Using the general definitions of high/low fantasy:
* “high fantasy” = set in a secondary/fictional world (e.g. the *Lord of the Rings* series)
* “low fantasy” = set in our primary/real world, but with fantasy elements in it (e.g. the *Dresden Files* series)
I’m looking for *high fantasy* — a fictional world that bears no relation to our real world — but I want something *non-epic*.
By “non-epic” I mean
1. Absolutely no Evil Overlord / Dark Lord trope.
1. Absolutely no Chosen One trope for a main character.
1. No major characters should be rulers (kings, princes, dukes, etc.) *nor become rulers* in the fictional world as part of the story.
* The above requirements should also should disqualify any “secret rulers”, i.e. no orphans who are secretly The Chosen One or The Future King or whatever (e.g. Aragorn in *LOTR*).
1. Preferably no characters that are anywhere near *or even interacting with* rulers or other powerful figures. E.g. no King’s Assassin or General of the King’s Army as a main character.
1. The plot should not revolve around The Big Struggle Between Good & Evil or The Final Conflict or any other Must Save The World situation.
1. A gritty, dark tone *not* a cozy or humorous tone (i.e. I’m *not* looking for the *Legends & Latte* or *Discworld* series). A little swashbuckling adventure is fine, though.
Another way to think about this is **stories in a high-fantasy setting that are about lowly or lowborn characters who are *not* responsible for the fate of the world or the outcome of a battle between good and evil**. They should have challenges, but the challenges don’t need to be epic in scope.
Bonus points if it’s *not* a straight-up Tolkien-clone setting. I’m okay with a medieval setting with the typical elves, dwarves, orcs, etc., but, c’mon: it’s been done to death.
I think some of the sword-and-sorcery genre might fit, as it tends to be more adventure-oriented than “epic” oriented. For example, I think Fritz Lieber’s *Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser* stories are mostly spot-on to what I’m looking for. Or the *Thieves’ World* anthologies edited by Robert Lynn Asprin.
Joe Abercrombie’s *First Law* series is pretty close, but violates criteria #4 above. Michael Moorcock’s *Elric* series has the right tone, but violates criteria #3 above. Feel free to recommend books/series that are close, but let me know which criteria they violate.
by sapient-meerkat