A Fandomania exclusive article series examining the origins and definitions of genres in your favorite fandoms.


Defining the Genre: Urban Fantasy

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One of the most popular genres in recent years has been Urban Fantasy. In this installment of Defining the Genre, I discuss its definitions and major themes as well as how it fits in with other subgenres of Fantasy.

Defining the Genre: High Fantasy

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High Fantasy is probably one of the most recognizable subgenres of Fantasy. It may go by a few names — Epic Fantasy or the Hero’s Quest — but in the end most people can name at least a series or two from this subgenre.

Defining the Genre: Legend and Historic Fantasy

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In this latest edition of Defining the Genre, Kelly discusses the subtle differences between legend and historic fantasy.

Defining the Genre: Fairy Tales

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Defining Fairy Tales may seem redundant since almost everyone knows what they are, but Kelly explores the deeper meaning of fairy tales in this installment of Defining the Genre: Fantasy.

Defining the Genre: Fantasy

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Kelly’s Defining the Genre series returns for its second season, this time shifting the focus to the origins and definitions of the fantasy genre.

Defining the Genre: Utopia and Dystopia

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Kelly looks at utopian and dystopian socieities in science fiction in this week’s Defining the Genre.

Defining the Genre: Political Science Fiction

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Politics is a subject that has been hot on everyone’s tongue lately, and while it’s a subject I usually refrain from, when it comes to science fiction I will make an exception.

Defining the Genre: Military Science Fiction

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Attention! Kelly explores military sci fi in this week’s installment of Defining the Genre.

Defining The Genre: Aliens

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Are we alone out there?  If the universe is infinitely vast, we can’t possibly be the only intelligent life out there.  Can we?  This has long been the question and a point of speculation for scientists and science fiction writers alike.

Defining the Genre: Space Opera

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Space opera within science fiction as a genre is really a lot like the red headed step child. It popularized science fiction in the 1920′s and 1930′s, but it is scorned by most die hard science fiction lovers.