# Assumptions about Northern European fantasy that really irritate me **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 1, 2014, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assumptions-about-northern-european-fantasy-that-really-irritate-me/680273 "2014-02-01T10:59:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 3
**Author:** ![Brynhildr\_Budladottir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Brynhildr\_Budladottir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynhildr_Budladottir)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assumptions-about-northern-european-fantasy-that-really-irritate-me/680273/3 "2014-02-01T11:29:12Z")
EDIT: As apparently you’re expected to quote posts, here’s the post I’m talking about: > [@Racism in writing fantasy: Does it exist?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racism-in-writing-fantasy-does-it-exist/680019/13): > > How about more fantasies built on old tales from areas other than Northern Europe? Tolkien had made a lifelong study of those languages–can’t somebody pick another area & do the homework? \*\*Of course, somebody using a fake-Celtic name probably won’t. > \*\* > J Gregory Keyes wrote two books in his “Chosen of the Changeling” series. In the continent of the fantasy world we visited, there was a great Egyptian/Mesopotamian civilization & a sophisticated Mongol/Comanche nomadic culture. The male protagonist was the only “white guy”–member of a humble farming people who lived far to the North; the female was a civilized (dark skinned) princess. Pretty good–but didn’t become a hit. \*\*Tolkien ripoffs are easier to write–and to read. > \*\* > By the way, Tolkien’s dwarves weren’t villains…and Tolkien gave a rude answer to Nazi enquiries about his own racial “purity.” --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assumptions-about-northern-european-fantasy-that-really-irritate-me/680273)._