And the two of us, of course, had to go to the extreme with our first trilogies, – and choose heroines from the slums!

Looking forward to reading more here (and more of your books too) now that I’ve found your blog!

I sometimes think that fantasy writers search the past to ensure the future while SF writers imagine a future to protect the present.

Have found more true philosophy on the nature of good and evil, light and dark, in fantasy than any other genre.

Whereas SF was the forward-looking, scientific-based realm of the real world. (He hates Star Wars and such).

Huh? Is there anyone wants to go back and live in the Middle Ages? Or even, say, Afghanistan under the Taliban – who had much of the same Medieval thinking? Why is writing about a technologically underdeveloped world an attempt to return to it? and hadn’t he read any modern fantasy?

Actually, probably he hadn’t. SF writers who are so scornful of fantasy never read it and rarely have any idea of what modern fantasy is about.

I love SF and read it just as much as I read fantasy. They both have much to offer; it’s often just a different vehicle to get to a similar place.

Glad you like Isles of Glory, CW! And I am so glad you have dropped by and written a comment. Isn’t blogging wonderful?

One of these days, Bernita, I would love to meet you…lol

I think you’ve hit the nail on the head, pretty much. Within fantasy I think (for the most part) there is still a place for optimism, for triumph, for good and decent people to defeat the forces of greed and selfishness and darkness that threaten to steal all the light from the world. Life at the moment is pretty dark, in many countries. Fantasy helps to keep the dream alive.

I think it’s sad that within the spec fic community there are so many folk willing to scoff and sneer at the idea that such optimism is a good thing. And not only at the idea, but at the people who write it and read it and by extension, believe in it.

Cynicism is rampant and its pernicious, it’s a nasty sneak thief out to steal that flicker of hope.

Really well written fantasy doesn’t deny the existence of darkness, it shows us how it’s possible to shine a light into it and thereby chase some of it away. Small people can and do make a difference. To stifle that truth is to do a great disservice to people everywhere.

I would have to agree to, not just being a young reader and getting away from the life that “i dont like”.

I find it a good way to leave the world behind and travel to another and I like the little guy winning in the end. Gives you a sense of pride.

I’ve read and enjoyed your Isles of Glory series and am looking forward to your next. You know, I would never dream of writing to an author (is it possible to get tongue-tied in a letter, even email?) but on a blog everyone is somehow more real and accessible and I seem to get over my shyness.

I have never seen fantasy novels as reinforcing the status quo (although some might), and have enjoyed them precisely for the sense of triumphing over adversity. I also love the vivid and rich worlds authors create.