High Fantasy
The basic defining tenet of high fantasy is that a fantasy story is set in an alternative fictional world, typically with magical elements. High fantasy is sometimes called epic fantasy, and some of the hallmarks of this subset of the fantasy genre include a high page count, lots of characters, usually a quest, and, most importantly, an alternative or secondary world as opposed to the real or primary world. With high fantasy, there are usual global stakes involved—you know, good versus evil, saving the world, and all that.
High Fantasy
Books to Check Out
Check out other high fantasy books here!
Low Fantasy
Low fantasy is another subgenre of fantasy. As opposed to high fantasy, low fantasy is set in an otherwise normal world. Some readers refer to low fantasy as intrusion fantasy since magical and fantastical elements intrude into the real world. Low fantasy is related to urban fantasy or contemporary fantasy, dark fantasy, magical realism, and paranormal genres. You’ll notice in these next books that all take place in the real world.
Low Fantasy Books to Check Out
Understanding the differences between high fantasy vs. low fantasy can help you figure out what kind of books you love reading. What are your favorite fantasy books?
