Warning: That is a link to TV tropes. Do not start browsing that site at work. Or at any time during the work week, really.
To boink Megan Fox.
This is probably my favourite answer so far, though magic in some form is pretty much a given.
Anything that consists entirely of elements already done by Tolkien, Howard, Moorcock, Leiber, and the other originators of modern fantasy fiction. More simply, anything that copies D&D, which is an already an amalgam of Tolkien, Howard, Moorcock, and Leiber.
Often referred to as “extruded fantasy product” in fannish circles.
EFP may be a creation of D&D and third artist syndrome. (The first artist paints what he sees. The second artist copies the first. The third artist copies the second, and produces something that has lost all the essence original.) Any author with D&D as a primary inspiration will almost certainly produce EFP.
Surprisingly uncommon in prose fiction. There are some notable examples–Shannara, Eddings, and Feist may all qualify–but most published fantasy authors strive for originality.
Very common in video games. Almost all video game fantasy is purest EFP: Generic elves, generic dwarves, generic dragons, generic everything up the wazoo.
Swords.
The Reluctant Hero.
The Villainous Tyrant.
The Beleaguered Goodfolk.
And, unfortunately, Ye Olde Comic Relief.
I was wondering when Howard was going to come up. Tolkien firmly established the modern “high fantasy” template, but I’d say you could have a generic fantasy deriving entirely from Conan, too. I might be alone in this, though, with Joe Average jeering at me in Elvish.
It’s an interesting question. I’m not sure most folks have a well-considered idea of what constitutes “generic fantasy,” but swords, sorcery, and either 1) humanoids (or debased humans) or 2) a monstrous critter would probably be the minimum to meet the “that’s fantasy” requirement. Setting, too, come to think of it, since Ancient Greeks probably need not apply. Add “and nothing new (to me)” and you get the “generic” part.
[Re: Extruded Fantasy Product.] Surprisingly uncommon in prose fiction. There are some notable examples–Shannara, Eddings, and Feist may all qualify–but most published fantasy authors strive for originality.
Not that it disqualifies your point, but measured by volume of sales – and number of titles – it’s fairly prevalent. I don’t think even something as successful and well-regarded as Tigana (assuming we’re agreed that it isn’t EFP) approached the combined sales of even one of the the various Dragonlance series.
Very common in video games. Almost all video game fantasy is purest EFP: Generic elves, generic dwarves, generic dragons, generic everything up the wazoo.
And how. Apart from the steamtech / magic dynamic, one of the reasons I liked Arcanum so much was the offbeat take on ogres and gnomes.
Best answer, by far.
I keep waffling on whether magic is required or not. A typical low-fantasy setting (Abercrombie or Howard) still has supernatural elements available in some form, but it’s far less prevalent and definitely way more exotic than how magic/religion is portrayed in high-fantasy settings. If there’s nothing supernatural then it’s just medieval Europe with search and replace.
EDIT: Substituted “supernatural” for magic
If there’s no magic, its historical fiction.
Generic Fantasy Settings come in TWO FLAVORS!
Low Magic or High Magic.
What if it’s in a totally fictitious setting? Kind of hard to be historical or alternate history if it’s not intended to be based on actual history.
Sean Russell is one example of an author that basically writes fiction in alternate settings that are obvious rehashes of Earth settings.
Thanks guys. Especially for that TV Tropes link, Aaron. The question being debated was whether D&D was generic fantasy. Man, I wish I’d put money down on this one. :D
So Vikings invented generic fantasy?
No, the first dark lord did.
I can’t imagine a possible definition of generic fantasy that would not include D&D. I mean, their default setting is so generic it doesn’t even have a name. It is the very essence of generic fantasy, more generic than anything else in all of existence.
Well, the main argument from the other side seems to be mainly that so much stuff has been added into D&D that’s it’s really unique now.
But at some point you really have to either say “I don’t believe in such a thing as generic fantasy because all settings are a little different” or admit that if there is generic fantasy D&D is smack dab in the middle of it. The TV Tropes article is so on-the-nose that if I didn’t know better I’d think I’d written it to win the argument.
I see that this puzzle has been solved already by the hivemind, but my first thought when I saw the OP was a horrible television show from the 80’s that lasted about two weeks. Not sure what is was called, but it was D&D based I think. Geeky 11 year old me was so excited that some fantasy action was about to rock the world of tv…in the first episode the hero character was riding a horse that was supposed to be a unicorn and the horn was flopping about like it was attached with rubber bands. It took Peter Jackson to convince me that fantasy could be done right on a screen of any size after that, I pretty much ignored the genre until LOR came out.
Be careful, Brian. While it’s true that TV Tropes can enhance your life, it can also ruin it. Also, it is a black hole from which consciousness never escapes.
Original D&D is certainly quite generic in settings and classes, perhaps definitively so. More recent D&D, and the offshoot stuff like Spelljammer and Eberron are more unique.
Everything is generic fantasy except my favorite author.
Hoo boy. Speaking as someone who used to work in a bookstore, I think there’s a whole hell of a lot of pretty generic swords and sorcery fantasy out there. When it comes to the concept of “originality”, I don’t think the phrase “most fantasy authors” can get within 100 yards.