High fantasy
High fantasy, or epic fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy[1] defined by the epic nature of its setting or by the epic stature of its characters, themes, or plot.[2] High fantasy is set in an alternative, fictional ("secondary") world, rather than the "real" or "primary" world.[2] This secondary world is usually internally consistent, but its rules differ from those of the primary world. By contrast, low fantasy is characterized by being set on Earth, the primary or real world, or a rational and familiar fictional world with the inclusion of magical elements.[3][4][5][6]
For other uses, see High fantasy (disambiguation).Themes[edit]
High fantasy has often been defined by its themes and messages.[13] "Good versus evil" is a common one in high fantasy, and defining the character of evil is often an important theme in a work of high fantasy,[14] such as The Lord of the Rings. The importance of the concept of good and evil can be regarded as the distinguishing mark between high fantasy and sword and sorcery.[12] In many works of high fantasy, this conflict marks a deep concern with moral issues; in other works, the conflict is a power struggle, with, for instance, wizards behaving irresponsibly whether they are "good" or "evil".[15]
Game settings[edit]
Role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons with campaign settings like Dragonlance[16] by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis and Forgotten Realms by Ed Greenwood[17] are a common basis for many fantasy books and many other authors continue to contribute to the settings.[18]