(Originally posted on August 7, 2018)
The vast majority of modern fantasy sits firmly in the shadow of J. R. R. Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings. What do I mean by this? Well, if you’ve been paying any attention to fantasy books, games and movies, you ought to be able to understand it.
“Fantasy” has become a certain series of tropes that vary mostly in superficial matters.
To wit:
- Medieval technology level parallel world
- Feudal/monarch system
- Humans as a major force
- Other races usually consisting of elves, dwarves, hobbits, gnomes, etc.
- Magic, typically wielded by wizards
- “Bad guy” races–typically orcs.
That’s the template for so much, that I would say it has literally become a genre of its own. Most people are familiar with the staggeringly successful World of Warcraft, which is the embodiment of the Tolkien template. Dungeons & Dragons, which is the genesis of most modern fantasy games, is loaded with Tolkien ideas and imagery. (Although, not as much as many realize. Gygax incorporated a great deal of other sources, such as Robert E. Howard, Poul Anderson, Roger Zelazny, Jack Vance, etc.)
It’s everywhere.
Tolkien’s Groundbreaking
Tolkien’s books became such a phenomenon for several reasons, which other people have covered better and with more depth than I shall attempt. Essentially, he took inspiration from multiple mythologies to create his own unique universe. It wasn’t historical or pre-historical Earth, it wasn’t another planet and it wasn’t the future. A completely new universe with no connection with us. Moreover, it was a simpler world. Evil and good were more delineated. Distinct “bad guys” and “good guys” (although it wasn’t entirely without nuance.)
This was a huge deal. Nobody had ever seen anything like this before. It (deservedly) became a phenomenon.
And therein lies the problem.
Following his Footsteps
After the Tolkien explosion, it became nearly impossible to achieve success in the fantasy genre without some kind of comparison to Tolkien. Even Michael Moorcock, who is often known as the “anti-Tolkien”, has to exist under the same shadow.
Not that there haven’t been writers who have made non-Tolkien fantasy universes. Roger Zelazny created a fantastic and unique setting with his Chronicles of Amber series. It has cosmic scope, wonder and intrigue without a whit of Tolkien. Unfortunately, most people have never heard of it.
(This is a fact which will hopefully change soon, as a Chronicles of Amber series is in production.)
This is not to say that good works haven’t been produced in Tolkien’s shadow, but it’s almost as if the Lord of the Rings is the “north star” of fantasy. We might not move towards it, but it always remains to mark the geography.
Hell, even a cyberpunk RPG game called Shadowrun draws inspiration from Tolkien, as it has variations on his races in a dystopian cyberpunk future.
How Do We Break Out?
The question isn’t necessarily that we have to cast off all Tolkien. I enjoy the Tolkienesque settings and elements, even when they do become a cliche. The question is: where’s the next “Tolkien”? Who can create something so unique that it spawns its own genre?
Will this person even get a chance? Looks at the shelves in a bookstore or on a website. Hundreds of Tolkienesque books out there. The demand is still strong, especially since World of Warcraft and the big screen Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies. Will anyone give something new a try? Or will they simply slip through the cracks? Groundbreaking writers are often unappreciated in their lifetimes (see: H.P. Lovecraft) so there might be someone out there right now who remains obscure now, but will become a phenomenon later.
I’d rather see them sooner.
