When you name certain genres of literature, most people will always think of a handful of authors who are synonymous with that genre. Mention 'horror', for instance, and people think of Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and maybe Stephen King. In the case of classic fantasy novels, the two names that are always mentioned are those of J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis.
The defining characteristic of fantasy is that it's about things that don't exist in reality. Witches or wizards turn people into toads, dragons terrorize kingdoms and fairies help or hinder someone's journey through life. Ever since people started telling stories, they made up stories that included elements of the fantastical. Think about the myths of ancient Greece or the tales Scheherazade spun to entertain the king and save her own life during the 'Arabian Nights'.
The ancient stories very often acted as inspiration for authors who came later. J. R. R. Tolkien, probably the most influential of these authors, used to translate some of these stories, including 'Beowulf', from the Old English while he taught English literature. Tolkien was born in Southern Africa but was raised in England, where his parents were from. He began writing his most famous works soon after World War I, in which he had served and had been wounded.
Most people remember Tolkien for the stories he created himself. He invented a world that he named Middle Earth and even invented a unique language for some of his characters. 'The Hobbit' was the story that really started it all and even though it was originally written for children, it became so popular with older readers that he created a darker sequel, 'The Lord of the Rings', which then became fantasy's definitive work.
The other author indelibly linked to the genre is C. S. Lewis, who was born in Belfast. Lewis spent much of his youth in English boarding schools and later lived and worked in England. He was wounded in World War I as well and also taught literature at various universities, including Oxford. It's probably no surprise then that he and Tolkien were good friends.
Lewis dabbled in different genres, including science fiction. However, he was also fascinated by legends and myths. These, along with Christian themes, inspired his classic series 'The Chronicles of Narnia', in which the main characters enter a magical realm through a wardrobe.
The popular works by Tolkien and Lewis were turned into stunning, award-winning films in the past two decades. People who'd never really liked fiction before were inspired to read the books after they'd seen the movies and before long, fantasy as a genre became wildly popular. Other authors created new works of fiction set in fantastical realms, such as Westeros in George R. R. Martin's 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series and Discworld in the eponymous series by Terry Pratchett.
Before the revival of the genre, these books were often grouped with the sci-fi books or even the children's books. Now you'll find that most bookstores and libraries have dedicated sections just for fantasy books. If you want an even wider choice, order the books online or download them as e-books for a wonderful escape from reality.
The defining characteristic of fantasy is that it's about things that don't exist in reality. Witches or wizards turn people into toads, dragons terrorize kingdoms and fairies help or hinder someone's journey through life. Ever since people started telling stories, they made up stories that included elements of the fantastical. Think about the myths of ancient Greece or the tales Scheherazade spun to entertain the king and save her own life during the 'Arabian Nights'.
The ancient stories very often acted as inspiration for authors who came later. J. R. R. Tolkien, probably the most influential of these authors, used to translate some of these stories, including 'Beowulf', from the Old English while he taught English literature. Tolkien was born in Southern Africa but was raised in England, where his parents were from. He began writing his most famous works soon after World War I, in which he had served and had been wounded.
Most people remember Tolkien for the stories he created himself. He invented a world that he named Middle Earth and even invented a unique language for some of his characters. 'The Hobbit' was the story that really started it all and even though it was originally written for children, it became so popular with older readers that he created a darker sequel, 'The Lord of the Rings', which then became fantasy's definitive work.
The other author indelibly linked to the genre is C. S. Lewis, who was born in Belfast. Lewis spent much of his youth in English boarding schools and later lived and worked in England. He was wounded in World War I as well and also taught literature at various universities, including Oxford. It's probably no surprise then that he and Tolkien were good friends.
Lewis dabbled in different genres, including science fiction. However, he was also fascinated by legends and myths. These, along with Christian themes, inspired his classic series 'The Chronicles of Narnia', in which the main characters enter a magical realm through a wardrobe.
The popular works by Tolkien and Lewis were turned into stunning, award-winning films in the past two decades. People who'd never really liked fiction before were inspired to read the books after they'd seen the movies and before long, fantasy as a genre became wildly popular. Other authors created new works of fiction set in fantastical realms, such as Westeros in George R. R. Martin's 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series and Discworld in the eponymous series by Terry Pratchett.
Before the revival of the genre, these books were often grouped with the sci-fi books or even the children's books. Now you'll find that most bookstores and libraries have dedicated sections just for fantasy books. If you want an even wider choice, order the books online or download them as e-books for a wonderful escape from reality.
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