The fantasy genre has been a mainstay of modern publishing for close to a century now. Since the rise and enduring popularity of such authors as Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, J.R.R. Tolkien, a steady stream of readers have been loyal to fantasy fiction as evidenced by the current popularity of such titans as R.A. Salvatore, Christopher Paolini, and the remarkable George R.R. Martin.

Certainly on the surface the appeal of the fantasy genre is based on the escape it offers from the daily tedium of life. However, the escapist element of the literature gives readers more than a simple trip away from their problems. Fantasy fiction engrosses readers because it involves them in problems that are so much worse than those faced by the typical modern person. Losing a job can pale in comparison to the threat of darkness overtaking the whole of Middle Earth in Tolkien’s "Lord of the Rings" trilogy if Sauron is allowed to prevail and inflict his cruel and malicious regime upon the world.

Then in the "Song of Ice and Fire" series by George R.R. Martin there is the eruption of civil war as factions vie for the Iron Throne, the birth of dragons, the rise of a new religious cult led by a sorceress clothed in the red who has mysterious powers and control of a king, and the rise of the wildling tribes north of the colossal ice Wall that protects the civilized lands. The upheaval, danger, and intrigue of Martin’s world makes even today’s turbulent times feel safer.

The stakes are high in fantasy literature and that is the crux of the fantasy genre’s ability to captivate. Even if the world is not at risk in a story, such as when Conan is grappling in hand-to-hand combat with a demon summoned from the abyss, the plot remains far more dramatic and exhilarating than coping with office politics and a small-minded boss.

Readers who enjoy fantasy tend to come back to the genre over and over again because of the escape provided by high stakes adventure and struggle. These plots make every day life seem easier. There are no magical forces working against you or powerful monsters attacking you or marauding armies burning your home. Although general fiction titles can be excellent and interesting, they lack for the lover of fantasy the ability to step away from the trials of ordinary life and contemplate how to cope with fantastical problems in a fantastical world.