This just in: Terry Pratchett hates JK Rowling! Or at least, he complains that she thinks she’s trying to subvert the fantasy genre when in fact, she really isn’t.

I agree with this; however, despite the seemingly obvious evidence that Harry Potter is a fantasy series, I’m not quite sure whether that is true. Sure, it’s got wizards and witches and magic, but that, to me, is not the focus of the story. In my opinion, Harry Potter is a teen soap opera with elements of fantasy thrown in, and a well-done one at that. I enjoy reading it, but for different reasons than I enjoy reading actual fantasy novels. However, I feel slightly guilty because I also think the series is overhyped, but that’s a different story.

This, however, got me thinking: are the “actual fantasy novels” that I read any more fantasy-like than Harry Potter is? As Mister Pratchett mentions, it seems like EVERYONE’s trying to subvert the fantasy genre; many series I enjoy also contain elements of mystery, romance, and philosophy. Also, the one series that everyone worships as the forefather of modern fantasy - Lord of the Rings - honestly isn’t all that great in my eyes.

To this, I draw parallels to adventure games. These days, many people debate exactly what an adventure game actually is, and much of this debate stems from the fact that adventure game elements are often present in other genres of games. As if the confusion isn’t enough, there is much subdivision even within the adventure genre. Some games are based on world-building, others are based on characters. Some are humourous, others are serious. Some are 2D with point-and-click interfaces, others are 3D with keyboard interfaces, and still others are combinations of the two.

As a result, to me, the fantasy novels I enjoy reading are like LucasArts adventure games: focused on story, character development, and razor-sharp wit. Lord of the Rings is like Myst: a world-building game, very popular and significant to its genre, but still not my cup of tea. And Harry Potter is like the action-adventure genre: something I enjoy, but for different reasons than I enjoy a pure adventure game.

I suppose, then, the opinion as to whether Harry Potter is a fantasy novel parallels the opinion as to whether an action-adventure game is an adventure game. I don’t think it is, and yet most people do. The debate continues…