Modern Fantasy?

[Iridescence]

Hello, people. I just want to know what you think of "modern" fantasy--what I mean is fantasy happening in the current world. Well, not necessarily in this world, but in this time--ah, you know what I mean. If you don't like modern fantasy, what type of fantasy do you enjoy? Examples, examples, examples! ;)

[Bowie20049]

Modern fantasy is alright. I like it because it is slightly as realistic as fantasy could get. I prefer that and future fantasy, which could classify as science fiction

[Mercy]

I like modern fantasy, but a lot of it seems cliche and repetitive. But that could just be me. x.x

[Starry]

I like modern fantasy, but a lot of it seems cliche and repetitive. But that could just be me. x.x

I'd say that's true about most fantasy, actually. There's so much of it published and out there that's terrible, it's hard to find the good stuff.

I like modern fantasy when it's done right (which admittedly is not that often). Even when it is, a lot of the time modern fantasy is more based in Young Adult, which means it can get old pretty quickly.

[Crocolyle]

Read "The Wrong Side of the World" by Karissa Milbury. It's excellent. You have to order it off of Amazon (published by a small publishing house), but it is, in my opinion, probably one of the best contemporary fantasy novels out there.

If you like it, tell your friends. Get the word out.

http://www.amazon.com/Wrong-Side-World-Karissa-Milbury/dp/0979841372/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243654360&sr=8-1

I read a while ago. As soon as I get another copy of it, I'm going to reread it and post a review.

[Shaun]

Do you mean fantasy written today? I just want to be clear. Because "modern" is confusing. It either implies contemporary fantasy (written today) or urban fantasy (fantasy written in an urban, usually Earth present, setting--so cities with cars and then a wizard or werewolf or whatever).

[Crocolyle]

Based on her description of "modern fantasy," I think she means fantasy stories that take place in the present day--in our world or a world similar to ours. The genre right before fantasy crosses over into magical realism. To an extent Harry Potter, Twilight, the movie Labyrinth all fit this genre.

For the record, it's best not to use "modern" to describe anything besides technological advancements or Stone Age families (Flintsones, anyone?), otherwise it will be confused with the Modernist movement. People--hollow men--will ask pointless questions like "Do I dare eat a peach? Do I dare wear white flannel trousers and walk upon the beach?" Such questions will lead you to ask more poignant ones like "Why do I have to read Gertrude Stein or Virginia Woolf when both of them were talentless, arrogant hacks?"

[Shaun]

But Modernism is fun! /spam

[Crocolyle]

Q: How many surrealist painters does it take to change a lightbulb?

A: Three. One to hold the giraffe, the other to fill the bathtub with colorful machine tools.

But in all seriousness. I'm a fan of the modernist movement, and the importance it places on objectivity and nihilism, though I don't think the fantasy we're discussing fits. Though, you pretty much acknowledged that... so I'll shut my pie hole, and find a different orifice to open.

Scratch the last part, actually.

[Shaun]

I'm more into postmodernist texts now, to be honest, particularly because it's interesting how it deals with the subject of history. Read some Amitav Ghosh!

[Iridescence]

Sorry if I wasn't clear. What I meant by "modern" is contemporary--YA fiction, I guess you'd call it, or something of the sort. I asked because my story takes place in today's time, but most of it in a different world. The beginning is just a normal boy and his sister living in today's regular old Earth, the same Earth we live in, same time, everything. Well, it's more exciting than that, but I'll get back to you on that when I've got it all sorted out. =)

[Shaun]

Honestly, I enjoy most forms of fantasy. So long as the writing is good and the characters are interesting, I'll enjoy it.

[Rowenny]

Modern or as it is more commonly called- contemporary fantasy is my most favorite genre of stories! Almost all of my stories are set in contemporary fantasy style and I love reading books like that. :)

I'm not that much of a High fantasy fan, to tell you the truth. Tolkien is great, but not quite for me. :)

[saxophone]

hey writing my first two books and it is contemporary fantasy. I personally think that the the catch is to blend both sides together uniquely. In a manner acceptable to man minds which prompts the reader to really question the validity of your text and actually consider its reality.

[jcsk88]

Hey Iri! Keeping story characters and events in a context that is relevant to the current times and climates gives a certain degree of realism to the fantasy genre. I feel that there's a certain threshold of fantastical creation that should not be crossed, otherwise a story can end up too nonsensical. It's always good to involve the reader by having an aspect of the story that he or she can relate to, and current worldly happenings can be useful to make a story resonate at a more personal level.

You mentioned about your stories taking place in the same timeline as reality but in a different world altogether? I would think that the link to recent times would be less cumbersome than describing things/creatures that are completely alien in nature. I mean, it's harder to describe an alien creature without somehow referencing, say, a dog. Yet, in the world you've created, a dog probably would not exist/ would be called something else, right? I think I'm diverging from your original question, so I shan't muddle the thread any further :P.