--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And once upon a time I wondered: Is…" description: "\"“And once upon a time I wondered: Is writing epic fantasy not somehow a betrayal? Did I not somehow do a disservice to my own reality by paying so much..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/380/n-k-jemisin-1466_epic-fantasy_and-once-upon-a-time-i-wondered-is-writi_2240731.jpg" --- # And once upon a time I wondered: Is writing epic fantasy… ![“And once upon a time I wondered: Is writing epic fantasy not somehow a betrayal? Did I not somehow do a disservice to my own reality by paying so much attention to the power fantasies of disenchanted white men? But. Epic fantasy is not merely what Tolkien made it. This genre is rooted in the epic…” quote by N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/380/n-k-jemisin-1466_epic-fantasy_and-once-upon-a-time-i-wondered-is-writi_2240731.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/380/n-k-jemisin-1466_epic-fantasy_and-once-upon-a-time-i-wondered-is-writi_2240731.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/380/n-k-jemisin-1466_epic-fantasy_and-once-upon-a-time-i-wondered-is-writi_2240731.jpg) > ““And once upon a time I wondered: Is writing epic fantasy not somehow a betrayal? Did I not somehow do a disservice to my own reality by paying so much attention to the power fantasies of disenchanted white men? But. Epic fantasy is not merely what Tolkien made it. This genre is rooted in the epic — and the truth is that there are plenty of epics out there which feature people like me. Sundiata’s badass mother. Dihya, warrior queen of the Amazighs. The Rain Queens. The Mino Warriors. Hatshepsut’s reign. Everything Harriet Tubman ever did. And more, so much more, just within the African components of my heritage. I haven’t even begun to explore the non-African stuff. So given all these myths, all these examinations of the possible… how can I not imagine more? How can I not envision an epic set somewhere other than medieval England, about someone other than an awkward white boy? How can I not use every building-block of my history and heritage and imagination when I make shit up? And how dare I disrespect that history, profane all my ancestors’ suffering and struggles, by giving up the freedom to imagine that they’ve won for me.”” [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Epic fantasy should reflect diverse histories and cultures, not just Eurocentric myths; embracing varied narratives enriches the genre and honors ancestors. **In simple terms:** Include many cultures in epic fantasy. Key Takeaway Write inclusive, historically rooted epics. Themes diversity heritage fantasy representation history creativity Mood hopeful determined empowering Type literary political inspirational When to use this quote - novel writing - worldbuilding - educational curricula - media production - cultural advocacy Key Concepts cultural reclamation mythic storytelling identity politics genre evolution Questions to Reflect On - How can you authentically integrate heritage? - What responsibilities come with retelling myths? A Different Perspective Risk of tokenism if not handled respectfully. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Epic Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epic-fantasy-2/) [Epics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epics/) [Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“J. R. R. Tolkien, the near-universally-hailed father of modern epic fantasy, crafted his magnum opus The Lord of the Rings to explore the forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/j-r-r-tolkien-the-near-universally-hailed-father-of-modern-epic/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“Throughout my life as I’ve sought to become a published writer of speculative fiction, my strongest detractors and discouragers have been other African Americans.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/throughout-my-life-as-i-ve-sought-to-become-a-published-writer-of/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“In the future, as in the present, as in the past, black people will build many new worlds. This is true. I will make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/in-the-future-as-in-the-present-as-in-the-past-black-people-will/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [I wanted the feel in these books to be like an epic fantasy, with kings, queens, dukes and court politics, but of course like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/i-wanted-the-feel-in-these-books-to-be-like-an-epic-fantasy-with/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) > [whether they'll write the story of my life as a tragedy or an epic fantasy... I was wondering if it was going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/whether-they-ll-write-the-story-of-my-life-as-a-tragedy-or-an-epic/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“What are you thinking about?" "Whether they'll write my life story as a tragedy or an epic fantasy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/what-are-you-thinking-about-whether-they-ll-write-my-life-story-as-a/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“While I have the floor, here's a question that's been bothering me for some time. Why do so few writers of heroic or epic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/while-i-have-the-floor-here-s-a-question-that-s-been-bothering-me-for/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [“...while epic fantasy is based on the fairy tale of the just war, that’s not one you’ll find in Grimm or Disney, and most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/while-epic-fantasy-is-based-on-the-fairy-tale-of-the-just-war-that-s/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [I was not trying to write some sort of serious meditation on war and peace. 'The Grace of Kings' is meant to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-liu/i-was-not-trying-to-write-some-sort-of-serious-meditation-on-war-and/) [Ken Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-liu/) > [If Robert Benchley and Dorothy Parker had teamed up to write epic fantasy, something like Split Heirs might have resulted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dechancie/if-robert-benchley-and-dorothy-parker-had-teamed-up-to-write-epic/) John DeChancie > [“As I stated earlier, I do not believe there is anything inherently wrong with even the most overused elements of epic fantasy. Magic swords,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-austin/as-i-stated-earlier-i-do-not-believe-there-is-anything-inherently/) Alec Austin > [“We live in the most epic of fantasy worlds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-rese/we-live-in-the-most-epic-of-fantasy-worlds/) [T.L. Rese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-rese/) > [When I was thirteen years old, I didn't exactly discover epic fantasy on my own. I acquired it as a social defence mechanism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tansy-rayner-roberts/when-i-was-thirteen-years-old-i-didn-t-exactly-discover-epic-fantasy/) [Tansy Rayner Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tansy-rayner-roberts/) > [In the 'Dreamblood' books, I'm focusing more on what I like about epic fantasy: the layering and depth of tension; the chance to really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin-2/in-the-dreamblood-books-i-m-focusing-more-on-what-i-like-about-epic/) [N. K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin-2/) > [My first three manuscripts were epic fantasy - like high fantasy - and then the fourth one was a historical fantasy about Mozart as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/my-first-three-manuscripts-were-epic-fantasy-like-high-fantasy-and/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) ## More by N.K. Jemisin > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [You are Insignificant. One of millions, neither special nor unique. I did not ask for this ignominy, and I resent the comparison. Fine. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/you-are-insignificant-one-of-millions-neither-special-nor-unique-i/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“She feels closer than ever to her father in this moment of utter broken rage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/she-feels-closer-than-ever-to-her-father-in-this-moment-of-utter/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When a comm builds atop a fault line, do you blame its walls when they inevitably crush the people inside? No; you blame whoever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/when-a-comm-builds-atop-a-fault-line-do-you-blame-its-walls-when-they/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“I don’t know how I feel about a canon anymore ... The sheer volume of books that exist out there means that a canon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/i-don-t-know-how-i-feel-about-a-canon-anymore-the-sheer-volume-of/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [ “\[...\] the kind of healer who knows that sometimes one must inflict terrible agony - rebreak a bone, carve off a limb, kill the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/the-kind-of-healer-who-knows-that-sometimes-one-must-inflict-terrible/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [So here is why I write what I do: We all have futures. We all have pasts. We all have stories. And we all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/so-here-is-why-i-write-what-i-do-we-all-have-futures-we-all-have/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“How can we prepare for the future if we won’t acknowledge the past?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/how-can-we-prepare-for-the-future-if-we-won-t-acknowledge-the-past/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“You waver, because you don’t really want to know … but you haven’t been a coward for some years now. So you steel yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/you-waver-because-you-don-t-really-want-to-know-but-you-haven-t-been/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“What can orogeny do against something like that? Keep her breathing, maybe. But breathing doesn't always mean living, and maybe... maybe genocide doesn't always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/what-can-orogeny-do-against-something-like-that-keep-her-breathing/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“What the rust do you matter? Who cares about you? Well, that’s the thing, isn’t it? Once, you did have people who cared about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/what-the-rust-do-you-matter-who-cares-about-you-well-that-s-the-thing/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“Let me say only that these vehicles float a few inches off the ground. No animals draw them. No steam or chemical fuels them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/let-me-say-only-that-these-vehicles-float-a-few-inches-off-the-ground/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [We can never be gods, after all--but we can become something less than human with frightening ease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/we-can-never-be-gods-after-all-but-we-can-become-something-less-than/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“(This is not a digression.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/this-is-not-a-digression/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“He's not a parasite if she needs him, too, and if she gives what he will not take. (One day soon, she will learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/he-s-not-a-parasite-if-she-needs-him-too-and-if-she-gives-what-he/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) [Explore all 225 N.K. Jemisin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) ## More Epic-fantasy quotes > [“(Evil people) do not believe in forgiveness. Their transgressions are either punished or not punished. That is the only result that matters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mchugh/evil-people-do-not-believe-in-forgiveness-their-transgressions-are/) [Daniel McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mchugh/) > [“...choose your battles wisely and remember, what the heart knows, walks afar from reason. It simply is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelo-tsanatelis/choose-your-battles-wisely-and-remember-what-the-heart-knows-walks/) [Angelo Tsanatelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelo-tsanatelis/) > [“Part II: Misgivings & Magic Darkness? Is it terrifying, or is it beautiful?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-vaineo/part-ii-misgivings-magic-darkness-is-it-terrifying-or-is-it-beautiful/) [J.R. Vaineo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-vaineo/) > [“A grim expression came over Syah’s face. “The colt you speak of lost its mother during a storm. If this stallion was that colt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-raver/a-grim-expression-came-over-syah-s-face-the-colt-you-speak-of-lost/) Danielle Raver > [“You are blessed with a knack for sucking the wonder out of the extraordinary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mchugh/you-are-blessed-with-a-knack-for-sucking-the-wonder-out-of-the/) [Daniel McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mchugh/) > [“I hope to be bowing in front of you for a long time.” He takes my hand, drops to one knee, and kisses my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricia-copeland/i-hope-to-be-bowing-in-front-of-you-for-a-long-time-he-takes-my-hand/) [Tricia Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricia-copeland/) > [“Those of strong character and training are chosen by fate. They cannot help but rise to the forefront when their nations are troubled.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mchugh/those-of-strong-character-and-training-are-chosen-by-fate-they-cannot/) [Daniel McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mchugh/) > [“Did it ever occur to you that when he told you he would come back he was lying? Many a man has done it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-j-charlton/did-it-ever-occur-to-you-that-when-he-told-you-he-would-come-back-he/) [Sam J. Charlton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-j-charlton/) > [“Part I: Shut the Way Home "We're always doing something, Tyler," he says. "You were walking just now. They you stopped. Most likely, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-vaineo/part-i-shut-the-way-home-we-re-always-doing-something-tyler-he-says/) [J.R. Vaineo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-vaineo/) > [“Rien dove into her own extinguished eyes, surrounded by two wrinkle stripes , engraved to serve as defense moats, should anyone plot to snick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivan-p-l/rien-dove-into-her-own-extinguished-eyes-surrounded-by-two-wrinkle/) Sivan P.L > [“In Skala warfare is a womanly thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-flewelling/in-skala-warfare-is-a-womanly-thing/) [Lynn Flewelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-flewelling/) > [“On the revelation that there are no gods or afterlife:- "I do not 'like' the truth any more than you Avil, or anyone. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martyn-stanley/on-the-revelation-that-there-are-no-gods-or-afterlife-i-do-not-like/) Martyn Stanley > [“Show your power by appearing powerless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/show-your-power-by-appearing-powerless/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“Through action, a Man becomes a Hero. Through death, a Hero becomes a Legend. Through time, a Legend becomes a Myth. By learning from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-hope/through-action-a-man-becomes-a-hero-through-death-a-hero-becomes-a/) Grant Hope > [“Part III: The Victor Think of this moment we share, as both of us reaching out across the pages of time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-vaineo/part-iii-the-victor-think-of-this-moment-we-share-as-both-of-us/) [J.R. Vaineo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-vaineo/) Browse all 82 Epic-fantasy quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And once upon a time I wondered: Is writing epic fantasy not somehow a betrayal? Did I not somehow do a disservice to my own reality by paying so much attention to the power fantasies of disenchanted white men? But. Epic fantasy is not merely what Tolkien made it. This genre is rooted in the epic — and the truth is that there are plenty of epics out there which feature people like me. Sundiata’s badass mother. Dihya, warrior queen of the Amazighs. The Rain Queens. The Mino Warriors. Hatshepsut’s reign. Everything Harriet Tubman ever did. And more, so much more, just within the African components of my heritage. I haven’t even begun to explore the non-African stuff. So given all these myths, all these examinations of the possible… how can I not imagine more? How can I not envision an epic set somewhere other than medieval England, about someone other than an awkward white boy? How can I not use every building-block of my history and heritage and imagination when I make shit up? And how dare I disrespect that history, profane all my ancestors’ suffering and struggles, by giving up the freedom to imagine that they’ve won for me.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "N.K. 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