Brian Attebery’s slim little book on Fantasy centers around key fantasy writers. Attebery often refers to Ursula K. Le Guin when he wants to make a key point or supply a vivid example for his arguments. Of course, J. R. R. Tolkien earns a strong focus, too.
I was surprised Attebery dedicated so much of his analysis of Fantasy on George MacDonald. I’ve read some MacDonald but after Attebery’s comments, I want to read more. Another writer Attebery celebrates is Patricia McKillip, a writer I have read a lot of. And, Attebery is right to give McKillip so much attention in this book.
Some readers might quibble about Attebery’s inclusion of writers like H. P. Lovecraft (generally classified as a horror or Science Fiction writer) and Octavia Butler.
I wish Attebery wrote more about one of my favorite Fantasy writers, Lord Dunsany (Edward John Morton Drax Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany). However, if you love Fantasy fiction as much as I do, you’ll enjoy this lively and informative tour of a wonderful genre! GRADE: A
Table of Contents:
Introduction: Speaking of Fantasy — 1
1. How Fantasy Means: The Shape of Truth — 9
2. Realism and the Structures of Fantasy: The Family Story — 25
3. Neighbors, Myths, and Fantasy — 44
4. If not Conflict, then What? Metaphors for Narrative Interest — 63
5. A Mitochondrial Theory of Literature: Fantasy and Intertextuality — 80
6. Young Adult Dystopias and Yin Adult Utopias — 95
7. Gender and Fantasy: Employing Fairy Tales — 112
8. The Politics of Fantasy — 129
9. Timor mortis conturbat me: Fear and Fantasy — 148
Conclusion: How Fantasy Means and What It Does: Some Propositions — 164
Works Cited — 177
Index –– 191
I should’ve read this already, but I’ve been Meaning To for some time. And I’ll, in the space of twenty minutes, after a late comment on Patti’s FFB, note that horror is Very Much a part of fantasy, by nearly every reckoning. I might be a bit strict in not allowing non-fantastic horror in my own compass to be called horror so much as suspense, so PSYCHO and all its kin, or “The Night They Missed the Horror Show” likewise are suspense fiction (or drama) by me.
And Lovecraft wrote no-bones-about-it imitation-Dunsany fantasy stories as well as supernatural horror and some sinister sf. While Octavia Butler’s most famous novel remains her horror novel KINDRED, having been ripped off in a recent movie, about to be serialized on tv. (Le Guin’s fantasy novels might remain just barely her best-known, given the young as well as older audiences for the Earthsea series and the bump the good PBS telefilm, vs. the later terrible Disney telefilm, gave THE LATHE OF HEAVEN…should seek out whatever sales figures are in the public domain for them in comparison to THE LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS or THE DISPOSSESSED, or her borderline unfantasticated work such as MALAFRENA and LAVINIA.)
Shallow critics have loved to suggest that fantasy/horror are inherently reactionary or conservative at least, sf inherently liberal or left-leaning, which are both foolish contentions. I can tell by some of his other chapter-headings that Attebery doesn’t fall into that pothole.
In the sleepy space of 20 min or so challenge others’ notions of literary boundaries, that is. So there.
Todd, Lovecraft was a big fan of Dunsany. Le Guin’s fantasy novels rival her SF novels in quality. Suspense and horror can be different sides of the same coin.
Suspense and horror being essentially the same sort of literature only with “realistic” and “fantastic” content being my contention, indeed. Different metaphors, often similar structures and aims.
Todd, the brand of horror/suspense that I stay away from is Splatterpunk.
I saw KINDRED listed on some streaming channel. If anyone watches and likes it let me know.
Patti, I read KINDRED when it was first published. This movie version got 75% on the Rotten Tomato Meter from critics. No Audience score yet.
KINDRED is being filmed as an ongoing series, so it’s not just an adaptation of the novel. It uses the framework of the novel to tell its own story. The lead actress is supposed to be excellent. We’ll watch at least the first few episodes to see how it goes.
Jeff, thanks for that clarification.
FWIW Dept.: I was referring to the film ANTEBELLUM as the film ripoff of KINDRED, and did refer to the tv series as a series. But I ddn’t know till yesterday morning that the series intends to use the novel as a jumping-off point.
This sounds like a very good read, thanks for the tip. MacDonald was certainly a seminal figure (and a reliably good read) so focusing a good chunk of the book on him makes sense. Ditto Leguin and Tolkein although I really wish the former had not been so influential from the seventies on. Enough already. Not commenting as much on Dunsany seems like a huge oversight. Considering that Lovecraft was so well-versed in and heavily influenced by fantasy (including Dunsany) makes his inclusion valid. His work, especially the whole Cthulu mythos, reads more like horrific fantasy than horror.
Some of the other chapters look very relevant. Fantasy, in all its forms but especially YA and gender themed work, is huge on TikTok these days and pretty much what saved Barnes & Noble. I’m curious to read what Atteberry has to say about all of the modern forms, most of which don’t strike me as very well written, and if he has any observations on its massive appeal these days.
It has never not had a massive appeal, though the post-Tolkien ’60s explosion set up a niche for book publishing, formalized by the ’70s, and no getting away from relatively generic fantasy along with better examples.
Byron, I remember when Harlan Ellison mocked Fantasy Novels by saying they were just about dragons and sequels! I blame George R. R. Martin for popularizing 1000 page fantasy novels. Most of the ones I’ve read in the past few years seem affected by elephantiasis!
Well,,,Martin’s bugcrushers were Even Bigger, but there was no lack of 300+ page fantasy novels of modest ambition by the end of the ’80s. You might as well blame Stephen King for that matter.
Todd, you might be right about Stephen King’s doorstoppers moving the publishing industry into printing 500+ page books!
I agree with you on Dunsany. I’ve liked everything of his that I’ve read. I wouldn’t generally consider Lovecraft a fantasy writer but some of his stuff leans that way.
Jeff, I think Lovecraft, like most writers, modeled their early efforts after writers they admire–like Dunsany. But as Lovecraft sold more stories, he focused more on SF and his Mythos.
Pat McKillip was an acquaintance! Her family was like a second family to my ex-wife! Pat’s father flew in B-24s during WWII! Based on that, I read a few of her books and enjoyed them!
Bob, I’m always impressed by the Famous People you know!