Here are some things this list of resources will cover:
A definition of the fantasy genre and references detailing fantasy subgenres;
Resources discussing the history and evolution of the fantasy genre, including its roots in folklore, mythology, and fairy tales, as well as world-building;
Recommendations for classic and contemporary fantasy works to start with;
Popular online sources that deal with the fantasy genre via movies, TV shows, and magazines;
The fantasy fandom, including online communities, conventions, and cosplay events;
Resources about and participation in LARPs (live-action role-playing games);
Resources for the fantasy gaming industry, including tabletop and video games;
Resources for creating fan works, such as fan fiction, fan art, and fan-made games.
A definition of the fantasy genre and references detailing fantasy subgenres:
“fantasy, also spelled phantasy, imaginative fiction dependent for effect on strangeness of setting (such as other worlds or times) and of characters (such as supernatural or unnatural beings). Examples include William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, and T.H. White’s The Once and Future King.” https://www.britannica.com/art/fantasy-narrative-genre accessed 2/28/23
Sources Detailing the Subgenres of Fantasy:
“A Complete Overview of 18 Fantasy Subgenres” : https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-complete-overview-of-fantasy-subgenres
32 subgenres listed with example works: https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/ wiki/index/a-to-z-genre-guide/
“50 Fantasy Subgenres and Their Must-Reads”: https://reedsy.com/discovery/blog/ fantasy-subgenres
Sources dealing with the history and evolution of the fantasy genre, including its roots in folklore, mythology, and fairy tales; plus worldbuilding:
“The Hero with a Thousand Faces: The Collected Works of Joseph Campbell”
“The Classic Fairy Tales” by Maria Tatar
“The Encyclopedia of Fantasy” by John Clute and John Grant
“Encyclopedia of Things That Never Were: Creatures, Places, and People” written by Michael Page, illustrated by Robert Ingpen
“Fantasy Encyclopedia” by Hook, Stroud, and Howe
“The Power of Myth” by Joseph Campbell with Billy Moyers
“The Dictionary of Imaginary Places: The Newly Updated and Expanded Classic” by Manguel & Guadalupi; illustrated by Greenfield; Cook – contributor
“The Cambridge Companion to Fantasy Literature” edited by Edward James and Farah Mendlesohn
“The Oxford Companion to Fairy Tales” by Jack Zipes
“The Tough Guide to Fantasyland” by Diana Wynne Jones
Folklore and Mythology Electronic Texts: https://sites.pitt.edu/~dash/folktexts. html – loads of stories!
Mythopedia.com – The World Encyclopedia of Mythology
World Mythology and Folklore, Sacremento State University Library: https://csus.libguides.com/c.php?g=768332&p=5510593
From Folklore to Silver Screens: the Enduring Magic of Fantasy (a Brief History of the Fantasy Genre) – https://fantasyloreandmore.com/from-folklore-to-silver-screens-the-enduring-magic-of-fantasy-a-brief-history-of-the-fantasy-genre/
“Hallmarks of Fantasy: A Brief History of the Genre” –https://www.nypl.org/blog/2020/05/ 18/hallmarks-fantasy-brief-history-fantasy
“Marvels & Tales: Journal of Fairy-Tale Studies”, Wayne State University Press https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/ marvels/
Cornel University Library – Science Fiction & Fantasy: A Research Guide: Articles
A companion post to this one – The Ultimate Guide to World Building: Crafting Your Own Fantasy Realm
Worldbuilding in Fantasy: https://www.worldbuildingmagazine. com
Recommendations for classic and contemporary fantasy works to start with:
1) “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien
2) “The Chronicles of Narnia” series by C.S. Lewis
3) “Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling
4) “The Wheel of Time” series by Robert Jordan
5) “A Song of Ice and Fire” by George R.R. Martin
6) “The Dark Tower” series by Stephen King
7) “The Belgariad” series by David Eddings
8) “The Earthsea Cycle” by Ursula K. Le Guin
9) “The Chronicles of Prydain” by Lloyd Alexander
10) “American Gods: A Novel” by Neil Gaiman
11) “Discworld” Series by Terry Pratchett
12) “Sword of Truth” Series by Terry Goodkind
Online sources that deal with the fantasy genre via movies, TV shows, and magazines:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/
A Useful Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazines for Readers, Writers, and Artists
Here are some sources for some of the fantasy fandoms:
Reddit’s
Facebook:
Lord of the Rings/The Silmarillion/ The Second Age,
Lord of The Rings & The Hobbit FanPage,
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,
Harry Potter -The Hogwarts Wizard
Cosplay and costume-making resources:
RPF Costume and Prop Maker Community
Reddit:
Facebook:
YouTube:
Ginny Di ,
Resources about and for LARPs (Live Action Role-PLaying):
Meetup ;
https://www.reddit.com/r/LARP/;
Here are some sources for information about fantasy and gaming:
Video gaming websites and magazines such as
IGN,
Gaming websites, forums, and discussion boards:
https://www.reddit.com/r/ boardgames/;
https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/;
https://www.reddit.com/r/rpg/ ;
Game developers and publishers:
Paizo – Pathfinder and Starfinder games;
Bandai Namco – Elden Ring and more;
Blizzard Entertainment – World of Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, etc
Here are some sources for information about creating fan works:
https://www.reddit.com/r/FanFiction/
https://www.reddit.com/r/fanart/
Unleashing the Magic: A Journey Into Fantasy Fiction (a Guide to Writing Fantasy)
Websites to help fans/users create their own video games:
Thank you for your time
& be well : )
