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Virginia R. Degner is the author of dark romance novels involving murder mysteries. Her books are part of the growing movement to redefine the romance genre and cater to more targeted demographics. One of the more prominent movements in this space is romantasy.

What Is Romantasy?

The literary landscape is always evolving. What is in vogue today may be in the trash bin tomorrow. And nowhere is this flux ever-present and obvious than when it comes to romance. Each year, genres are blurred, and new subgenres emerge from this old and vast environment. It’s a lot like love, which redefines and remakes itself according to who it faces.

One such burgeoning category is that of “romantasy.”

A portmanteau of “romance” and “fantasy,” romantasy is an attempt to take the best out of these two genres and combine them into a better whole. There are some who say that it’s fantasy with romantic elements, while there are those who say it’s romance but set in a fantasy setting–whatever the take, there’s no doubt that it’s quickly becoming a thing.

While traditional romance still has its place in the bestseller lists, the surging popularity of romantasy has cemented it as an influential force in the fiction space, with millions of readers adoring their pages. But it begs the question: Is romantasy merely a trend? Or is romantasy staying and becoming a staple?

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A New Perspective on Romance

Perhaps the number one draw of romantasy is the fact that it is almost a perfect blend of two genres. Where traditional romance has an emphasis on the emotional and interpersonal dynamics of its characters, fantasy is the playground of imagination and creativity, crafting intricate and immersive worlds where epic quests, immortal gods, heroes, and battles of good and evil play out.

Romantasy is the careful threading of these two worlds, creating the perfect genre where intense love and romance of mythic proportions unfold and bloom against the backdrop of a wonderful and fantastical world unlike ours on the precipice of peril.

This cocktail provides a very unique experience, a form of escapism that really captures one’s proclivities. Within the pages of a well-written romantasy, readers lose themselves in wonderfully detailed realms that are full of magic and fantasy while also having the opportunity to experience a love story that can change worlds.

Romantasy offers readers a chance to enact their beliefs of love being a fundamental force of the universe, figuratively or literally.

The Thematic Depth of Romantasy

Like all genres of fiction, romantasy is primarily a form of escapism. This should not be denied; this should be acknowledged. There can be no going forward without this acceptance.

As with other genres of fiction, romantasy can also be an opportunity for exploring more complex and relevant themes that offer not only an escapist romance but an insightful critique of the contemporary world.

This is something that Romantasy can trace to fantasy. The imaginative nature of fantasy settings allows them genre to become a space where societal and political dynamics can be more thoroughly explored and examined. Romantasy can do this, too, but with the caveat that these themes run alongside the primary lens of romance.

The high-stakes found in many romantasy stories often compel its protagonists to go against the grain of established norms and mores–for that is what love does. Love is always going against the grain, and romantasy allows this attribute of love to be the engine for a critique of society and culture.

The Weight of Romantasy

The question of whether romantasy is a genre that can endure the test of time ultimately depends on individual reader preferences. Cyberpunk is still around, and so are steampunk, gothic, and many more genres that some people have thrown to the dustbin of time.

Yet, the consistent growth in romantasy’s popularity and its unique characteristics suggest that there is more to it than meets the eye–and perhaps it may eventually become a staple in fiction.

Romantasy provides a space for readers to experience the intense emotions and satisfying resolutions of romance within the thrilling and imaginative contexts of fantasy. Romantasy gives readers a new perspective on romance, pushing the boundaries of traditional romance tropes and exploring complex themes through a fantastical lens.

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If you want to read a novel that also blends two genres perfectly, Fraser’s Lady by Virginia R. Degner is available for purchase here.