High Fantasy Vs Low Fantasy: Everything You Need To Know

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Fantasy is one of the most enduring genres of fiction. Its broad spectrum captures anything that involves magic and the supernatural.

However, the way these magical and supernatural elements interact with the world greatly varies from story to story. This has resulted in strands of fiction that are similar but operate differently—such as in high fantasy and low fantasy.

What is High Fantasy?

One thing that many agree on is that high fantasy (also known as epic fantasy) fiction takes place in a secondary world. This world might look like ours but there are major differences that separate it from our reality. 

These differences commonly include magic, different races, cultures, languages, geographies, and histories. All of this works towards creating a functioning imagined world with deep lore and believable characters. 

Others would define high fantasy in matters of scale. All elements of the story, from its settings and characters to its themes and plot are epic by nature. Good and Evil are at war, countless nations are involved, and the fate of the world is at stake. 

This is perhaps the most well-known genre of fantasy, probably due to the massive influence of authors like J.R.R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings) and C.S. Lewis (Chronicles of Narnia), whose works continue to define modern fantasy. Some other examples are:

What is Low Fantasy?

Low fantasy fiction is primarily defined as fantasy occurring in our world, which is also why it is called intrusion fantasy. Most stories classified here involve people living ordinary lives suddenly being confronted by the magical or supernatural.

However, low fantasy can also occur in a secondary world as long as that world is more grounded in realism. This could mean many things, including a setting that’s extremely similar to ours, subtler magic, and a more complex look at morality. 

So A Song of Ice and Fire could actually be considered low fantasy, especially at the start. Magic is muted or sometimes even denied in-story, with dragons the only major “magical” element at play for most of the books. There is also more focus on political intrigue and human nature, giving it a much more realistic atmosphere.

“Low” also isn’t an indication of this genre’s quality. Rather, it refers to the prominence of magic and other fantastical elements in the story. Some examples are:

High Fantasy Vs. Low Fantasy

Here are a few things that usually separate high fantasy and low fantasy fiction. These are in no way absolute, as modern trends move towards a blending of both. 

Setting

As stated, high fantasy occurs in a secondary world that operates differently from ours. There’s an emphasis on worldbuilding and exploration to help readers understand its geographies, histories, cultures, unique habitats, beliefs, and political systems. It’s one of the reasons why high fantasy is often page-heavy. 

Low fantasy occurs in a more grounded setting, such as Earth. This Earth could be the one we’re living in now or a reimagined version of it. Even if it does happen in a secondary world, the setting is one that we can relate to extremely easily.

Themes and Morality

In high fantasy, high stakes are involved with the world’s survival often being fought for. The characters are larger-than-life, with high goals and black-and-white morals. 

Meanwhile, low fantasy deals with more relatable themes and gray morality. It tends to be more character-driven, focusing on moral dilemmas and personal journeys. 

Characters

High fantasy fiction often adds non-human characters into a story, each with their own unique characteristics. Their differences in biology, culture, and beliefs are explored and often compared to those of a human.

Low fantasy fiction is more human-centric. There is an emphasis on human characters dealing with the magic intruding into our world. Non-human characters and creatures still exist but they are ones we are familiar with, often drawn from myths and legends. Humanoid characters are quite popular, such as vampires, werewolves, merfolk, and faeries.

Scale

High fantasy stories unfold on an epic scale. The entire world is involved and thoroughly explored as the characters undergo their hero’s journey. 

Think of a band of adventurers who, for some reason, are chosen to undertake a quest for the sake of the world. They travel across multiple places, undergo training, and destroy the evil overlord in an epic battle.

Low fantasy is more intimate. It focuses more on the challenges of one or more people rather than the survival of the world. There can be world-ending problems, but the scale of the conflict is usually focused on a certain area and seen through the eyes of only a few. 

For example, an entire book could just focus on events involving a particular city and the main character’s way of dealing with mundane and magical problems within it. 

What should you read?

Genre can be a funny thing. A slight difference can give way to a whole other subgenre focused on that difference. While genre is used as a way to classify fiction, literature’s constant evolution ensures that a genre’s definition is always nebulous at best. 

It’s hard to pin down an exact answer as to what a high or low fantasy story consists of, including where one starts and the other ends. Even seasoned writers frequently disagree about this.

There is definitely an advantage to knowing what tropes and characteristics often appear in a particular genre. It helps you streamline your reading selection, especially when thousands of books get published every year.

However, there’s no reason to lock yourself into one particular genre. They all keep changing anyway as writers like to push the boundaries of fiction and frequently blend elements from different genres. 

Which type of fantasy do you enjoy more? Share them in the comments below!

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