“If real is what you can feel, smell, taste and see, then 'real' is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.”  Morpheus in Matrix

Once upon a time, in a land far away”... and the story takes off into an
esoteric realm where time and space take a new meaning, a new dimension where inhabitants are bestowed with superhuman power. 

And no sooner you find yourself in the midst of supernatural adventure, but with very natural human like emotions.

Fantasy fiction has been one of the favourite genres of all time. The glossy covers with majestic, mythical creatures and fast paced story line makes them truly hard to resist.

Says Karthik, a software professional, and an avid reader, “Fantasy novels, be it a Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, have one thing in common, they get the imagination running in top gear from the word go. It's always a thrill to see what your mind can conjure up based on your interpretation of the author's description of a character or an event.
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There are no budgetary constraints when it comes to developing a picture in your mind.”
So when Metrolife tried to find out about the favourite books and characters among the readers, the results were varied. Says Krishna, an engineering student, “The Inheritance cycle of Eragon is my favourite, as the magic in it is perfectly explained by
scientific laws and in a way also goes into spiritual realms, where the mind of every creature is connected in a universal consciousness.”


Apart from the series, readers enjoy reading about certain characters. Says Karthik, “Gollum from Lord of the Rings was obviously a challenge to imagine, although the portrayal in the movie was quite superb. Similarly, Voldemort's initial description in the first few Harry Potter books was fascinating to visualise, given the constraints that he didn't have a solid form.”

Roshna A K, another software professional is a huge J K Rowling fan. “Harry Potter wins hands down! It’s got the right amount of humour blended with fantasy, at the same time his character is so real and endearing.”

And what about fantasy movies, do they measure up to fantasy literature? “No way,” says Krishna, “In spite of all the special sound effects, the movies are always notched way below the books.

While reading, one becomes much more involved with characters and their emotions, which can never be portrayed properly in the films.”

So for those who love fantasy, the sheer joy of reading goes beyond magic, the plot and even the characters.

“As far as the element of magic goes, well, you can't expect the laws of physics to apply everywhere in fantasy, and so you can have people who fly and do all sorts of unimaginable things. But at the end of the day, it's just what your mind allows you to visualise, so you are not a slave to the boundaries set by your own mind to enjoy fantasy,” sums up Karthik succinctly.