Bemused

[pameladlloyd]

While searching for definitions of the term "Urban Fantasy" I came across The Christian Guide to Fantasy. The definitions are . . . slightly skewed, in my opinion.

For example:

Urban Fantasy - A subgenre of Fantasy; the action takes place in this world at this time, with no change in Earth's history, but rather in its dynamics (i.e., physics: usually magic is possible). Another area most often under the influence of secular paganism. [Emphasis mine]

In addition to the statement I highlighted, what bothers me about this "definition" is that it is so vague, it doesn't actually define.

Comments

[pdlloyd.livejournal.com]

And the definition you mention is so different from anything I would come up with (but seems to be something of the consensus on the "BitterCon: Urban Fantasy Expectations: Fantasy or Romance?" topic) that I'm wondering if I just never had a clue, or if the world moved on and left me behind.

For me, the genre centers around and is practically defined by the kind of work that Charles de Lint is doing, as well as by the Borderlands series edited by Terri Windling. I know that she has been identified as having been instrumental in having helped to create the genre, through her work in publishing authors like de Lint and Emma Bull.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Yeah--I much prefer a broader definition... really don't know why/how it came to be used so narrowly.

[pdlloyd.livejournal.com]

My impression is that it started narrow, but has recently broadened. But, that may only reflect my own bias, rather than anything out there in the real world. :)