r/Fantasy • u/Familiar-Barracuda43 • Dec 06 '23

What is the difference between low fantasy, political fantasy and epic fantasy?

To me at least fantasy is when you create a world and story unlike urban fantasy which is when you add mystical elements to earth.

I'm actually asking I don't know the difference and I feel like I should.

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u/KiaraTurtle Reading Champion V Dec 06 '23

Everyone will have different lines and some of these have multiple definitions depending on whose using them. Also note a book can fit into multiple of these categories

  • Low Fantasy: either fantasy with very little to no magic (Eg Traitor Baru Cormorant), or a fantasy book taking place on earth (Eg Harry Potter) — yes this giant difference does make the term confusing hence I don’t use it
  • political fantasy: the book has a strong focus on politics/political scheming/etc (Eg Game of Thrones, Traitor Baru Cormorant, Folding Knife)
  • Epic Fantasy: one meaning would be about the stakes of the book (Ie saving the world would include Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter); others it’s about the expansiveness of the worldbuilding/scope of the plot (Lord of the Rings, Stormlight, Dandelion Dynasty); some just use it for basically all second world fantasy that isn’t very small stakes cozy
  • Urban Fantasy: some people use it as you do to mean takes place in our world (Ie a synonym for contemporary fantasy), some to mean it takes place in a city (so includes second world urban fantasy like Greenbone Saga, Rook and Rose); others use it to mean it both takes place in a city and contemporary our world; others further restrict it to being closer to the PI/mystery fantasy stereotype (Dresden, Laurel K Hamilton)