Fantasy is both old and new. In the ancient past, stories of magic, where supernatural creatures existed, the gods walked the earth and heroes saved their civilizations from the dark fate that awaited them were intermingled with history, religion and fact. It is only in the last few hundred years that a conscious suspension of disbelief has allowed us to return to fantasy: the literature of the impossible and appreciate it for its craft and storytelling once more.

Historical Dictionary of Fantasy Literature , Second Edition contains a chronology, an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section contains cross-referenced entries on more than 800 authors, ranging across the entire historical spectrum, while more than 200 other entries describe the fantasy sub genres, key images in fantasy literature, technical terms used in fantasy criticism, and the intimately convoluted relationship between literary fantasies, scholarly fantasies, and lifestyle fantasies. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about fantasy literature.