Have you ever dreamed of other worlds? Worlds with magic, dragons, and great heroes? Many of us love these stories. We read big, thick books. We watch movies about amazing adventures. But what do we call these stories?
You might hear two names: epic fantasy vs high fantasy. They sound very similar. Many people use them to mean the same thing. But for story writers, the people who create these worlds, the two terms are different. They mean two separate, important ideas.
Understanding this difference is key. It helps readers find the books they love. It helps writers understand their own stories. So, what is the big secret? How do authors see epic fantasy vs high fantasy?
This blog will show you. We will see what story writers mean when they talk about them. We will find out the true high fantasy definition and the real epic fantasy definition. By the end, you will understand the difference between high fantasy and epic fantasy just like a story creator.
What is High Fantasy? Let’s Ask a Story Writer?
First, let’s talk about high fantasy. This is a very popular type of story. But what is high fantasy?
The Simple High Fantasy Definition
For a story writer, the high fantasy definition is very simple. It is all about the setting. The setting is the “where” of the story.
A high fantasy story takes place in a world that is not our world. It is a completely made-up place. Writers call this a secondary world (fiction). This imaginary world fantasy has its own rules. It has its own history. It may have its own maps, peoples, and animals.
Think about The Lord of the Rings. That story is set in a place called Middle-earth. Middle-earth is not on our map. You cannot take a plane there. It is a secondary world. This makes The Lord of the Rings a perfect example of high fantasy.
The story writer definition high fantasy is this: a story set in a created world that is separate from our own.
Where Did the Term “High Fantasy” Come From?
The name “high fantasy” is not new. A story writer named Lloyd Alexander first used it in 1971. He wrote a famous series called The Chronicles of Prydain.
He used the word “high” to mean something important. He meant it was “high” in imagination. It was “high” by being far away from our real world. It was not about quality. It was not saying high fantasy is “better” than other stories.
It just meant the story was completely set in a fantasy place. A world with its own sun and stars. A world that runs on its own logic. This idea helped group a certain kind of story together.
The Number One Rule is… An Imaginary World Fantasy
So, the number one rule for high fantasy is the secondary world (fiction). This is the most important part of the high fantasy definition.
If a story has magic, but it happens in our world, it is not high fantasy. A story about a wizard living in London today is not high fantasy. That might be called “low fantasy” or “urban fantasy.”
High fantasy must move the reader to a new place. A place they have never been. A place that only exists in the writer’s mind and the reader’s imagination. This is what makes world-building in fantasy so vital for this genre.
What is high fantasy Not Set on Earth?
Let’s be very clear. what is high fantasy? It is a story that is not set on Earth. It is not set in our past. It is not set in our future.
It is set in its own place. This place might have different moons. It might have strange plants. It might have magic as part of its physics.
The story writer definition high fantasy starts and ends with this idea. The writer must be a world-builder. They are like an architect for a whole planet. This is the heart of high fantasy. This is what makes it a special fantasy subgenre high fantasy.
What is Epic Fantasy? A Story Writer’s View
Now we know what high fantasy is. It is a setting. So, what is epic fantasy? Is it the same thing?
No. For a story writer, it is very different. Epic fantasy is not about the where. It is about the what.
The Simple Epic Fantasy Definition
The epic fantasy definition is about the story’s scale. The word “epic” tells you everything. It means big. It means huge.
An epic fantasy story is about a very big problem. The problem is not small. It is not about one person’s bad day. The problem affects everyone. It threatens a whole country. It threatens a whole kingdom. Often, it threatens the entire world.
The stakes are very high. This is what writers call a high stakes fantasy story. If the heroes fail, everything and everyone is lost. This is the core of the epic fantasy definition.
Why “Epic”? It’s All About the Size?
The word “epic” comes from old poems. These poems were long. They told stories of great heroes. They told of big wars and long journeys. Think of The Odyssey.
Story writers use “epic” in the same way. An epic fantasy story is often very long. It might be told in three, five, or even ten big books. This is called a sprawling epic saga fantasy.
The story has a large cast. There are many characters. There are kings, queens, soldiers, and wizards. The story follows many people in many places. It shows you the whole world at war. This is a large-scale conflict fantasy.
What is epic fantasy Means the Whole World is in Danger?
So, what is epic fantasy? It is a story where the fate of the world is on the line.
The story is not about a hero trying to find a lost cat. It is about a hero trying to stop a dark lord from ending all life. The problem is huge. The hero often must go on a long, hard journey. This is the quest narrative fantasy.
The story writer definition epic fantasy is this: a story with a world-ending threat and a massive scale. It is about a large-scale conflict fantasy.
Epic Fantasy vs High Fantasy
Here is the most important part. Here is where most people get mixed up. The big question of epic fantasy vs high fantasy.
If high fantasy is the place and epic fantasy is the problem, are they the same?
Why People Get Confused?
People get confused for a very good reason. Many of the most famous fantasy books are both.
Let’s go back to The Lord of the Rings.
- Is it set in a secondary world (Middle-earth)? Yes. So, it is high fantasy.
- Is it about a world-ending threat (Sauron)? Yes. Does it have a huge scale and a long quest? Yes. So, it is epic fantasy.
See? It is both. The Lord of the Rings is an epic fantasy story that takes place in a high fantasy world. This is true for many other big fantasy series. The Wheel of Time is another one. It is both.
Because so many popular books are both, people just mix the names. They think epic fantasy vs high fantasy is not a real question. They think the words mean the same thing. But for a writer, they do not.
The Real Difference Between High Fantasy and Epic Fantasy
The difference between high fantasy and epic fantasy is clear for authors.
High Fantasy = Setting (Where?) -> A secondary world (fiction). Epic Fantasy = Story (What?) -> A high stakes fantasy story.
This is the key. You must remember this. One is the box. The other is what you put inside the box.
This means you can have one without the other. This is what makes fantasy genre classification so useful for writers.
A Story Can Be Both
We already used The Lord of the Rings. Let’s use A Song of Ice and Fire (or Game of Thrones).
- Is it set in a secondary world (Westeros and Essos)? Yes. It is not Earth. So, it is high fantasy.
- Is it about a large-scale conflict for a kingdom? Yes. Is there a world-ending threat (the White Walkers)? Yes. Is it a sprawling epic saga fantasy? Yes. So, it is epic fantasy.
This is another great example of a story being both. The epic fantasy vs high fantasy debate for this book is simple. It is both.
Can a Story Be High Fantasy Without Being Epic?
Yes. This is a great question.
A story writer could create a wonderful imaginary world fantasy. A world with magic, history, and wonder. This is a high fantasy world.
But the story in that world could be small. It could be about a baker who uses a little magic to win a baking contest. It could be about two people falling in love in a city of elves. It could be a murder mystery in a magic school.
The world is high fantasy. But the story is not epic. The world is not in danger. The stakes are personal and small. This is still high fantasy. It is just not epic fantasy.
Can a Story Be Epic Without Being High Fantasy?
Yes. This is also possible.
A story writer could write about a huge, world-changing war. A story with kings, armies, and a high stakes fantasy story. The story could be a sprawling epic saga fantasy. This is an epic story.
But what if it is set in our world? What if it is a story about ancient Rome, but the writer adds some magic? Or a story set in our world today, where a secret magic war decides the fate of all humans?
The story is epic. The stakes are huge. But the world is not a secondary world. It is our world. This means the story is epic fantasy, but not high fantasy. It is low fantasy or urban fantasy.
So, the epic fantasy vs high fantasy question is a real one. They are two different tools for a story writer.
How Story Writers Build a High Fantasy World?
When a writer decides to write high fantasy, their first job is big. They must build a world. This is world-building in fantasy.
The Job of World-Building in Fantasy
World-building in fantasy is more than just drawing a map. A map is a good start. But a world is more than land.
A world needs people. Who lives there? Are there just humans? Or are there elves, dwarves, orcs, or new peoples the writer made up?
The world needs history. What happened in this world before the story starts? Were there big wars? Are there old, ruined cities? This is what writers call mythic fantasy elements.
A world needs culture. How do people live? What do they eat? What are their laws? What are their songs? What gods do they believe in?
A writer must think about all of this. This is what makes the secondary world (fiction) feel real.
Creating History and Mythic Fantasy Elements
Good high fantasy worlds feel old. They feel like they have a deep, long past.
Story writers spend a lot of time on this. They write histories that the reader might never see. They create mythic fantasy elements. These are the legends and myths the characters in the book believe.
When a character in a story talks about a hero from 1,000 years ago, that is world-building. It makes the imaginary world fantasy feel solid. It feels real.
Making a Magic System Fantasy Writers Use
If a high fantasy world has magic, the writer has a big job. They must create a magic system fantasy.
This means they must decide the rules of magic.
- Is magic easy or hard?
- Can anyone use magic, or only a few?
- Do you have to be born with it, or can you learn it in a school?
- Does using magic have a cost? Does it make you tired? Does it cost blood?
Some writers make “hard” magic systems. The rules are very clear. The reader knows exactly what the magic can and cannot do.
Other writers make “soft” magic systems. The magic is mysterious. It is about wonder and feeling. We do not know all the rules.
Both are fine. But the writer must choose. This is a key part of world-building in fantasy.
New Peoples, New Rules
A fantasy subgenre high fantasy book often has more than just humans. This is another part of world-building.
A writer might add elves. But what are their elves like? Are they tall and wise? Or are they small and tricky? The writer decides.
They might invent a totally new people. A people made of rock. A people who live in the sky.
For each new people, the writer must ask the same questions. What is their history? What is their culture? What do they want?
Making a deep imaginary world fantasy is hard work. It’s why many writers use tools to keep track of their ideas, like the character guides you might find from authors like S. F. Shaw (sfshaw.com).
How Story Writers Make an Epic Fantasy Story?
We know high fantasy is about building a world. Epic fantasy is about building a story. A very, very big story.
The Good vs Evil Fantasy Theme
Many epic fantasy stories use a big theme. The most common one is the good vs evil fantasy theme.
This means the story has clear heroes. And it has clear villains. There is a “dark lord” or an evil army. There is a “chosen one” or a group of heroes trying to stop them.
The good vs evil fantasy theme makes the stakes very clear. We know who to root for. We know what will happen if the heroes fail. This makes the high stakes fantasy story feel even bigger.
Not all epic fantasy is this simple. Some stories have “grey” characters. But the idea of a big, moral fight is very common.
The Large-Scale Conflict Fantasy
An epic story needs an epic conflict. This is the large-scale conflict fantasy.
The story is not about a fistfight. It is about a war. It shows armies. It shows big battles. It shows castles being attacked.
The writer must think like a general. They have to move armies across their map. They have to write about politics. Kings and queens make alliances. People betray each other.
This is what makes the story “epic.” The conflict is so big it pulls everyone into it. No one is safe.
A Sprawling Epic Saga Fantasy
Because the conflict is so big, the story is often long. This is the sprawling epic saga fantasy.
A writer planning an epic fantasy knows it will take time. It may take many books. The Wheel of Time is 14 books long.
This means the writer has to plan a lot. They need to know where the story is going. They have many characters to track. Each character has their own journey.
This is a huge job for the writer. It takes years.
The Quest Narrative Fantasy
How do you move a hero across a big world? How do you show the reader the large-scale conflict fantasy?
Many writers use a quest narrative fantasy. A “quest” is a big journey with a goal.
The goal might be:
- To destroy a magic ring.
- To find a magic sword.
- To rescue a princess.
- To warn a king.
- To gather an army.
The quest narrative fantasy is a great tool. It gives the hero a clear reason to travel. As the hero travels, the reader sees the world. The hero meets new people. The hero gets into trouble.
This is how the small hero gets involved in the big, epic story.
The Heroes and Villains of Epic Tales
An epic story needs more than a big world and a big problem. It needs people.
The Fantasy Hero Archetype
Many epic stories use a fantasy hero archetype. An “archetype” is a type of character we all know.
The most famous fantasy hero archetype is the “farm boy.” This is a young person. They live a simple life. They think they are nobody.
Then, something happens. They find out they are special. They are the “chosen one.” They have a great destiny. They must leave their home to save the world.
Luke Skywalker is this type. Harry Potter is this type.
This fantasy hero archetype is popular for a reason. We get to see the hero learn and grow. We see them go from a nobody to a great hero.
The Hero’s Big Job
In an epic fantasy, the hero’s job is always a high stakes fantasy story.
The hero cannot say “no.” They cannot just stay home. The fate of the world is on their shoulders. This is a lot of pressure.
This makes the story exciting. We want to see if the hero can do it. Can this simple person really defeat the dark lord?
Crafting a memorable hero is a big journey for the writer, too. Writers like S. F. Shaw (sfshaw.com) often share insights into their creative process, which can help new authors.
Why Readers All Over the World Love These Books?
Why do we love these big, long stories? Why do readers in Pakistan, the UK, China, the US, and the UAE all read fantasy?
The Joy of a New Place
High fantasy gives us a new place to go. We get to leave our world for a little while. We can visit a beautiful elven city. We can fly on a dragon.
This is a wonderful feeling. It is not just “escape.” As one writer said, it is a way to understand our own world better.
“Fantasy is hardly an escape from reality. It’s a way of understanding it.” – Lloyd Alexander
This quote from the man who named “high fantasy” is very true. These stories give us a new way to look at our own problems. Problems like war, courage, and friendship.
Fantasy Book Sales in 2025
And people love these books more than ever.
Recent stats show this. In 2024, sales of science fiction and fantasy books went up by a huge 41.3% in the UK. This was reported in early 2025. This shows more and more people are reading these stories.
New types of stories, like “romantasy,” are bringing in new readers. People are finding joy in these big, imagined worlds.
Why epic fantasy vs high fantasy is a popular search?
People search for epic fantasy vs high fantasy for many reasons.
- Readers want to find more books they will love.
- New writers want to know how to label their own stories.
- Fans want to talk about their favorite books.
Knowing the difference between high fantasy and epic fantasy helps everyone. It gives us the right words to use.
How Writers Talk About These Books?
For writers and publishers, these words are tools. They are part of fantasy genre classification.
Fantasy Novel Categories
When you go to a bookstore or shop online, books are put into boxes. These are fantasy novel categories.
This helps you find what you want. You can go to the “Fantasy” section. Then you might see smaller sections.
These names help sell books. They help a reader know what to expect.
Fantasy Genre Classification
Fantasy genre classification is just a fancy way of sorting. Writers use these words to talk to agents and publishers.
A writer might say, “I have written a high fantasy novel, but it is not epic. It is a mystery.” This tells the agent a lot. It tells them the book is set in a new world. But the story is a small, personal mystery.
This is very useful. It is much better than just saying “It’s a fantasy book.”
Fantasy Subgenre High Fantasy
So, fantasy subgenre high fantasy is a useful tag. It tells you, “This book is not set on Earth.”
If you love detailed maps, new magic, and new peoples, you look for this tag. You are looking for world-building in fantasy.
Fantasy Subgenre Epic Fantasy
Fantasy subgenre epic fantasy is another great tag. It tells you, “This book is a big, long adventure.”
If you love stories about saving the world, big battles, and heroes fighting evil, you look for this tag. You want that high stakes fantasy story.
What Have We Learned?
We have learned a lot. The debate of epic fantasy vs high fantasy is now clear. Let’s review.
A Quick Review of High Fantasy Definition
The high fantasy definition is simple. It is about the setting.
- It is set in a secondary world (fiction).
- It is an imaginary world fantasy, not Earth.
- The writer must do a lot of world-building in fantasy.
A Quick Review of Epic Fantasy Definition
The epic fantasy definition is also simple. It is about the story.
- It has a large-scale conflict fantasy.
- The world is in danger. It is a high stakes fantasy story.
- The story is often a long sprawling epic saga fantasy.
The Story Writer Definition High Fantasy is about where.
For authors, high fantasy answers the “Where?” question. Where does this story happen? It happens in a world I made up.
The Story Writer Definition Epic Fantasy is about what happens.
For authors, epic fantasy answers the “What?” question. What is this story about? It is about a huge war to save the world.
The Epic Fantasy vs High Fantasy Answer
So, epic fantasy vs high fantasy is not a fight. They are not the same.
They are two different building blocks.
- High fantasy is the world.
- Epic fantasy is the story.
A story can be one, or the other, or (most famously) both.
Now you know the difference between high fantasy and epic fantasy. You can talk about these amazing stories just like a story writer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Harry Potter high fantasy or epic fantasy?
This is a great question. Let’s use our new definitions.
- Is it high fantasy? No. The high fantasy definition says it must be in a secondary world (fiction). Harry Potter is set in our world. It has a secret magic world hidden inside our world, but it is still London, England. This makes it low fantasy or urban fantasy.
- Is it epic fantasy? Yes. The epic fantasy definition is about a high stakes fantasy story and a large-scale conflict fantasy. Harry’s story is about a good vs evil fantasy theme (Harry vs. Voldemort). The fate of the entire wizarding world (and our world) is in danger. So, it is epic fantasy.
Harry Potter is an epic fantasy story set in a low fantasy world.
Is Game of Thrones high fantasy?
Yes. The story is set in Westeros and Essos. These places are not on our map. It is a secondary world (fiction). This makes it high fantasy. Some people argue it is “low” high fantasy. This is because magic is rarer (at first) than in other worlds like Middle-earth. But the high fantasy definition is just about the world. And Westeros is a new world. So, it is high fantasy.
What is the opposite of high fantasy?
The opposite of high fantasy is low fantasy. Low fantasy is any fantasy story set in our world (the “primary world”). Harry Potter is low fantasy. A story about a man who finds a magic lamp in Dubai is low fantasy. A story about ghosts in a real house in the UK is low fantasy.
What is the opposite of epic fantasy?
There is no real “opposite.” But a story that is not epic would be a story with small, personal stakes. For example, a story about a wizard who wants to pass his school exams. The world is not in danger. This is a “low stakes” story. Some people call this “personal fantasy” or just a fantasy story. The epic fantasy definition does not fit.
Can a story be a “sprawling epic saga fantasy” without being high fantasy?
Yes. A writer could write a 10-book series about a secret war between two magic groups in our modern world. It could have a large-scale conflict fantasy and a high stakes fantasy story. It would be a sprawling epic saga fantasy. But because it is set in our world, it would be epic low fantasy, not high fantasy.
Why do writers mix epic fantasy vs high fantasy?
Writers love to build big worlds. And if you build a big, new world, you want to do something big in it. It is fun to put your new world in danger. It is a great way to show off all the new places, peoples, and magic. This is why the fantasy subgenre high fantasy and fantasy subgenre epic fantasy are so often found together. They work very well as a team.