With its origins in the earliest oral and written texts, fantasy can be linked to the magical stories of myth, legend, fairy tale, and folklore that appear in cultures worldwide. As a discrete genre, literary fantasy uses elements of enchantment and the supernatural to break free of everyday reality; in its modern form, it melds timeless mythic patterns with contemporary individual experiences and emphasizes the relationship between the individual and the infinite.

In presenting this landmark survey of an enduring, ever-fascinating form of literature, Mathews argues that fantasy unlocks imagination and is a literature of liberation and subversion. While addressing international works - writings from Asia, Iceland, India, Latin America, and more - Mathews concentrates his analysis on exemplary English and American texts. Throughout, the focus is on the dominant features and motifs of literary fantasy as revealed in these popular and influential texts.

Devoted solely to fantasy as a literary genre, Fantasy will aid students, scholars, and general audiences in fully apprehending the creative possibilities of literary fantasy.