There are so many modern fantasy stories set a generation after a great war

I don't really know if i buy that fantasy writers are "feeding of our current society's shared cultural experience of living in a post great war era". I think fantasy writers writing in a post-war setting are as or more likely to be drawing from the fallout (past or ongoing) of any number of post WWII conflicts.

That said, the general premise (the number of books set post war) makes sense. It gives your world history but also a clean slate. One or two generations removed, your characters, probably, have no direct experience with war and have grown up in (relative) peace, but you can have characters that have first or second hand experience easily shoulder that world building.

It's also a much easier introduction for the reader. When you compare ASOIAF to Malazan, ASOIAF is a much easier read and much more accessible to a new reader. There are many reasons for that but i think a big reason is that A Game of Thrones kicks off in a time of relative peace, post a major conflict. The world has loads of history but as a reader it's a pretty clean slate. Malazan throws you into the middle of a brutal ongoing conflict. ASIOAF would be a lot different if it started in the middle of the War of 5 Kings.

/r/Fantasy Thread