Romantasy, a hot new subgenre that mixes romance and fantasy, continues to sweep readers off their feet across the globe. This genre especially explores the growing relationship between the two main characters amid lush, sometimes fantastical environments. Most importantly, it has crossed into the mainstream of broad adult audience popularity. Romantasy as a genre has incredibly rich roots that span decades. Now, it’s experiencing a revival led by modern poets and TikTok.
Anne McCaffrey, who died in 2011, is routinely recognized as a founder of the Romantasy sub-genre. Her pioneering series, “Dragonriders of Pern,” started in the 1960s. Perhaps that’s why it beautifully encapsulates the perfect balance of romance and magic that gives Romantasy its name. With complex characters and rollicking stories, the series created a template that many writers have followed ever since.
Sarah J. Maas has become one of the most successful and high-profile contemporary representatives of Romantasy. Her series “A Court of Thorns and Roses” has readers hooked on magic, fae, and all the worlds in between. It’s filled with explicit scenes that go way beyond what’s typical for the genre. Maas remembers her first time crafting these close, personal scenes, saying,
“My first on-the-page sex scene was in my Court of Thorns and Roses, the first novel, not series, and I needed a glass of wine, to take the edge off.”
This honesty permeates her distinctive brand of storytelling, creating visceral, multilayered characters.
Christine Larson, an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Colorado at Boulder, believes that Romantasy serves as a powerful medium for modern readers. She notes that the genre is especially appealing for women who are looking for stories where female protagonists are powerful and have agency.
“In general, I think romantasy has spread the way it has because people are feeling unsettled right now. Women, especially, are often feeling powerless. And the heroines in these books have power,” Larson states.
Romantasy casts a spell on readers, profoundly developing an ecosystem in which female protagonists realize their truest selves through love. These characters are further empowered as we witness through their journeys alongside their partners.
Finally, social media platforms, and most recently TikTok, have turned the publishing environment on its head. They’ve led the way in pushing Romantasy titles. It’s a quick and easy way for readers to find new recommendations and to tell us all about their favorite books that combine romance and fantasy. This vibrant landscape has proven to be a powerful force for raising up lesser known authors to mainstream prominence.
Larson underlines this dreamy, imaginative quality of Romantasy, while championing its place in portraying relationships as equitable partnerships.
“I’m especially excited about romantasy because it is so imaginative, but it also has central love stories,” she explains. “And I believe that romance in general and these love stories portray relationships the way we want them to be between equals, between strong partners.”
Romance and fantasy have a rich history of crossing paths in literature. Previous entries, like “Twilight,” emphasize the combination of fantasy, whimsy, mystery, and romance that makes up each story’s supernatural underbelly. Larson reminds us that although Romantasy might feel like the child of a recent trend, it has a deep history.
“Everyone talks about romantasy as if it’s new. But actually, the subgenre of fantasy or paranormal in romance has been around for decades,” she says.
Romantasy enchants readers beyond the page with its journey, unexpected moments and intriguing lead characters. It encourages them to go on vibrant journeys filled with wonder, excitement, and romance.
As Romantasy continues to evolve, authors like Maas are pushing boundaries that challenge traditional norms within romance literature. Even with her success, Maas admits that her family is not fond of her more overtly sexual scenes. This tension illustrates the complexities authors face as they navigate their artistic expressions while considering audience perceptions.
McCaffrey always felt that fantasy and science fiction should present hope for a better future.
“In the past 15, 20 years when we still had the Cold War… it gave the adult reader the hope that, gee, maybe there is one,” she said of speculative fiction’s influence.
Romantasy perfectly encapsulates this idea, constructing worlds where love conquers all, especially when the future is uncertain and difficult to navigate.
