Fantasy literature has been distinguished from other forms of literature by its style and its freedom of expression; an author has the ability to use any story­telling element to strengthen the narrative. Stories involving mysterious magic and terrible monsters have existed in spoken forms before the appearance printed literature. Homer's Odyssey satisfies the definition of the fantasy genre with its magic, gods, heroes, adventures and monsters. Fantasy literature, as a distinct type, emerged in Victorian times. Symbolism plays a huge role in fantasy literature.

　　J. R. R. Tolkien played a large role in the popularization and accessibility of the fantasy genre with his highly successful publications The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings (1954－1955). Rarely does one consider modern fantasy without thinking of the image of Tolkien and his creations. Tolkien was largely influenced by an ancient body of Anglo­Saxon myths, particularly Beowulf, as well as modern works such as The Worm Ouroboros by E. R. Eddison. It was after the publication of his work that the genre began to receive the name "fantasy". Tolkien's close friend C. S. Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia and a fellow English professor with similar interests, also helped to publicize the fantasy genre. Authors such as John Flanagan, J．K.Rowling, Terry Brooks, George R. R. Martin, David Kier, Steven Erikson, Robert Jordan, Rick Riordan, Scott Lynch, and partly Laurell K. Hamilton, and Angie Sage are maintaining the genre's popularity.

Though it is not uncommon for fantasy novels to be ranked on The New York Times Best Seller list, to date the only fantasy novelists whose works have debuted at