An intriguing essay from M.D. Lachlan over at io9.com posits that ‘fantasy… is inherently kitsch.’ The full article is more nuanced, with Lachlan eventually settling upon the notion that kitsch, and fantasy authors’ responses ‘…will continue to define Fantasy for years to come.’

Personally, I hope original characters and stories play that defining role. I’d like to read more fantasy books with the wit and humanity of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series, Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, Orson Scott Card’s Enchantment or Glen Cook’s Black Company series.

Look, I’m not philosophically opposed to kitsch, or its close relation camp, so beautifully explored by Susan Sontag. But I do think those topics are related more to an appreciation of Robert Jordan, in specific, than fantasy in general.