Is this high fantasy?

I'm currently writing a fantasy story and was wondering if it falls into the high fantasy category. I know several definitions of high fantasy, and depending on which one you use, my story might or might not be one.

Definition 1 : High Fantasy is a story that takes place in another world, with a focus on this world, which means a lot of world building (and Low Fantasy would be if the story takes place in our world but with fantasy elements).

Definition 2 : In high fantasy, magic is normal, so everyone knows that there is some, and in low fantasy, not

My story takes place in another world, and world-building is very important to me, which is why it's high fantasy according to definition 1. However, there's virtually no magic at all. There are maybe a few magical elements, but not to the extent that you can use magic. Therefore, according to definition 2, it falls more into the low fantasy category.

Is it high or low fantasy? And which definition is the correct one, or is there even one correct definition, or can it be defined in different ways?

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Janeko85
2 months ago

Maybe this will help you.

So let’s stick to what High Fantasy means:

A freely invented and elaborately designed world that differs significantly from ours (mostly illustrated by a chic fantasy card at the beginning of the book)

Magic and weapons play a major role

There is an own plant and animal world, peoples and cultures, lands and kingdoms with individual stories

The heroic journey along with character development as well as the fight Good against evil are often central to the story in a High Fantasy Roman

The salvation of the epically created world is at the forefront – otherwise the whole effort would have been for nothing;-)

Modern novels often take a new and unused path in character development and the often rigid orientation of evil. A good example is Game of Thrones, where the characters have more shades than my old tube television.

[…]

So let’s stick to what Low Fantasy means:

The action plays in a world that is very similar to ours – fast fighting and violence scenes advance the action

The depth of detail of the depicted world with its inhabitants is low

In the foreground is not an epic world and its fate, but the path of action/the fate of the hero or heroine

Heikle questions about morality and honor often draw a bizarre picture of the hero or heroine

Unlike High Fantasy Legends, which often include multiple volumes, Low Fantasy is often told in closed and short episodes

Low Fantasy in Today

Conan & Co.’s heritage continues in today’s book series – although not in its very one-dimensional character design. For example, Goodreads also lists the Harry Potter series or City of Bones under the genre label »Low Fantasy«. Here, in particular, the aspect is underlined that the action plays in a world that is very similar to us (where Harry Potter also contains high fantasy elements such as the Muggel world). So it becomes clear that even the genre of Low Fantasy is constantly changing – just as our sociocultural views and preferences for new genre mixes also change.

https://www.tad-time.de/different-high-fantasy-low-fantasy

Jekanadar
2 months ago

Is your story epic? Does the world and the figures clearly divide into good and evil?

These are also features of the HF.

Jekanadar
2 months ago
Reply to  mimii444

Then it’s more Low Fantasy. Moral grayscales are not available in classic High Fantasy.

As a blueprint, Lord of the Rings or the Books by Walter Moers (Blaubär) serves you. In return, Low Fantasy is more The Witcher and The Song of Ice and Fire.