The Definitive Illustrated Guide
Fantasy is one of the oldest and most enduring forms of fiction. Ever since our ancestors first swapped heroic tales beside the fire, it has been thrilling us for thousands of years. Nowadays, fantasy has a huge following. It is the most popular genre of fiction, bar none. It calls out to something deep inside us, that part of ourselves that longs to be the hero, to play a significant part in the battle between Good and Evil.
This book is an extensive survey of the whole genre. Fantasy is extremely important in the modern world. 'The Lord Of The Rings' has been voted Best Novel of the Twentieth Century. 'Magic: The Gathering' is one of the fastest-growing games of all time; 'Dungeons & Dragons' is certainly one of the best known. The field of fantasy itself is every bit as extensive and fascinating as any of the fictional universes it contains, and it is difficult to get to know all its nooks and crannies.
With a wide range of informative and entertaining sections covering every aspect of fantasy, this book provides an invaluable glimpse into other realms. Written by a team of experts it looks at the characters, worlds and people that go to make up the field, through books, magazines, films, television and games. Fully indexed, there is a wealth of informative facts and fascinating background information and 185 colour and black and white pictures. An essential source of reference for everyone with an interest in fantasy.