Tolkien and Brooks conceived epic fantasy stories that aroused our imaginations and have pleased readers for years. But what exactly is epic fantasy and why were Tolkien and Brooks successful at it? Castlefiction.com looks at the definition of both “epic” and “fantasy” and comes up with “a story of creative imagination that has a hero and/or heroic feats and that takes place on an epic scale.”[1] The definition of epic is: “heroic; majestic; impressively great” or “of unusually great size or extent” [2] Both "LOTR" (Lord of the Rings) and “Sword of Shannara” are creative stories of magic and myth with heroes on a quest of substantial importance.
According to Debbie Ledesma,[3] one element of epic fantasy is that it is set in a secondary world, separate from our own reality. This world can either be another version of our own world or completely set apart from it. In LOTR and the Sword of Shannara, both J.R.R. Tolkien and Terry Brooks have created their own secondary worlds with significant history behind them. Tolkien even went as far as to use his studies in philosophy and linguistics to create languages and deep-rooted cultures for the different races in his books. Because the history of both stories is so important to the plot, the background that the authors give us is imperative to understanding the story. For example, the history of the One Ring in LOTR is important for us to know because we need to know what it is, where it came from, and how it ended up with Bilbo, and eventually Frodo. Without the history of the Ring we do not fully understand the evil behind it and the need to destroy it, which is the whole plot of the story. The history Allanon describes to Shea of their world in “The Sword of Shannara” tells us how the Warlock Lord came to be, where the sword came from, and in turn, why Shea is the only one who can stop the Warlock Lord. Both authors created magical yet believable worlds for us to lose ourselves in.
In addition, both writers created characters that were relatable to the readers. Their heroes were not invincible and fearless, but had characteristics closer to what a real person would have. Frodo was a timid hobbit who never would have dreamed of leaving his home in the shire for the adventure he experienced in LOTR. Shea was an adopted half-elf who did not even know the legends of the Warlock Lord were true let alone the fact that he was the only one who could use the only weapon in existence to defeat Brona. Their reactions to their own fates are similar to what the readers might have experienced in their place: surprise, hesitation, and fear.
Frodo showed the admirable quality of compassion in not killing Gollum when he had the chance. He also proved that he was very much human when the temptation of the Ring overcame him in the end. Tolkien created a lead character with good and bad qualities “revealing his failings as well as his virtues.”[4] Shea had to undergo the task of discovering the truth about himself before he was able to defeat the Warlock Lord. Self-discovery is something every human in the real world experiences at some point in their life and something readers can understand and relate to. Unlike heroes such as Beowulf who faced creatures like Grendel with no fear or hesitation, the characters of Tolkien and Brooks are more down-to-Earth. They experienced emotions that are more human-like and their actions were more like those of which a real human being would act.
Probably the most important element to an epic fantasy story is the ever continuing battle of good and evil. The heroes go on a long quest or journey in order to destroy the enemy who is bent on using evil powers to dominate the world. The quest in both stories are not only challenging physically but also mentally and emotionally. They are tested through trials and tribulations and the decisions that they make along the way determine their heroism. It is not only a quest to fight evil but also a quest inside themselves and they come out on the other side as different, stronger people.
The hero is usually a character who is the one and only person capable of completing the mission.[5] In Sword of Shannara, Shea was the only one that was able to use the sword because he was the heir of Jerle Shannara. Frodo was the one destined to journey to Mordor to destroy the Ring because he had inherited it from Bilbo and it had become his burden to bear. Although both characters could have refused to go on their quests they knew if they sat and did nothing it could mean the end of life as they knew it. The Warlock Lord would take control over the world in which Shea lived; Sauron would eventually be reunited with the One Ring and his evil power would be restored to what it once was. They both knew that ignoring the problem would not make it go away. The main difference in the two quests was that Frodo was going to destroy the Ring already in his possession to defeat Sauron, while Shea needed to find the Sword in order to defeat the enemy. One already had the power that the enemy sought while the other was still in search of it.
“Fairy stories ‘open a door on Other Time, and if we pass through, though only for a moment, we stand outside our own time, outside Time itself, maybe.’”[6] The LOTR and “Sword of Shannara” trilogies take us to another time and another place. They let us step outside of ourselves and into the lives of hobbits, elves, wizards, and dwarves for a time. The authors of these fairy tale stories give us a world of fantasy where the magic and make believe things we read about seem real and believable.
Both Tolkien and Brooks have created stories containing all of the elements that make a regular, non-fiction story an epic fantasy journey for us to experience. J.R.R. Tolkien was an imaginative storyteller and a true master of the fantasy world, so much so that he influenced and inspired many others to follow in his footsteps. “Tolkien creates out of the void a complete and fully-realized world. He weaves his spell around us, suspends all disbelief, and gives us our own modern-day adventure and discovery quest.”[7] His LOTR trilogy and the book that started it all, “The Hobbit,” provide excellent examples of what true fantasy is. Terry Brooks is a modern day author who succeeded in writing a fantasy series comparable to Tolkien's LOTR trilogy with his “Sword of Shannara” book and its sequels. Both authors were able to create two stories full of deep history, admirable characters, and just enough magic and myth to keep us immersed between the pages. For a while their worlds become our worlds. That is what the perfect model of what an epic fantasy story is.
[1] Castlefiction.com – Epic & Heroic Fantasy. http://www.castlefiction.com/essays/what-is-epic-fantasy.htm. Accessed 31 May 2009.
[2] Random House Dictionary. 2009. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/epic. Accessed 31 May 2009.
[3] Ledesma, Debbie. Fantasy Fiction. http://www.suite101.com/lesson.cfm/17284/2862/2. Accessed 31 May 2009.
[5] Ledesma, Debbie. Fantasy Fiction. http://www.suite101.com/lesson.cfm/17284/2862/2. Accessed 31 May 2009.
[7] TolkienOnline – JRR Tolkien and Middle Earth. 2007. http://www.tolkien-online.com/. Accessed 31 May 2009.
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