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Weird Stories

The 'checklist' attitude seems to be very prevalent in YA fantasy these days, and the result is a genre that's embarrassingly replete with cliches.
Sadly, the mentality is not confined to YA. Ever since the structure of the genre was defined, too many authors have felt compelled to labour under the yolk. It's why I gate genres in general and the fantasy genre in particular. It seems to me to be a barrier to creativity, rather than the launching board it should be.
 

Ravana

Istar
Did you know he was up for a Nobel prize last year? How cool is that. Sad that he didn't win, he sure deserves that level of accolade. Perhaps he'll have another shot this year with the new 1Q84.

Fortunately, the Nobel Prize is judged on the author's whole body of work, so he can be re-nominated annually until he gets it (or dies: it's not awarded posthumously.) He probably faces a bit of an uphill battle, but not as much as he would had he been classified under the dreaded SF/fantasy labels. Plus, there's only been one Asian winner in the past forty-odd years (and only three in the history of the prize… not counting Turkey as part of Asia), and there's a certain amount of sentiment toward seeing more non-Euro winners. (Scandinavia in general, and Sweden in particular, tends to be somewhat over-represented… go figure.) Since the last Asian winner (Oe) is now pulling for him, that should help, too–certainly in ensuring he keeps getting nominated, if nothing else.

I'm still hoping for a "real" (that is, someone who's known primarily for) SF/fantasy winner. Unfortunately, I have a difficult time imagining either or the two best SF authors getting it, for various reasons–and I frankly can't see any working fantasy authors bringing it in. Oh, well: some day.…
 
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Kate

Troubadour
I love magical realism, but I'd hesitate to classify it with 'fantasy'. It's a genre all on its own really, even if the borders are sometimes a little blurred.

If it's possible to disagree with a hesitation, I'd disagree with this. I've no doubt that magic realism can be and should be classified as fantasy. All genre borders are blurred. A lot of commentators refuse to even acknowledge genres as a useful tool of analysis because of this. I'm not one of them. Magic realism and all of its variants is a sub genre fantasy because it relies on fantastical elements - magic, surrealism, metaphysical realism, miracle, lots of different things. It's not high fantasy, but neither is a lot of urban fantasy.

I'd like to ask why your hesitations?
 

Kate

Troubadour
Fortunately, the Nobel Prize is judged on the author's whole body of work, so he can be re-nominated annually until he gets it (or dies: it's not awarded posthumously.) He probably faces a bit of an uphill battle, but not as much as he would had he been classified under the dreaded SF/fantasy labels. Plus, there's only been one Asian winner in the past forty-odd years (and only three in the history of the prize… not counting Turkey as part of Asia), and there's a certain amount of sentiment toward seeing more non-Euro winners. (Scandinavia in general, and Sweden in particular, tends to be somewhat over-represented… go figure.) Since the last Asian winner (Oe) is now pulling for him, that should help, too—certainly in ensuring he keeps getting nominated, if nothing else.

I'm still hoping for a "real" (that is, someone who's known primarily for) SF/fantasy winner. Unfortunately, I have a difficult time imagining either or the two best SF authors getting it, for various reasons—and I frankly can't see any working fantasy authors bringing it in. Oh, well: some day.…

I meant that with iQ84 there might be an increased awareness of his work, and more justification for him to win. Yeah, I'd also agree that his win is unlikely given his style and even nationality, but even a nomination is nothing to be sneezed at.
 
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