THTK: What is HTK? How does it fit within the genre?

[Justin]

After reading HTK, I started to think about what it meant to the fantasy genre on the whole. As I was reviewing the book (here) I got sidetracked trying to fit it into a larger picture.

I'm curious if anyone else who read Jemisin's book found it new. To me it's a great example of modern fantasy and where the genre is trending. It's a movement away from traditional fantasy that places so much emphasis on the hero's journey and the formulaic style that's so pervasive.

I think the last 5 or 6 years has really opened up a new way to read fantasy that hasn't been largely prevalent before. We're starting to see actual commentary that just wasn't been present before. I always hear authors talking about how unaccepted they feel by the mainstream reading community. I think HTK and novels like it will begin to change that.

Is a new trend in fantasy emerging? Is it a good thing?

[aldenoneil]

I'm all for variety.

It's interesting that while the details of the story are new, the setting's decidedly not: in some ways, the setting of HTK feels like a throwback. The white spires are straight out of the Neverending Story-brand of 80s fantasy, or Cloud City on Bespin. And yet by being a throwback, it's unlike anything else out there.

I feel like a lot more variety existed in fantasy before it was capital-"F"-Fantasy.

[Justin]

aldenoneil wrote: "I'm all for variety.

It's interesting that while the details of the story are new, the setting's decidedly not: in some ways, the setting of HTK feels like a throwback. The white spires are straig..."

Ya, there are certainly some aspects that not original. I'd argue that the setting and the plot itself aren't particularly original at all. But the execution, the style, the narrative structure, and the treatment she places over what are standard fantasy tropes made for a really unique read.

[Justin]

aldenoneil wrote:
I feel like a lot more variety existed in fantasy before it was capital-"F"-Fantasy.


I agree with this too. I mean hell, Donaldson and Moorcock were doing things that were progressive way back in the 60's and 70's that for twenty years (75-95) weren't really done. Fantasy really became a parody of itself for a long time.

[Dan]

aldenoneil wrote:
I feel like a lot more variety existed in fantasy before it was capital-"F"-Fantasy."

I think I know what you mean by this, but I'm not sure this is true. I think you mean that "F"antasy is your Lord of the Rings, Wheel of Time, Song of Ice and Fire, or rather the ones that sell very well, and that "F"antasy is really just a subset of the fantasy genre, which contains all stories related to a world not resembling our own.

Over the years I've read a fair amount of variety in fantasy, but mostly in literary magazines like F&SF or other story collections. Many of those same authors have published novels of the same type, but they don't generally get the same amount of attention as the bestsellers. I think that many exist, but most of us don't know about them.

[aldenoneil]

Dan wrote: "I think that many exist, but most of us don't know about them. "

Yes, and my reading list has been heavy on the bestsellers. I don't do enough to seek out the lesser-known works. That changes now!

Just as soon as I finish Wheel of Time.