Saturday, September 19, 2009

Magic and Gadgets

Recently, I’ve been on a spy kick. The Spy Goddess Series by Michael P. Spradlin involves elements of both fantasy and espionage, and it got me thinking about similarities between the two genres.

Fantasy and spy novels often involve an unlikely hero or heroine fighting Overwhelming Forces of Evil, and the hero or heroine gets help from magic or gadgets. Early in the novel, the protagonist has to learn how to use magic or get access to the gadgets. Things look good for a while, until the Overwhelming Forces of Evil use even better magic or gadgets. In the end, evil is conquered by the protagonist’s ingenuity rather than the magic or the gadgets.

How’s that for a simplistic genre analysis?

1 comment:

Lori Van Hoesen said...

I love your pithy, analysis. It takes a real talent to boil things down like you do, Ann. :)