Once thought to be mutually exclusive genres, romance and fantasy are frequently being combined for readers who like a little damsel kissing with their dragon slaying. Thus, “romantasy” is born.
Online PR News – 31-December-2012 –
Like reading fantasy? Do you enjoy a good romance novel too? Well, an increasingly popular subgenre called romantic fantasy, or “romantasy” may be just the thing for you. Romantasy is fantasy that uses many of the elements and conventions of traditional romance, and can involve a focus on relationships, political intrigue and romantic adventure.
A fresh example of such a work is R.A. Baker’s “The Beast at the Gate,” the first installment in his Nightwind trilogy.
“The Beast at the Gate,” published by JK Publishing, brings a rich blend of magic, action, suspense—and of course, romance to the table. The 500-plus-page novel tells of the remarkable adventures of Rayna Powell, a science student who is transported to another land following a violent lightning storm. There, she finds love in a strong, yet philosophical warrior named Arstinax. During this time, Rayna also discovers she’s equipped with strong magical powers.
One thing that sets this fantasy apart is that R.A. Baker chose a strong woman as his protagonist. Also, other females in the book—both heroines and villainesses—serve in major leading roles, with capabilities equal to, if not exceeding those of the men.
Set in the dangerous land of Taren, the story is brimming with amazing creatures and characters—including lizard men, robed mages, and fire golems—and secondary characters with names like Ciredor, Quan, and Orin.
Throughout the book, Rayna is torn between her growing love for Arstinax, painful past missteps and her desire to return back to her own world. She finds herself on the run from king Nephredom’s minions, and his personal assistant—a beautiful witch by the name of Aric. There is also a parallel romance going on with an exiled princess and a great war hero.
“The Beast at the Gate” is a page-turner romantasy that makes you care about the fate of the characters, all while immersing yourself in the romance and fantasy the story has to offer. It’s a good bet that the romantasy trend is here to stay, and that’s good news for romance and fantasy fans alike.
