I've been taking a break from the Middle Earth stuff to read a bit of good old fantasy. The book I'm reading is a Terry Brooks one called "The Voice Of The Jerle Shannara (Book 1) - Isle Witch".

It's quite good but the question I have concerns Elves. This book features Elves and even refers to them as the first born. What is the deal with Elves ?

Do ALL fantasy authors call Elves, First Born ? Are all Elves in Fantasy novels basically the same sort of thing ? Basically I am trying to work out where the concept of an "Elf" started...I am assuming it must go way back into childrens fairy tales but is Toklkien's definition of them the one most modern day Fantasy authors use ? In other words is it an unwriten rule of Modern day fantasy that Elves were the first people around ?

Cheers....Paul.

01-13-2002, 11:00 AM	#1
GollumsPrecious Pile O'Bones Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: UK Posts: 21	Elves & Fantasy Novels.......... Howdy...I've been taking a break from the Middle Earth stuff to read a bit of good old fantasy. The book I'm reading is a Terry Brooks one called "The Voice Of The Jerle Shannara (Book 1) - Isle Witch". It's quite good but the question I have concerns Elves. This book features Elves and even refers to them as the first born. What is the deal with Elves ? Do ALL fantasy authors call Elves, First Born ? Are all Elves in Fantasy novels basically the same sort of thing ? Basically I am trying to work out where the concept of an "Elf" started...I am assuming it must go way back into childrens fairy tales but is Toklkien's definition of them the one most modern day Fantasy authors use ? In other words is it an unwriten rule of Modern day fantasy that Elves were the first people around ? Cheers....Paul. __________________ Ugluk u bagronk sha pushdug Saruman-glob bubhosh skai'...