Many of the best fantastic stories begin in a leisurely way, set in commonplace surroundings, with exact, meticulous descriptions of an ordinary background, much as in a 'realistic' tale. Then a gradual - or it may be sometimes a shockingly abrupt - change becomes apparent, and the reader begins to realize that what is being described is alien to the world he is accustomed to, that something strange has crept or leapt into it. This strangeness changes the world permanently and fundamentally.Franz Rottensteiner
About This Quote
The best fantastic stories are the ones that are realistic yet have an element of the extraordinary. They are stories that are so ordinary yet have a strange or otherworldly element to them. These stories are all about the human condition. They show people behaving so normal yet something forces them to behave out of character. We may not realize it at first but these elements are present throughout these stories that will change the world forever.
Source: The Fantasy Book: An Illustrated History From Dracula To Tolkien
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