Dark fantasy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dark fantasy is a subgenre that combines elements of fantasy, including marvelous abilities, with those of horror.[1]
It has yet to be solidly connected to its own particular subgenre of fantasy. Stories often described as dark fantasy are therefore more likely to be "officially" placed in either the horror or fantasy genres, based on which genre the story tends more toward. As a natural consequence, the term itself may refer collectively to tales that would more properly belong in very different genres.
Perhaps the most definitive works of dark fantasy are those of H.P. Lovecraft, whose blend of fantasy and horror (and to a lesser extent, science fiction) cannot reliably be placed in either genre.
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[edit] Tending toward horror:
This use of the term "dark fantasy" is considered a variant of the horror genre, but is quickly becoming a genre in and of itself. The difference between the two genres is that the supernatural beings and monsters of horror, particularly vampires, are considered to be potentially sympathetic beings with human motivations. Anne Rice is among the most successful in the genre, with her "Vampire Chronicles", but other writers such as Poppy Z. Brite, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Thomas Ligotti, and C.S. Friedman have also had success. Michelle Sagara West often uses more demonic figures, as in her "The Sundered" tetralogy and her "Sun Sword" series. Stephen Marley in his Chia Black Dragon novels produced a dark fantasy series that was cited as a prime example of the genre in Clute/Grant's The Encyclopedia of Fantasy.
More generally, dark fantasy may be used as a synonym for supernatural horror, to distinguish horror stories that contain elements of the supernatural from those that do not. For example, a story about a mummy or vampire rising from the grave would be most likely described as dark fantasy, supernatural horror, or horror fantasy, while a story about a serial killer is simply horror. In this sense, there is a considerable overlap between dark fantasy and contemporary fantasy.
[edit] Tending toward fantasy:
Dark fantasy in this context refers to stories that focus on elements usually found in the horror genre but which take place in a setting more alike sword and sorcery or high fantasy. It may or may not take place in its own fantasy world. In this sense, dark fantasy is usually considered a sub-genre of fantasy. Michael Moorcock's Elric stories are probably the best-known examples of this form of dark fantasy.
The epic poem Beowulf can be thought of as a precursor to this type of dark fantasy. Grendel's attacks on the Heorot established the formula for a great many horror stories and would represent the "horror element" in this type of tale, while the character of Beowulf himself and his later deeds (such as fighting the dragon) would represent the "fantasy element".
Dark fantasy is also used to refer to "grittier" fantasy, conducted in settings which represent the brutality of the medieval period of most fantasy, generally with a dash of supernatural horror such as in Charles R. Saunders' early Imaro trilogy which was heavily influenced by Robert E. Howard and H.P. Lovecraft.
Another example of fantasy mixed with horror is the Ravenloft series of novels.
[edit] Dark fantasy in other media
As dark fantasy has yet to be clearly defined, it is often difficult to agree upon what is dark fantasy and what is regular fantasy. The most clear distinction can likely be seen in role-playing games, which have had a number of popular games and campaign settings, especially those who are closer to fantasy but includes horror elements. Dungeons & Dragons used to support three different campaign settings of this type, Ravenloft, Dark Sun and Planescape, however these are now discontinued.
Other games of this type include Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, which often claims that it is the "original dark fantasy game", a D20 campaign setting called Midnight, Stormbringer and later the Elric RPG, which takes place in Michael Moorcock's Multiverse and White Wolf's World of Darkness. (Note: These are but a few well-known examples.)
The setting of Blizzard Entertainment's hack-and-slash computer role-playing game Diablo (and, to a slightly lesser degree, its sequel, Diablo II) can be considered dark fantasy. In contrast to the more "typical" fantasy universe of its Warcraft series, Blizzard's Diablo franchise is centered around much darker demonic and horror themes.
There are few examples of movies or TV shows who fall into the dark fantasy category.The film series A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th are examples of the genre which emphasize the horror aspect of dark fantasy. Pan's Labyrinth, Brazil, The City of Lost Children, and Dark City are examples of films which emphasize the fantasy aspect.
Many comic books and manga are set in dark fantasy worlds, such as Kentaro Miura's Berserk and others.
[edit] References
- ^ Philip Martin, The Writer's Guide to Fantasy Literature: From Dragon's Lair to Hero's Quest, p 46, ISBN 0-87116-195-8
[edit] External links
- Dark and gritty fantasy Book recommendations at RealityEnds
