Is Fantasy “Real?”
Do we ever see the words of Fantasy novels come to life in the real world?
I've heard from many folks that say that they are only interested in hearing “truth,” and that they have no time for fantasy worlds.
These people are, in my humble opinion, mistaken to overlook what fantasy has to offer.
First, let's go over what fantasy is not. It is not about elves and dwarves and dragons, though it can very well include those themes.
It is not a way to play "make believe" with magical powers that don't exist in real life.
True, magic is certainly part of the story, but it serves a deeper purpose than to look or sound cool.
Fantasy, at its core, is a way to allegorically express the truth of the world.
People, as created beings in the image of God, naturally seek out truth.
If there was nothing "true" about fantasy, then people wouldn't be drawn to it.
We'll take Gollum from The Lord of the Rings as an example:
In everyday life, we do not come across magic rings that can turn us invisible, nor do we find hunched-over little goblins obsessing over them.
We do, however, come across false idols in our lives.
We have all had a "Precious" that has driven us to the point of madness, trying to pursue it.
How often have you seen people lose their minds over money, fame, work, lust or alcohol?
While we certainly don't have any "magic rings" around, we DO at the same time.
The Ring of Power, in one sense, is a metaphor for any false idol that we chase in our lives.
It's anything that makes us feel "powerful."
So the depiction of Gollum reveals something true about ourselves in a way that we can more easily understand.
This is the magic of fantasy and why I love it. It provides a way to reveal truth that is both effective and fun.
I myself have had plenty of fun writing my first fantasy novel, and my hope is that you'll have even more fun reading it!
God Bless,
Matthew
P.S.: If you're an avid fantasy reader yourself, feel free to reply below and let me know what your favorite fantasy series/novel is ;) Mine is the Lightbringer series by Brent Weeks!