In my opinion, GRR Martin's Song of Fire and Ice books are the best in the high fantasy genre. One of the things I like about them are that the fantasy elements are virtually non-existent. Other than the dragons (which I know will play an important role in the story later) and a little zombie action, the books could be straight historical fantasy.
Is anyone else out there writing books like this? Is there a market for this sort of thing, or are publishers/agents looking for stronger fantasy (dark lords and magic relics and quests etc)?
I'm working on something similar and every once in a while I get cold feet. I wrote a straight historical novel last year (involving Romans and warfare etc) and nobody wanted anything to do with it (citing a lack of interest in "books of that type"). This has affected me more than I thought it would in that now I worry about proceeding without glaring fantasy trappings.
Is anyone else out there writing books like this? Is there a market for this sort of thing, or are publishers/agents looking for stronger fantasy (dark lords and magic relics and quests etc)?
I'm working on something similar and every once in a while I get cold feet. I wrote a straight historical novel last year (involving Romans and warfare etc) and nobody wanted anything to do with it (citing a lack of interest in "books of that type"). This has affected me more than I thought it would in that now I worry about proceeding without glaring fantasy trappings.