Medieval Fantasy or Urban Fantasy?

Medieval Fantasy or Urban fantasy?

I belong to a few readers’ groups on social media, just to see what others who enjoying reading fantasy are discussing. The one group asked this question: do you prefer urban or medieval fantasy? Fantasy is a broad genre with many subgenres. There is epic fantasy, urban fantasy, fantasy romance, fairy tale fantasy, Arthurian fantasy, assassin fantasy, swords and sorcery, and many others. Of course, some stories include overlapping themes, like urban fantasy with romance or heroic fantasy with dragons and/or guns. You can learn more about the fantasy genre here.

Personally, I enjoy various genres, but lean towards the more classical, medieval, heroic fantasy with good triumphing over evil in the end. It is interesting that most who answered the question stated the same: medieval over urban fantasy stories.

The Appeal of Medieval Fantasy

So what is the appeal of the medieval world to so many? Why are Renaissance Festivals so popular? For myself, I think it is the wholesomeness of the idealized world. The heroes are knights or of similar character (like the classic Robin Hood): men of quality, character, and ethics. The heroes are brave, honest, and seeking truth while they stand against evil. Villains may be dragons or other foul beasts, or perhaps they are wicked men who have given up on virtue for selfish ambition. But it is more than that. Urban fantasy can have all those things, even if they are wearing leather jackets instead of armor. (Though that sounds less appealing to me.)

But it is not just the characters, the wholesomeness comes into all the settings. Image the aroma of fresh baked bread pulled from a brick oven, feel the texture of hand spun wool carefully worked by a young maid, and admire the intricate handcrafted woodwork of a church door. Image swords individually forged by shirtless dwarves who make sure every inch is perfection as sweat runs into their heavy beards. Enter the herbalist shop cluttered with dried aromatic weeds and haunted by the knowledgeable old crone (or alluring beauty). Come, rest at the Tudor style tavern built in the quaint village accented by squared dark logs and shingled roofs. Gaze up at the overshadowing castles of solid, hand-hewn stone guarding small communities of cobble streets. Compare these to the modern cold towers of steel walling in darkened streets or the endless rows of matching homes in quiet suburbia. Instead, think of great unexplored forests surround fresh fields cultivated by horse or ox-drawn plows. The romanticized medieval world just seems more authentic or wholesome and less plastic. The work is hard in such a world, but can be satisfying.

Medieval settings may sound “less creative” to some, but it does not have to be. Quality writing will weave timeless themes that touch the soul, no matter the setting. I hope to achieve such writing myself that others enjoy and may even move them in memorable ways.

My Current Fantasy World

My current fantasy world of Veardalan is, for the most part, a medieval setting with fantastical or mythical creatures interwoven with heroic characters. Knights of various orders, clerics, and wizards rule the great kingdom of Lageheim. Rangers patrol the wilds to keep the dangers at bay. My novelette, The Inn at the Forest’s Edge, is scheduled to be released on November 1st, and is set in this medieval world. If you enjoy medieval fantasy, coming of age stories, mythical creatures, and good triumphing over evil, you will enjoy this adventure.

What type of stories do you enjoy? What do you enjoy about them? Any favorites? Thanks for reading and comment below!

My stories

My upcoming novelette, The Inn at the Forest’s Edge features an medieval style inn. The story will debut on November 1st, 2023. To learn more, sign up here for updates and enjoy a free short story, too!