Generic Fantasy novels?

[Mx.Silver]

The Witcher series probably deserves mention. In terms of tone of it's very different, but it's still a gritty take on the Generic Fantasy Setting.


In regards to what makes a generic fantasy setting, the number of Gods is a bit of a red herring; the thing about generic fantasyland is in how it handles religion (usually with little depth and generally not have it have much of an impact on the societies). This is more noticeable in settings with a lot of active gods because said scenario spotlights it. In terms of general criteria my starting list usually looks something like this:

• Earth-like planet
• Pseudo-Medieval European
• Old Wizard Magic
• Intelligent nonhumans (usually some variation on Dragons, Elves, Orcs, Dwarves etc.)

That to me is already putting it into the vicinity of Generic FantasyLand, and the more 'standard' elements (ancient Evil Powers; Magical Relics of a Past Age etc.) you start adding to it the further in it goes.
Note that a setting does not have to tick every single box to be Generic Fantasyland. If it's largely the same 'except for X' then it's still a Generic Fantasy setting, just slightly tweaked.


Alternatively, if it's reasonably well described by Diana Wynne Jones' The Tough Guide to Fantasyland it's a Generic Fantasy Setting.

There are no dwarves or elves, no wizards (debatable I know) and only one god.

It does however have giants and whatever-the-hell the fey-like creatures were, who fulfil largely the same roles. Although if by 'debatable' you mean 'there actually exists an order of actual wizards who feature prominently in the cast' then yes, I suppose you're right on that point.

More in avoiding the generic fantasy cliche there is no merry band of brave adventurers to save the day just one mightily screwed up human being who doesn't want to believe where he is real most of the time

That same human, known as the Ringbearer, spends the third book with his compaion transporting a magic ring to a mountain in the middle of the territory of The Enemy, whose forces are currently besieging the capital of the forces of good, who are operating under the command of the head of the order of Wizards and the defence of said city is nearly undone when an important figure, driven to despair by the loss of his child, goes mad, gives up hope and tries to sabotage things. Said siege also features a last-second cavalry charge by reinforcements on the side of good. So while you might argue it's a not a world you could model in D&D in terms of Tolkein derivatives it's definitely pretty high up the list.