Fantasy (storytelling)
Fantasy refers to a fictional story involving the supernatural. It is a genre of fictional literature closely associated with science fiction merely because fantasy and science fiction works are often created by the same authors as works of science fiction, and may interest the same readers or viewers. Fantastic stories are also presented as movies, and comics involving alternate universes, the impossible, and/or the supernatural.
Fantasy is distinguished from science fiction, which often involves scientific, futuristic, and/or technological speculation, and from horror, which is intended to shock and to elicit fear or terror, and often contains elements usually considered gruesome, violent or repugnant. However, all speculative genres share a fantastical element, and there is often considerable overlap between them as well as sharp disagreement even among experts about how different genres should be defined, particularly those of fantasy and science fiction.
Tales that can undisputedly be considered fantasy include:
- Myth and legend, where there are supernatural, especially magical, elements
- Fairy tales
- Sword and sorcery stories