The speculative aspect of TGE is well in line with two well-established types of sff, which are historical and alt-historical fantasy, and anthropological sf that explores created cultures that do not and have never existed in our world.
Ursula Le Guin has several books that don't have magic or space travel or aliens, but are about people living in a culture she created. You could tell similar stories about people with similar character arcs in somewhat similar cultures, but they would not be the same story.
Guy Gavriel Kay's The Lions of Al-Rassan and other works of historical/alt-historical fantasy have even less magic than TGE, and are much more closely based on real history. He could have told very similar stories using real history. But his books are considered within the realm of fantasy.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
baggyeyes
(no subject)
Date: 2015-07-30 08:18 pm (UTC)Ursula Le Guin has several books that don't have magic or space travel or aliens, but are about people living in a culture she created. You could tell similar stories about people with similar character arcs in somewhat similar cultures, but they would not be the same story.
Guy Gavriel Kay's The Lions of Al-Rassan and other works of historical/alt-historical fantasy have even less magic than TGE, and are much more closely based on real history. He could have told very similar stories using real history. But his books are considered within the realm of fantasy.