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Epic fantasy novels belong to a genre that is literally centuries old. As a matter of fact, the oldest known book was one. While most might think that the Iliad was the oldest, there was another tale that pre-dates the Iliad. And not just by a little, but by around a thousand years.
This earliest book of all was the epic of Gilgamesh. It was actually recorded onto tablets of stone. The story of Gilgamesh follows his quest to kill the beast Grendel and obtain the gift of immortality.
Between 650 and 750 B. C. E., the Iliad made its appearance. Now almost 3,000 years have past, and this story is still well known. It is a tale set during the Trojan War and tells the story of the siege and eventual fall of Troy. It is recorded as a heroic poem.
Homer wrote another book in that time frame too, The Odyssey. This tale takes up the story as it left off in the Iliad, with the end of Troy. It then follows the journey of Odysseus on his way home. Of course the trip is anything but certain as the hero faces one mythical creature after another.
Somewhere in the middle ages, the epic fantasies changed slightly. In prior books and tales, magic had been simply within the realm of gods. But in Le Morte d'Arthur written by Sir Thomas Malory, magic came to man. Or at least it came to one man, Merlin.
The most famous of the modern day heroic fantasies is the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Due to the fairly recent movies, most people are familiar with what these books entail. It is important to note that the books follow the genre of epic fantasy very closely.
The heroic fantasy starts off with an average person--most times a farm boy. The tale then writes of the impossible task the character must do to save the world. Along the way, the story follows the character's growth into a hero.
These famous books portray a brief history of Epic Fantasy Novels from ancient times to today. This genre is here to stay.
This earliest book of all was the epic of Gilgamesh. It was actually recorded onto tablets of stone. The story of Gilgamesh follows his quest to kill the beast Grendel and obtain the gift of immortality.
Between 650 and 750 B. C. E., the Iliad made its appearance. Now almost 3,000 years have past, and this story is still well known. It is a tale set during the Trojan War and tells the story of the siege and eventual fall of Troy. It is recorded as a heroic poem.
Homer wrote another book in that time frame too, The Odyssey. This tale takes up the story as it left off in the Iliad, with the end of Troy. It then follows the journey of Odysseus on his way home. Of course the trip is anything but certain as the hero faces one mythical creature after another.
Somewhere in the middle ages, the epic fantasies changed slightly. In prior books and tales, magic had been simply within the realm of gods. But in Le Morte d'Arthur written by Sir Thomas Malory, magic came to man. Or at least it came to one man, Merlin.
The most famous of the modern day heroic fantasies is the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Due to the fairly recent movies, most people are familiar with what these books entail. It is important to note that the books follow the genre of epic fantasy very closely.
The heroic fantasy starts off with an average person--most times a farm boy. The tale then writes of the impossible task the character must do to save the world. Along the way, the story follows the character's growth into a hero.
These famous books portray a brief history of Epic Fantasy Novels from ancient times to today. This genre is here to stay.
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