I understand readers who shun fantasy fiction because they think it’s full of cliches, unwholesome thoughts and attitudes, and really awful writing–because a lot of it fits that description.
And just to be even more sophomoric, a movement sprang up in fantasy, a few years ago, to make everything “gritty.”
I mean, really–the Bad Guys already have this world for their playground: why hand them our fantasy worlds, too?
We started watching a New Zealand TV series once, but stopped very quickly because it was all filmed in a city that looked just like the seamier parts of urban New Jersey. We weren’t going to look at that. As for the characters–well, we already have villains galore in real life, and precious few heroes.
Reading “grimdark” fantasy is like tunneling into a prison camp.
I have to admit that I read very little fantasy or fiction any more, except those that have a Spiritual theme, but I read enough fiction in my younger days to last me a lifetime, so I don’t concern myself with it. Good thing somebody checks it out so others can be warned off the junk.
The prophet Isaiah hit it on the head when he spoke about people calling what is bad “good” and calling what is good “bad”.
It’d be nice if people grew out of that by the time they finished high school.