Uh-oh, it looks like your Internet Explorer is out of date.
For a better shopping experience, please upgrade now.

Overview
The rich and complex genre of fantasy fiction appeals to readers of all ages. Designed for readers' advisors and collection development specialists in public, school, and college libraries, this in-depth guide expands upon the material on fantasy fiction offered in Genreflecting. Herald offers a historical and structural overview of the genre, describes 15 subgenres and a score of variations within them, and lists the best and most current reads available in the fantasy arena. Descriptive entries contain information about pertinent review resources, bibliographies, criticism, awards, and organizations. An author/title and subject index help provide easy access to specific titles and authors and an appendix lists recommended fantasy titles for young adults. A must for readers' advisors and collection development specialists, this book will also be valuable to writers, researchers, bookstore owners, and dedicated fans of fantasy fiction.
Product Details
ISBN-13: | 9781563086557 |
---|---|
Publisher: | ABC-CLIO, Incorporated |
Publication date: | 06/15/1999 |
Series: | Genreflecting Advisory Series |
Pages: | 260 |
Product dimensions: | 7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.63(d) |
About the Author
Diana Tixier Herald, a former readers' advisory librarian, is program and outreach manager at Delta County Libraries, Delta, CO, and an author, readers' advisory consultant, workshop presenter, and speaker.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments | ix | |
Chapter 1 | Introduction | 1 |
What Is Fantasy? | 2 | |
Importance of Fantasy | 4 | |
Where Is Fantasy Going? | 5 | |
Scope and Purpose | 5 | |
Selection of Titles | 6 | |
Organization of the Book | 6 | |
Reviews and Resources for Librarians | 7 | |
The Nature of Fantasy Readers | 8 | |
Chapter 2 | Overview of the Genre | 9 |
Fantasy Conventions | 9 | |
History of the Fantasy Genre | 9 | |
Early Fantasy Authors | 11 | |
Chapter 3 | Sword and Sorcery | 15 |
Quest | 26 | |
Tolkien | 28 | |
Epic | 30 | |
Heroic | 37 | |
Wizards, Sorcerers, and Enchantresses | 42 | |
D's Picks | 47 | |
Chapter 4 | Saga, Myth, and Legend | 49 |
Arthurian Legend | 49 | |
Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest | 55 | |
Ancient Civilizations | 55 | |
Celtic Fantasy | 56 | |
The Americas | 60 | |
Asia | 60 | |
Europe | 61 | |
Africa and the Middle East | 63 | |
Byzantium | 63 | |
D's Picks | 63 | |
Chapter 5 | Fairy Tales | 65 |
The Familiar | 66 | |
Originals | 69 | |
Fairy Tale Short Stories | 71 | |
D's Picks | 72 | |
Chapter 6 | Humor | 73 |
D's Picks | 78 | |
Chapter 7 | A Bestiary | 79 |
Anthologies | 79 | |
Unicorns | 80 | |
Dragons | 81 | |
Uncommon Common Animals | 85 | |
D's Picks | 87 | |
Chapter 8 | World of Faerie | 89 |
D's Picks | 92 | |
Chapter 9 | Contemporary Fantasy | 93 |
Urban Fantasy | 93 | |
The Human Condition | 96 | |
Magic Realism | 98 | |
D's Picks | 100 | |
Chapter 10 | Alternate and Parallel Worlds | 101 |
Alternate History | 101 | |
Parallel Worlds | 106 | |
Alternate Worlds | 114 | |
D's Picks | 120 | |
Chapter 11 | Time Travel | 121 |
D's Picks | 123 | |
Chapter 12 | Paranormal Powers | 125 |
Psionic Powers | 125 | |
Shapeshifters | 133 | |
Immortality | 134 | |
Supernatural Beings | 135 | |
D's Picks | 136 | |
Chapter 13 | Graphic Novels | 137 |
D's Picks | 140 | |
Chapter 14 | Celebrity Characters | 141 |
D's Picks | 143 | |
Chapter 15 | Shared Worlds | 145 |
Shared World Series | 146 | |
Dungeons and Dragons and Other Role-Playing Game Worlds | 154 | |
Novels Based on Role-Playing Games | 155 | |
D's Picks | 155 | |
Chapter 16 | Dark Fantasy | 157 |
Weird Tales | 161 | |
D's Picks | 162 | |
Chapter 17 | Fantasy Featuring Detection | 163 |
D's Picks | 168 | |
Chapter 18 | Romantic Fantasy | 169 |
D's Picks | 171 | |
Chapter 19 | Short Stories | 173 |
Anthologies | 173 | |
Anthology Series | 177 | |
Collections | 178 | |
Chapter 20 | Resources | 181 |
Bibliographies and Biographies | 181 | |
Encyclopedia | 183 | |
Guides and Atlases | 183 | |
History and Criticism | 186 | |
Journals | 188 | |
Online Resources | 188 | |
Publishers | 190 | |
Organizations and Conventions | 192 | |
Awards | 193 | |
Fantasy Awards | 193 | |
SF and Fantasy Awards | 199 | |
Appendix A | The Vocabulary of Fantasy or Common Conventions | 201 |
Appendix B | The YALSA-BK Best Fantasy for YA List | 205 |
Appendix C | Recommended Core Collection | 209 |
References | 217 | |
Author/Title Index | 219 | |
Subject Index | 253 |