Delivery Method: Online learning with tutor support.

Fantasy fiction allows us to enter immersive worlds where magical and supernatural elements prevail with strong characters and themes drawn from many traditions from ancient Greek myths, medieval chivalric themes, Gothic fiction to fairy-tales and ghost stories from around the world.  

Course Description

Fantasy fiction allows us to enter immersive worlds where magical and supernatural elements prevail with strong characters and themes drawn from many traditions from ancient Greek myths, medieval chivalric themes, Gothic fiction to fairy-tales and ghost stories from around the world.  

This course will look briefly at influential historical texts such as The Odyssey, Beowulf and the Mabinogion, notable early authors such as George MacDonald, Hans Christian Anderson, E.Nesbit, Frank.L. Baum leading onto 20th century authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S.Lewis, Ursula.K.Le Guin, J.K.Rowling, Philip Pullman and Neil Gaiman.  
  
Many of these authors write books aimed at the Young Adult market (12+ years) but have universal appeal and make hugely successful films and TV.  
  
Various strategies and themes will be explored: building immersive, cohesive worlds, stories with ‘portals’ and ‘intrusions’ between the real and fantastical world, Hard magic, Soft magic, coming-of-age stories and stories which dip into horror. Building engaging and enduring characters, creating suspense and tension, and careful plotting will be explored.