Author Topic: High Fantasy vs. Sword & Sorcery (Read 2768 times)

Sir Perceval of Daventry · « **on:** March 17, 2013, 07:08:23 PM »

Which genre you prefer?
High Fantasy--as in things like Lord of the Rings--
or Sword & Sorcery--such as the original Conan the Cimmerian stories?

Lambonius · « **Reply #1 on:** March 17, 2013, 08:27:13 PM »

It seems to me that the two examples you listed are pretty damn similar. LOTR style High Fantasy and Conan/Willow style Swords & Sorcery are not really that far removed from one another. Now, if we were comparing High Fantasy/Swords & Sorcery to the light hearted Fairy Tale atmosphere of King's Quest, for example--that'd be a much starker contrast.

darthkiwi · « **Reply #2 on:** March 18, 2013, 06:43:15 AM »

I wasn't aware there was a difference, but I guess you're right. But "High Fantasy" makes me think of incredibly detailed maps and thousands of pages of backstory, whereas "Sword and Sorcery" makes me think of luridly painted covers from the 60s (or whenever, I don't know) showing men carrying enormous swords and women wearing not very much.

To be frank, though, they're all massively derivative of Tolkein and I really don't find that stuff interesting.

stika · « **Reply #3 on:** March 18, 2013, 07:10:30 AM »

I've always liked Sword & Sorcery, always loved the 1980's art style for fantasy:

Quote from: Darthkiwi

"Sword and Sorcery" makes me think of luridly painted covers from the 60s (or whenever, I don't know) showing men carrying enormous swords and women wearing not very much.

Actually Sword & Sorcery will usually have the males as naked as the females, sometimes even moreso: