Quick Thoughts: Appendix N

Appendix N may not be the sum total of the canon of fantasy, but it represents a wider variety of subgenres and styles than the current field of fantasy, which was deliberately pruned to epic fantasies in the flavors of Tolkien pastiches, pastiches reacting to Tolkien's conventions, or D&D-inspired settings. It may not be the sun-source of all gaming, but it provides a view into what people actually read as opposed to what nearly 80 years of Worldcon SocJus fandom says people should read.. Appendix N represents a wider world of reading experiences than today's bookshelves, so when we sing of its praises, it's because people have been hiding good stories from us. Perhaps if Appendix N catches on, we might see a return to clever, tightly written, and shorter novels as opposed to the ever growing word bloat of the Wheel of Time, A Song of Ice and Fire, and the Cosmere.