Meredith Mansfield, Author

THE LORD OF THE RINGS is surely not the first example of epic fantasy. Myths and legends from ancient times have plenty of examples—including the Arthurian legend I’m currently working with. But it has become the archetypal example of the genre, what most people think of first when the subject comes up. It’s a good example of epic fantasy—but not of all that epic fantasy can—or even should—be.

Because part of any story, and particularly speculative fiction, is to reflect the common experience of its time in a way that allows readers to process that experience differently, to look at it in a neutral setting in a way that’s not possible with real world events. Tolkien, in part, did exactly that with LORD OF THE RINGS. But LoTR reflects his experience of war, which is not ours.

Tolkien fought in World War I. So, let’s take a quick look at that war. WWI lasted four years. It was the first major war in which air planes (open-cockpit bi-planes, back then) were used extensively. The first major war in which chemical weapons were used (and they were banned by most of the participants shortly after the war). Much of it was trench warfare.

Just superficially, we can see a lot of parallels with LoTR. The Nazgul are given flying not-quite-dragons. Too close a brush with the Nazgul results in an affliction called “the Black Breath” in which the sufferer sinks slowly into death. In the books, the orcs dig trenches across the Pelennor fields before the battle (though the trenches don’t seem to have any impact on the battle once it starts). But look a little deeper.

Honestly, most of the Fellowship have no business just leaving everything behind and taking off on this quest. Boromir, in particular, is his father’s general and Minas Tirith is already at war. Sam appears to be his Gaffer’s sole support. Most of the others have responsibilities at home, too. If you think about it, it does seem odd that they just take off for the duration.

This does reflect Tolkien’s experience, in which most of the young men went off to war and then returned to pick up their lives when the war was over. Except those who died or were too badly wounded, physically or spiritually, of course.

And not very many wars—or military actions—are completed in only four years anymore. But, again, that was Tolkien’s experience. One side won and everyone, at least on the winning side, could go back to their lives. Which most of the Fellowship also do after the war.

We haven’t lived in that world or experienced war in that way for a couple of generations now. It’s only reasonable that our generation’s epic fantasies should reflect our experience, not our parents’ or grandparents’. Yet reader expectations of epic fantasy still seem to be centered on a big battle to end all battles before the survivors go back home.

I like those exciting—and final—endings, too. Sometimes. But . . . shouldn’t we have both kinds of stories?