Naaah Elves aren't essential Why would they be? I know they are popular but I don't think essential. I'm sure there a lot of epic fantasy without them and I never really see elves pop in in urban fantasy.
why? I use elves in only one of my fantasy stories, all my other ones they are replaced with races I make up in my own. or their only humans in that story. fantasy by it's very nature doesn't need anything, you can literally do what you want, so go nuts! like I said race of talking ducks, use em
You might have hit on something there. A new kind of urban elf that lives in the sewers? Or an elf who worship the stones we turn into concrete? Imagine the possibilities that you can turn into your own original idea?
Yeah your right. You have me something to ponder now. I've never exactly enjoyed elves......could never get into them. But hey!! Sewer Elves that sounds like it could be pretty interesting or like Exzalia said race of talking ducks. Why not Elves and ducks who mutated together because of radiation and pollution in the sewer system? To much? Heh But still some urban elf race....hmmm
Though I have a question While on the subject of fantasy We've only be discussing epic and urban. What about things like superheroes. What does superhero fiction count as? Is it fantasy or a genre all its own?
It's not really fantasy, just action and adventure. Fantasy is forests and kingdoms and magic and Excalibur.
well the op didn't define fantasy and everyone seems to assume he meant epic fantasy. But like I said theres more to fantasy then elves and dragons. But what the op meant I'm not sure :/ I guess super heroes would be urban fantasy
I hate fantasy because it recycles the same tired old tropes and archetypes. I mean, why can't fantasy writers be original, like all the other genres out there? Just the other day, I read a detective story about an alcoholic PI who didn't play by the rules, but always got his man. That story was so unique, it blew my mind! Or how about the romance where the sexy 20-something chick meets a hunky guy with a dark past, but they totally hook up at the end? Fantasy needs to take a lesson from these other, HIGHLY ORIGINAL genres. Whoops, i think I left my sarcasm lock on. Disregard this post, plz.
You sure? I mean some superheroes are literal magic users, others are more street and then some are more science like. Superhero fiction does a lot mix and matching. Well at least the worlds (Marvel, DC, Image, Wildstorm etc) are mixed with various different things.
Well it's not always magic, not normally. Most superheroes are radioactive or from space. Magic is totally mysterious. No science behind it. With superheroes, scientific study could explain it.
LOL! science? LOL! super heroes are about as scientific as wizards how does hulk lift an entire planet? Radiation? and how exactly does radiation give you super strength, invunerability and super speed? -_- Don't even get me started on superman <.< come on now, it's basically just urban fantasy.
Come on, you know that radiation and mysticism are NOT the same. There is a clear difference between the hulk and Gandalf.
Dr. Strange is a wizard/mage and Dr.Doom is a master of magic and technology. Loki can use spells.....he's a warlock Thor is a magical being and that's only a small part of Marvel's magical side. DC's magic side is even bigger.
Allan Quartermain is magical. I hear they are going to make a television show version of The League Extraordinary Gentlemen.
Radiation is just wave lengths, like light and is a piss poor explanation for any power on the level of hulks. The only difference I see is Gandalf doesn't bother with such a nonsensical explanation as he shouldn't, leave that to sci-fi this is fantasy. and hulk as with a lot of heroes are just urban fantasy. with the exception of bat man and heroes like him. hell look at wonder woman, born of the Gods? come on that screams fantasy.
