Fantasy Fiction: Themes, Subgenres & Examples in Literature

Fantasy fiction is counted among the the most read genres and if you are thinking of writing a fantasy novel you must know the themes, subgenres and examples of fantasy before start writing your own fantasy story.

Related: 100 Fantasy Story Ideas

Now lets understand the basic of fantasy-

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What is Fantasy Fiction?

Fantasy fiction is the genre that showcases imaginary magical worlds containing elements of magic and supernatural beings and things. The stories of this genre are often inspired by mythology and folklore.

Fantasy fiction is also regarded as one of the best genres in allowing the writers to take their writing creativity to limitless boundaries where the writer’s imagination can bring anything into the story and no real-world logic is required in creating anything as we do in science fiction and some other genres.

fantasy genre themes, subgenres and examples in literature

Common Themes in Fantasy-

Below is the list of common fantasy themes found in fantasy genre. Use these as theme ideas for your fantasy novel, books and stories.

1. Good vs. Evil

2. Magical realism

3. Coming of Age

4. Man vs. Nature

5. Quest

6. Betrayal

7. Fate vs. Free Will

8. Death

9. Love

10. Heroism

11. Friendship

12. Power

13. Greed

14. Desire

15. Honor

16. Courage

17. Vengeance

18. Immortality

19. Wisdom

20. Acceptance

21. Sacrifice

22. Struggle

23. Family

24. Rebellion

25. Transformation

26. Leadership

27. Justice

28. Judgement

29. Storytelling

30. Society

31. Epic Journey

Related: Fantasy Words List

Now lets explore the popular fantasy fiction subgenres along with the popular examples of the subgenres.

6 Popular Subgenres of Fantasy Fiction-

1. Epic or High fantasy

fantasy subgenres — Photo by Craig Adderley on Pexels.com

Novels of the epic or hard fantasy are set in a fictional world with their own sets of rules and physical laws showcasing a single hero-driven plot with an epic story.

Examples of Epic fantasy-

The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R Tolkien

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guni

A Game of Thrones by G R. R. Martin

The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

The Hobbit by J. R. R Tolkien

The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis

2. Low Fantasy

The story of low fantasy is set in the real world with some magical elements and events included.

Examples of Low Fantasy-

Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling

American Gods by Neil Geiman

Good Omens by Neil Geiman

Signal to Noise by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

When Light Left Us by Leah Thomas

Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

A Single Stone by Meg Mckinlay

3. Dark fantasy

Dark Fantasy contains a blend of fantasy and horror following a dark story tone.

Examples of Dark Fantasy-

Coraline by Neil Geiman

The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie

The Dark Tower by Stephen King

The Black Company by Glen Cook

Creatures of Want and Ruin by Molly Tanzer

Related: 40 Dark Fantasy Story Ideas

4. Sword and Sorcery

The story plot follows a sword-wielding hero or character engaging himself in great adventures along with elements of magic and witchcraft.

Examples of Swords and Sorcery-

The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian by Robert E. Howard

The Hammer and the Blade by Paul S. Kemp

The Ladies of Mandrigyn by Barbara Hambly

The Sunset Warrior by Eric Van Lustbader

5. Magical realism

Magical realism crosses over low fantasy. The plot follows a location setting in the real world with magic integrated into the modern society, showcasing ordinary people comfortable with an extraordinary life.