CT: What if Harry Potter was Low Fantasy?

[espanolbot]

Something that some people don't seem to know is that, like science fiction, there are many different subgenres. Regular Harry Potter is part of the subgenre known as Urban Fantasy, which combines fantasy with modern trappings. High Fantasy, meanwhile, is more along the lines of Lord of the Rings, while Low Fantasy is more of a grungey variety of story along the lines of Berserk.

Because it amused me, I wondered what a Low Fantasy version of Harry Potter would be like. Not entirely accurate though, if it were they'd also be caked in mud, blood and crap as well.


A better definition of the subgenre, via TV Tropes
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LowFantasy

Comments

[fifthie]

ughhhhhghghgghhhhhghghghghg, "gingers"

[fifthie]

I would empty out my bank accounts and set it all on fire if it meant the whole world agreeing to stop that unfunny bullshit and just, fucking, go back to calling them redheads like we did before this brain virus somehow infected everything.

[espanolbot]

Yeah, the anti-redhead thing always bemused me. Particularly since it seems to have reared up again recently.

[deleonjh]

What, that's a thing? I thought it was just a joke by now.

[greenmask]

That.. is kind of the problem?

[fifthie]

It's a totally, totally hilarious joke, if you like shitty, mindless jokes that also aren't in any actually meaningful way jokes and are basically just offhanded bullying.

[dancesontrains]

I see you don't live in Britain.

[fifthie]

If I lived in Britain I would pretty much start every day by finding a redhead person and following him around until someone made a smart remark at him about common root spices which in no way resemble his hair color and then I would slap the second someone until my hand hurt.

Every day.

[valtyr]

I don't get it?

[espanolbot]

Low Fantasy tends to be angled more cynically than other forms of the genre, so all the problems in magical society displayed in the books would still be problems after the physical villain has been defeated.

Yeah, the joke here is kind of esoteric, I guess.

[valtyr]

But all the problems in magical society displayed in the books are still problems after the physical villain has been defeated in the canon? I mean - there's no indication they're dealt with, as Albus Severus, despite being named after a Slytherin and being raised by and among people dedicated to repairing wizarding society, has still absorbed the idea that being Slytherin is Bad. And there's no indication the non-human races aren't still considered subordinate to humans.

[icon_uk]

We have to accept "Word of Author" when JKR says that Hermione went on to improve the lot of House-Elves and removing any remaining pro-pureblood laws, and that Harry (somehow) went on to head a completely revamped Aurors section under Kinglsey Shacklebolt's heavily reword Ministry of Magic. transforming the way the wizarding community looks at itself (Lord knows it could do with it).

At least Slytherin being the home of all evil has several centuries of data to back it up, so it's no surprise it has a bad rep after less than 20 years.

Personally I always wanted to see a reference to a new House being added; Dumbledore, which would welcome any non-humans who wished to study magic, with an aim towards complete assimilation.

[icon_uk]

Oh, and from that same webchat

Natalie: Are house divisions as prevalaent in Harry’s childrens' Hogwarts as in the previous generations?

J.K. Rowling: Slytherin has become diluted. It is no longer the pureblood bastion it once was. Nevertheless, its dark reputation lingers, hence Albus Potter’s fears.

[nemryn]

It's also a matter of attitude. In high fantasy, 'We beat the Big Bad, but things still suck' is a plot hole; it's not an explicit part of the narrative, and it's something you don't necessarily notice until some time after you're done reading, and you go 'Hey, wait a minute...'. You realize it, but the characters and the narrator don't, or they don't acknowledge it, or the fantasy world is set up so they really do all live happily ever after. Whereas low fantasy does acknowledge it, and in fact 'We have to fix the things that still suck' is the hook for the next trilogy.

[stolisomancer]

I'm not sure that the Harry Potter series could exist as low fantasy as I understand it, but I tend to think of the genre in terms of Matthew Stover and Joe Abercrombie.

[deleonjh]

It could easily be urban fantasy with a teensy shift in emphasis, though Hermione would need sexy scars and a magic tiger or some shit.

[biod]

"Magic tiger"
Is that what the kids are calling it these days? ;)

[deleonjh]

I believe "pork lance" is term that is used by au courant adolescents. The corresponding feminine diminutive is "meat curtain".

[fifthie]

True story:

If I had magic powers and lady junk I would 100% use the former to make the latter roar on command.

[darkblade]

It'd need more vampires in Voldermort's employ, a greater emphasis on the possibility of muggles discovering them and far more combat based magic (those vauge jinxes don't count).

Most of the story wouldn't need too much changing.

[icon_uk]

I thought there was rather a lot of magical duelling going on in the Potter books, with a lot of very clearly defined combat spells to go with the more vague sparkly blast stuff.

[deleonjh]

True, there's more worrying about keeping the filthy normals out in urban fantasy.

[espanolbot]

Depends on what sort of Urban Fantasy. Magic sex tigers if you're at the Anita Blake end of the scale, while at the American Gods, Neverwhere end of the scale they'd be entirely absent.

[tsunamiwombat]

The thing about Slytherine is it isn't SUPPOSED to be evil, Slytherine doesn't mean "evil" it's supposed to mean 'willing to get things done'. Slytherine is the house of Braniac 5 - your not a nice person, no, your better than other people and you let them know, you work hard to excel in all things - but that doesn't necessarily mean your evil.

[shadowpsykie]

the english major in me cringes at the terms Low and High Fantasy... its just... there are implications which makes High seem superior and Low seem inferior..... which isn't the case, but most people outside of the Literature field (or anyone unfamiliar with the sub-genres of Science Fiction and Fantasy) wouldn't know that its a classification of a sub-genre and not a classification of the quality of the work...

okay... i'm done now... *steps off podium*

*I know you are using the proper terms for the classification and not using as a way of classifying quality....