The Encyclopedia of Fantasy is a 1997 reference work covering fantasy fiction, edited by John Clute and John Grant. As of November 2012, the full text of The Encyclopedia of Fantasy is available online, as a companion to the online edition of The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. Other than adding death dates, there are no plans to update the encyclopaedia.

The book was well-received on publication, receiving the Hugo Award,

Rob Latham writing for Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts called it "a sprawling map of the field's major authors and texts and an extraordinary cohesive argument", "an indispensable work of reference" and "perhaps the most substantial critical analysis ever to focus on fantasy literature and art".

Lawrence Person reviewed it for Nova Express. The review examines the work together with Clute's related project, The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. Person described Encyclopedia of Fantasy as addressing a broader, less defined genre, employing newly coined terms by Clute to categorize motifs, which may require readers to familiarize themselves with the terminology. Person also appreciates Clute's overarching theory of fantasy scattered across related entries. Person finds Encyclopedia of Fantasy more constrained than the other in the context of genre boundaries and market definitions. Some omissions include no entries on authors such as Neal Barrett Jr. and Shirley Jackson. Overall, the article recommends both encyclopedias as essential for serious scholars and enthusiasts of speculative fiction, emphasizing their value for research and casual reference despite minor flaws.

Awards

  • 1998 – Hugo Award for Best Related Work
  • 1998 – World Fantasy Special Award—Professional
  • 1998 – Locus Award for Nonfiction

Editions

  • Clute, John and Grant, John. The Encyclopedia of Fantasy (1st UK edition). London: Orbit Books, 1997. .
  • Clute, John and Grant, John. The Encyclopedia of Fantasy. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997. .
  • Clute, John and Grant, John. The Encyclopedia of Fantasy (2nd US edition). New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 1999. .

See also

  • The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
  • The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy
  • The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy

References

  • On-line text of The Encyclopedia of Fantasy
  • Addenda to The Encyclopedia of Fantasy—includes list of themes
  • Review by Wayne G. Hammond
  • Review by Steven H. Silver