High Fantasy: The Wheel of Time

The world of fantasy can easily be divided into high and low. Low fantasy has often been the stuff of popular entertainment – swords and sorcery, realistic worlds and problems therein. High fantasy, though, has always been something special. High fantasy is something higher, something a bit nobler in form.

While the stakes aren’t always higher than those in low fantasy, they are often much grander. There aren’t many books that really give readers the sense of scope that this subgenre calls for, but the few that do really stand out.

While the classic series of high fantasy will always be The Lord of the Rings, there’s one other series that has come close to capturing the same scope and depth as those books. Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series is perhaps the best-known work of modern high fantasy, one that has sadly lived on past the life of its author.

The Wheel of Time incorporates much of what one would expect from a high fantasy experience, but does so in a manner that creates a world that seems quite familiar at the same time. From the books to their various adaptations, the world that has been created is one that has amassed a legion of fans.

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The Bard’s Tale Universe (1985+)

Bard's Tale Video Game

There are certain games that helped to define how computer games would be perceived for decades to come. Some of these games are still in the spotlight, lauded on best-of lists and the subjects of remakes and documentaries.

Other games, however, don’t get quite the same amount of love. One game series that really did revolutionize video games is The Bard’s Tale, an early RPG series. While it shared space with games like Wizardry and Ultima, it never seems to be mentioned in the same breath.

The universe of the game is fantastically constructed, though, extending past video games and into the realm of novels. Let’s dig in, shall we?

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Fantasy RPG Random Tables Books

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