The Power of Fantasy

The worlds of Middle Earth, Hogwarts, Narnia and Forks have a strange power.  They have the power to make us believe the impossible and feel at home in an improbable world.  Fantasy literature provides a unique mythology, an allegory that echoes human history, an example of courage and endurance, and a vacation from the ordinary.  Fantasy has the power to make us believe that good will win after a long, nearly impossible struggle.

Fantasy literature has some common elements.

• Supernatural Creatures: Elves, dragons, dwarves, enchanted plants, vampires, werewolves and talking animals. The right combination of these, alongside a few lowly humans, creates an essential dynamic between the real and the surreal.

• Magic, or a lack thereof : Characters have to be able to perform some form of magic. Most often the hero or heroine possesses a very strong magical ability that they don’t initially have, or don’t know they have, and learn to develop.

• Love: Although the love factor must remain on the PG-rated side, a love interest exists in order to pull at the heart strings of readers. Usually the love interest of the main character is unattainable. It helps if they are not of the same genetic make-up (i.e. Human and Vampire, Human and Elf, Werewolf and Vampire, etc.)

• The Villain: The Villain must be extraordinary and not easily defeated. The villain is often not revealed in person until the end of the story, in order to create the most impact.

• A Great Battle: Without an epic battle in which the hero is nearly defeated, ultimate victory would not be so sweet.

• The Weapon: Harry Potter has his wand, Eragon has his sword and Bella has her ability to hide her mind from others. Whatever the weapon, it has to be special in not only its capabilities, but also in the reason behind its existence.

• The Setting: From Middle-earth, to Narnia, Alagaesia, Hogwarts, and even Forks, the setting is another character in the story. It is the unique quality of the landscape that allows for most of the events in the story to take place.

• Language: Whether it’s a fabricated language, such as the Elvish speak in Tolkien’s works, or it’s the manipulation of how an existing language is spoken, common vernacular won’t do. The inclusion of a fantasy language heightens the reader’s ability to transport themselves into a different world.

Archetype Characters of Sinister Shadow

I have been working on my second fantasy novel, Sinister Shadow.  Hence my hiatus from posting on this blog.

My characters in Sinister Shadow fall under certain archetypes.

Hero -  The hero is a protagonist character who fulfills a task and restores balance to the community. He/she is a born leader, whether they know it or not. He/she is a real survivor who has faith in good. Others are willing to believe in this hero and will follow him/her.

 Mentors – Mentors are the teachers who counsel initiates almost the way a parent does. They show examples, sometimes magical, to teach the initiate skills and information. 

Loyal Companions – These loyal peers are there to protect the hero at all costs. They are willing to face hardships and dangers and even death either because they believe in the hero, or the cause.

The Fool – This character is always optimistic that things will turn out well. He/she is symbolic of blind hope and always has time for silly things and always sees the best in people. 

The Traitor – A character who uses words carefully, he/she weaves elaborate plots in order to trap heroes. Most others don’t realize how dangerous or manipulative this person is.

 The Creature – This character is reminiscent of a wild animal. It plays on our deepest fears of being eaten by something we never quite saw. 

The Professor – The professor is usually cool and intellectual. He is a thinker, logical, honest and faithful. He has a tendency to not be flexible. 

So here is a short plot summary of Sinister Shadow using the archetypal character types.

Tom is on a journey with his parents when they are killed by an evil creature.  He is saved from harm and  taken to a safe place where he is nurtured and protected.  He finds loyal companions there, including a foolish companion.  He learns about the evil creature from several sources, including a wise intellectual character and his mentors. He risks his own safety for one of his companions and becomes an accepted member of their society.  In return, the companion agrees to help him find and defeat the evil creature. Along the way, Tom discovers that one of his mentors is a traitor, and he is in jeopardy of losing his place in society and losing his life to the creature.