Trope Talk: Urban Fantasy
Overly Sarcastic Productions・30 minutes read
Urban fantasy blends real-world settings with fantastical elements and is more of a setting than a genre, allowing various types of stories to unfold. The genre focuses on the interplay between familiar and fantastical elements, often exploring themes such as romance, horror, and noir while cautioning writers to avoid cultural appropriation and insensitivity when incorporating real-world mythology or folklore.
Insights
- Urban fantasy is more of a setting than a genre, allowing for diverse storytelling within a framework that blends real-world elements with fantastical creatures and magic.
- Writers of urban fantasy must navigate the incorporation of real-world mythology and folklore with caution, ensuring cultural sensitivity, respect, and thorough research to avoid appropriation and insensitivity, as seen in Rick Riordan's acknowledgment of missteps in representing modern Hellenism in early Percy Jackson books.
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Recent questions
What is urban fantasy?
A genre blending real-world settings with fantastical elements.
What are some common urban fantasy formats?
Secret world, unsecret world, reality with mythical creatures.
What is paranormal romance in urban fantasy?
Romance between humans and fantastical beings as central plot.
How does urban horror fit into urban fantasy?
Involves spooky elements like ghosts or murderers.
What should writers be cautious of in urban fantasy?
Drawing from real-world mythology with cultural sensitivity.
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Summary
00:00
"Urban fantasy blends reality with magic"
- Urban fantasy blends real-world settings with magical or fantastical elements like dragons or magic.
- It is more of a setting than a genre, allowing for various types of stories to unfold within it.
- Urban fantasy stories can take place outside of cities but must be grounded in reality.
- The genre focuses on the interplay between the familiar and the fantastical.
- The relatability of urban fantasy stems from its familiar base, making it easier for audiences to connect with the setting.
- Common urban fantasy formats include the secret world, unsecret world, reality where myths are true, monsters are real, and magic beings adapting to reality.
- Another variant is the "reality bookend" where characters transition between familiar and unfamiliar worlds.
- Historical fantasy integrates fantastical elements into historical settings.
- Some superhero stories qualify as urban fantasy when they focus on how fantastical elements interact with the real world.
- Kids' adventure stories often feature "magic is real, pathos be damned" where mundane lives are disrupted by magical events leading to light-hearted adventures.
10:48
Exploring Urban Fantasy: Magic, Romance, and Horror
- Urban fantasy often involves exploring magic items in mundane settings, with authors like E. Nesbit, Edward Eager, and Eva Ibbotson known for such works.
- Paranormal romance in urban fantasy focuses on a romance between a human and a fantastical being, with the romance being the central plot.
- Urban horror in urban fantasy involves real spooky elements like ghosts or murderers, with cosmic horror emphasizing the horror of the unknown.
- Urban noir in urban fantasy often involves mysteries and detective work, with examples like The Dresden Files and Carnival Row.
- Urban fantasy offers a familiar base for fantastical elements, making it popular for role-playing games like The Unsleeping City from Dimension 20.
- Writers of urban fantasy must be cautious when drawing from real-world mythology or folklore to avoid cultural appropriation or insensitivity.
- Context is crucial when using mythology or folklore in urban fantasy, as stories are deeply rooted in the culture they originate from.
- Decontextualizing myths or folk tales for urban fantasy stories can lead to a loss of meaning, requiring writers to be aware of the implications.
- Writers should avoid punching down by being respectful and considerate when using the mythology or folklore of marginalized groups in their urban fantasy narratives.
- It's essential for writers to thoroughly research and understand the cultural context of the mythology or folklore they incorporate into their urban fantasy stories.
21:22
Respecting Living Religions in Myth Adaptations
- Rick Riordan apologized for stereotyping modern Hellenism in early Percy Jackson books due to lack of awareness of its existence, highlighting the importance of respecting living religions when reimagining ancient myths and gods.
- It is crucial to consider if the myths and gods being adapted are part of a still-living religion, like Hinduism, which has been practiced for thousands of years, as opposed to reconstructed religions like neo-pagan revivals of Greek and Egyptian gods.
- While repurposing source material from a living religion can be done creatively, it is essential to be mindful of potential consequences and consider using sensitivity readers to screen for hot-button issues.
- Striving for perfection in art is unattainable, and while minimizing harm is important, it is crucial to research thoroughly, think critically, write creatively, and aim for a good-faith effort in producing work that may not upset everyone.
