Dark Imaginings

"Dark Imaginings" by Robert H. Boyer, Kenneth J. Zahorski. IntroductionDarkImaginingscontainssixteenfantasystoriesthatfeatureGothicelements.WhilethereexistnumerouscollectionsofGothic tales, and a few of fantasy, the present volume is uniquein consisting solely of stories that are of both types.Dark Imaginingsis also unique in bringing together twodistinct typesoffantasy under one cover:High Fantasy with its imaginary, secondary worlds, and Low Fantasy with its realistic, primary worldsettings. The fascinating combinationof Gothicismand fantasyexists, as we shall see, in both worlds. And it is a venerable partnership,indeed,predatingeventhosegrislyscenesof“ derkeymaginying”depictedontheTempleofMarsinChaucer’sKnight’s Tale.Readers may find their enjoyment of the stories enhanced bythe following brief discussion of fantasy and the Gothic. If not,weinvitethem,as Chaucerdidhis readers,to“ turnoverthepage” and get to the stories. Discussions of the nature of fantasyin particular,however,are relativelyfew,and so weoffer thefollowing.The defining characteristic of fantasy is the presence of non-rational elements that do not conform to our norms of reality andthat cannot be explained by reason or science. In short, fantasydeals with the impossible, and this holds true for both High andLowFantasy.Thisnonrationalcausality,however,functionsdifferently in each. The world of High Fantasy possesses a consistent order that is explainable in terms of the supernatural(i.e.,deities), or in terms of the less definable, but still recognizable,magical powers of faerie(e.g., wizardsand enchantresses).Butfantasies that fallinto the Lowcategoryusually offerno suchexplanations; in fact they cannot, precisely because they are set inthe real world. Book details: 358 pages, published 1978. Order now on BookShops.in with fast, reliable delivery across India.