Fantasy Literature

Fantasy Literature has emerged as one of the most important genres over the past few decades and now enjoys extraordinary levels of popularity. The impact of Tolkien’s Middle-earth works and the serialisation of George Martin’s ‘Game of Thrones’ books has moved these and their contemporaries into mainstream culture. As the popularity grows so does interest in the roots of fantasy, the main writers and themes, and how to approach these texts. Oxford is a natural home to fantasy literature with those who worked or studied here having written so many famous and influential texts (e.g. Lewis Carroll (C. L. Dodgson), C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, Susan Cooper, Diana Wynne Jones, Alan Garner, and Philip Pullman to name but a few) – leading to the notion of an ‘Oxford School of Fantasy’. These lectures, short talks, and interviews seek to take listeners into these works and these writers and beyond. All material released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/ . [Artwork by Minjie Su.]

Prequels and Sequels - Theresa Sprecht

A look at prequels and sequels in transdmedia fantasy - Theresa Sprecht Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was supported by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd and organised by Professors Carolyne Larrington and Stuart Lee of the Faculty of English, Oxford.

12-01
55:39

Manga - Minjie Su

A look at Manga, history, and fantasy Manga stories - MInjie Su Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was supported by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd and organised by Professors Carolyne Larrington and Stuart Lee of the Faculty of English, Oxford.

12-01
59:14

Games (short talk) - Stuart Lee

Fantasy gaming - Stuart Lee Short talk (10 minutes) - Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was supported by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd and organised by Professors Carolyne Larrington and Stuart Lee of the Faculty of English, Oxford.

12-01
16:32

Game of Thrones - Carolyne Larrington

The impact of G R R Martin's Game of Thrones and the TV series - Carolyne Larrington Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was supported by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd and organised by Professors Carolyne Larrington and Stuart Lee of the Faculty of English, Oxford.

12-01
01:01:03

Arresting Strangeness and Fan Fiction (short talk) - Megan Laybourn

Fan fiction and fantasy literature - Megan Laybourn Short talk (10 minutes) - Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was supported by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd and organised by Professors Carolyne Larrington and Stuart Lee of the Faculty of English, Oxford.

12-01
14:05

Interview with Samantha Shannon

Interview with Samantha Shannon Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was supported by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd and organised by Professors Carolyne Larrington and Stuart Lee of the Faculty of English, Oxford.

12-01
41:45

Publishing Fantasy Panel - Bloomsbury Publishing Team

A panel discussion, with introduction by Sir Nigel Newton (founder of Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd) A lengthy discussion by commissioning editors on what they are looking for in new fantasy fiction and the current market. Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was supported by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd and organised by Professors Carolyne Larrington and Stuart Lee of the Faculty of English, Oxford. Introduced by Nigel Newton CBE, Founder and Chief Executive of Bloomsbury Publishing, the afternoon started with a conversation between Zoe Gilbert (chair; Bloomsbury author and academic), Vicky Leech Mateos (Publishing Director, specialising in fantasy fiction), Lucy Strong (Bloomsbury Academic Editor for Literary Studies and Creative Writing), and Rebecca McNally (Bloomsbury Publishing Director & Editor in Chief, specialising in children's literature).

12-01
01:22:06

Jinn, Faith, and Oral Folklore (short talk) - Sarah Mughal Rana

A look at non-western fantasy literature and influences by the writer Sarah Mughal Rana. Short talk (10 minutes) - Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was supported by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd and organised by Professors Carolyne Larrington and Stuart Lee of the Faculty of English, Oxford.

12-01
13:45

After Tolkien (short talk) - Felix Taylor

Susan Cooper, Diana Wynne Jones, and Alana Garner by Felix Taylor Short talk (10 minutes) - Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was supported by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd and organised by Professors Carolyne Larrington and Stuart Lee of the Faculty of English, Oxford.

12-01
11:12

J. R. R. Tolkien - Stuart Lee

Applying the DISCWORLD framework to Tolkien - Stuart Lee Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was supported by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd and organised by Professors Carolyne Larrington and Stuart Lee of the Faculty of English, Oxford.

12-01
57:50

Norse Myths and E. R. Eddison (short talk) - Grace Khuri

A look at he influences of Norse Myths on E. R. Addison - Grace Khuri Short talk (10 minutes) - Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was supported by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd and organised by Professors Carolyne Larrington and Stuart Lee of the Faculty of English, Oxford.

12-01
13:08

Weird Fiction (short talk) - Felix Taylor

An introduction to weird fiction and the key writers - Felix Taylor Short talk (10 minutes) - Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was supported by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd and organised by Professors Carolyne Larrington and Stuart Lee of the Faculty of English, Oxford.

12-01
14:46

C. S. Lewis and the Origins of Narnia - Simon Horobin

An introduction to C. S. Lewis and his Narnia novels - Simon Horobin Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was supported by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd and organised by Professors Carolyne Larrington and Stuart Lee of the Faculty of English, Oxford.

12-01
55:23

The Oxford School of Fantasy (short talk) - Carolyne Larrington

A short exploration of the 'Oxford School' of fantasy - Carolyne Larrington Short talk (10 minutes) - Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was supported by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd and organised by Professors Carolyne Larrington and Stuart Lee of the Faculty of English, Oxford.

12-01
11:37

19thc Fantasy - Morris and Macdonald - Katie Harling Lee

they influences and writings of William Morris and George MacDonald - Katie Harling Lee Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was supported by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd and organised by Professors Carolyne Larrington and Stuart Lee of the Faculty of English, Oxford.

12-01
55:59

Fairy Tale and Fantasy - Ros Ballaster

The influences and history of fairy and folk tales - Rod Ballaster Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was supported by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd and organised by Professors Carolyne Larrington and Stuart Lee of the Faculty of English, Oxford.

12-01
47:48

Modern Re-enchantment and the Medieval Fantastic - Bond West

Medieval literature and the influences on modern fantasy literature Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was supported by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd and organised by Professors Carolyne Larrington and Stuart Lee of the Faculty of English, Oxford.

12-01
53:21

Arthurian Literature (short talk) - Gabriel Schenk

Arthurian influences on fantasy literature especially T. H. White - Gabriel Schenk Short talk (10 minutes) - Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was supported by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd and organised by Professors Carolyne Larrington and Stuart Lee of the Faculty of English, Oxford.

12-01
14:12

Myths and Legends (short talk) - Carolyne Larrington

The early history of fantasy - myths and legends - by Carolyne Larrington Short talk (10 minutes) - Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was supported by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd and organised by Professors Carolyne Barrington and Stuart Lee of the Faculty of English, Oxford.

12-01
14:06

Classics and Fantasy - Beppe Pezzini

An exploration of the use of classical literature in Tolkien by Beppe Pezzini Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was supported by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd and organised by Professors Carolyne Larrington and Stuart Lee of the Faculty of English, Oxford.

12-01
55:23

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