Went shopping for books a few nights ago, and noticed the real depth of an issue I feared would happen. Out of all the books in the fantasy section, hardly any of the good ones weren’t supernatural. An odd complaint coming from a vampire worshiper, I know, but….there just isn’t much true fantasy left out there. None that I actually like, anyway. Well over half of all the new books at B&N had something to do with vamps, werewolves, witches, slayers, strange sado-masochistic femmes, and people that are in love with one of the above. What happened to all the dragons and wizards and elves? Did the vampires eat them or something?
Seeing this trend concerns me. It makes me wonder if I’m doing the right thing by writing a pure fantasy book as opposed to a supernatural wonder. Should I abandon my main ms. forever, or just until vampire fever wears off? And believe me, it WILL wear off. Vampires had their reign waaay back when an angsty fellow named Barnabas Collins was the primary neck biter we girls swooned over, and that was in the 60’s and 70’s. Now, 40 years later, vampires have made an incredible comeback. But…it took 40 years. That’s longer than it takes for fashion trends to come back into style.
I love vampires. I really do. I want them to stay forever. But do we have to sacrifice the meaning and mysticism of true fantasy to keep them?
Cliff Burns Said:
on September 18, 2008 at 11:34 am
Never understood the fascination with vampires, myself. Or zombies, for that matter. I think a dark fantasy/horror writer these days should be a lot more creative than that. Why do we have to fall back on these tired, moth-eaten devices? There’s gotta be something new under the sun for fans of the macabre.
BTW, have you read Jonathan Carroll’s LAND OF LAUGHS? Highly recommended…
Robert McKay Said:
on September 18, 2008 at 1:28 pm
The only thing big that I can think of that is pure fantasy is the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. I guess there is also Terry Brooks who just released “The Gypsy Morph”. It makes me rather scared as well because I’m about to start a pure fantasy novel myself. Keep fighting the good fight for pure fantasy!
April Said:
on September 18, 2008 at 3:35 pm
I completely agree with you. Just because there’s a vampire trend, don’t abandon what you’re passionate about writing. Writing just to get published, to me, isn’t worth it. Write what you love and it will get published. It might take a while, but still.
If you write the vampire/witch/werewolf story instead of the elf one, will you regret it?
lunenoirci Said:
on September 19, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Though I have no interest in reading Paolini–but I certainly don’t hate him like so many others–I am very much aware of what he’s been up to. Honestly, I’m quite proud for him. He really is one of the few pure fantasy writers out there today, and it’s a shame that they seem to have become a bit of a dying breed.
Robert- For both our sakes, I hope we can make it!
April- No one can ever be certain what they’ll regret in life until after they do it. However, if only to save the heartache of having to destroy an entire novel, I will keep my focus on fantasy in the purest sense.