Elves, orcs, and dwarfs were made famous by J. R. R. Tolkien. While there is nothing wrong with these fantasy races, they have become tropes. So many stories use them that it can be difficult to make them original. And, if you deviate too much from tradition, some readers will feel betrayed and complain about the deviation from mythology. I'm not saying that people should no longer write stories about elves, orcs, and dwarfs, but that you have to be careful and not limit yourself to these races when writing epic fantasy.
If you want some examples of good epic fantasy that don't involve the customary races I recommend reading Brandon Sanderson's books, especially THE WAY OF KINGS. Though some of the books are slow Robert Jordan's WHEEL OF TIME series has some great races and magic systems. SONG OF ICE AND FIRE by George R. R. Martin is also a good example, but I must give a content warning. There is some strong language and situations that is not suitable for everyone.
The same can be said for YA fantasy. HARRY POTTER is a great series, but that doesn't mean it should be used as a template for every other fantasy series. Make your story your own, and if you use some of the more common tropes, make them individual (but not too original that you alienate your readership.)
No comments:
Post a Comment