The fantasy genre is more than just aliens taking over the world, according to writer Fonda Lee. ¨You don’t have to obey any rules in fantasy, you can take history, break it apart, and rebuild it however you want,¨ said Lee during a joint talk with fantasy author P.Djèlí Clark. Her comment drew immediate attention from students and faculty gathered for an afternoon of speculative imagination.
The roundtable event was moderated by English professor Timothy Ryan Day on Nov. 13 in the SIH auditorium, where the award-winning authors discussed their work, writing process, and thoughts on the future of fantasy fiction.
For both authors, the talk showcased how fantasy is not an escape from reality but is a way to reveal the world we live in.
Clark, an Afro-Caribbean American historian who published his first novel when he earned his Ph.D., said his journey into the world of fantasy began with the shock of not seeing himself represented on the page.
“I remember being in middle school and being like, whoa, these are some powerful stories because there wasn’t a lot of diversity in what I was reading,” he said. The absence of representation only empowered him to write his own fiction.
“As much as I love fantasy, and I love stories about dwarves and elves, I wanted something different. I wanted to tell a different story,” Clark said.
Lee, an Asian-American author, shared a similar experience, growing up consuming Western media.
“Where my family came from might as well have been another planet,” said Lee, “I felt like Worf in Star Trek. He’s been removed from his ancestry. So, in that way, fantasy and speculative fiction were a way to view my family’s past in a way that felt more natural.”
Both authors described fantasy as a way for young readers in marginalized communities to see themselves as heroes.
Clark takes inspiration from history, weaving social and political issues along with action into his fantasy world-building. Lee starts her book with action before building into social themes.
“Creating fantasy races requires deliberate, sensitive writing,” Lee said. Clark agreed, explaining that writers must understand the deeper meaning behind cultures they can borrow from. His latest novel blends East African influences with Renaissance Venice, a cross-cultural inspiration that he found through research rather than stereotypes and assumptions.
The authors stressed how fantasy fiction can reflect on politics, social fear, and the desires of under-represented groups. Lee told the audience she is working on a dystopian novel. “Some people already live in dystopias,” she said. “There are multiple angles to explore.”
Clark said even fantasy worlds rooted in the past are shaped by modern crises. “You hear something from a colleague that triggers something within you, and it leads you to research it,” he said.
One of his examples came from reading about the history of enslaved people’s teeth being sold in the 18th century. That small detail found its way into one of his stories, blending fantasy with truths about colonialism and the exploitation of slaves. Still, he mentioned that storytelling must educate and entertain at the same time.
“I don’t want the theme to overpower the larger narrative,” he said. “I want to entertain people.”