Everyone has a favorite genre. It’s usually the first aisle you go to in a bookstore or the first movies you like to see at the theatre. Some people love the scares of the horror genre or the puzzling events of a mystery or maybe you like to cozy up by the fire with a romance? As for me? Well, if you’ve read my previous posts, you know that my favorite genre is fantasy, specifically medieval fantasy.
Do you ever wonder why people like the genres they do? I was wondering that this week. I get that some people like the suspense and frightening effects of the horror genre (I certainly don’t), and other people like swooning over heart-warming romances. I love the escape of the fantasy. Magic and swords, archers and pirates, elves and centaurs, etc.! Yet, I got to wondering where that stemmed from. I mean, going beyond the “I like magic and enchanted creatures” and right down to what got me into medieval fantasies in the first place.
Maybe it was Disney movies? I did grow up in a time period where a lot of Disney movies were popular: Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, etc. However, the main ones I remember watching the most were The Lion King, 101 Dalmatians, and Bambi, but those aren’t medieval. So, there’s gotta be another reason and I figured it out at the start of this week.
You may remember me mentioning this in a previous post, but just recently, the video game Hyrule Warriors; Age of Calamity, was released (and I’m super excited for it). Watching the trailers and seeing the artwork for the game often has me in awe of it. I love the way they design the castle and the landscape. I love how they define the royal characters, the knights, the champions, and the army verses army gameplay. It is a medieval fantasy at its peak and I realize it’s the Legend of Zelda series that’s hooked me into the fantasy genre in the first place.
I have two older brothers and when I was little, I always watched them play The Legend of Zelda; Ocarina of Time. I knew how to beat the game before I even started playing it myself. My favorite parts to watch were when they got to the scenes involving the princess and watching my oldest brother play “peek-a-boo” with the final boss. Often, when they were done playing, I’d take what they did in the game and incorporate it into what I did with my toys. I may have had toys set in modern times, but they always turned into a medieval theme with a princess, armies, and darkness coming to destroy the land. From there, my love for fantasy just grew and grew with other popular books, shows, movies, or games that came out. So, whenever I found myself in a library or bookstore, it’s always the fantasy section I search for.
That’s my tale on my favorite genre and where I believe my love for fantasy came from. Now, I want to know yours! What’s your favorite genre and why? Do you like the thrills of horror? The adventure of deep space? The affection of romances? What about a wild and witty western or war-time movies? Maybe you just stick to plain and simple action with car chases and gun fights? Whatever it is, comment your genre and your reason down below! I really want to know what everyone is into out there!
Featured Photo from Hyrule Warriors; Age of Calamity.
nikki diekemper 
I think my favorite fiction genre would be historical fiction. I love learning about other time periods: how they lived and interacted, what the culture was like, what their struggles were, and how they overcame!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fantasy as well. I like the freedom of building my own worlds and histories, and it’s fun to think of how magic would affect how societies would work. It’s also useful as an allegorical tool to make people look at the real world in a different way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting. 🙂 Mystery. Which can be in many genres. The best is the kind that keeps you thinking and wanting to read more and not put the book down. I am reading a fantasy one now by my favorite author.
LikeLiked by 1 person