Philosophy in Fantasy

To my dear students, a warning: for those of you who love getting caught up in fantasy and forgetting about the world, this post is not for you. This is a post about picking apart a fantasy novel and analyzing it with an eye on philosophy.

I recently finished reading Assassin's Blade by Sarah Maas. I've always enjoyed fantasy, especially when the world is well built. In the best fantasy, political and economic structures make sense on top of one another, and the character's abilities are informed by them. In Assassin's Blade, there is a clear aristocracy with a King who seems to have near-absolute power. This reverberates throughout the novel's universe, where might makes right. In this world, it therefore makes sense that there are frequent conflicts, and the conquered become slaves. Interestingly, there also appears to be an emerging enlightenment movement. Reading and writing are widespread among the elite, and the idea of natural equality emerges. These emerging values can be seen both in the protagonist, Celaena, and also politicians she encounters.

While these kinds of details aren't really necessary in fantasy, I find that they usually add to the fullness of the world.