Utility of reading fantasy books?

It's a fair question. I understand why you're asking it. From the perspective of cold, hard reality where practical skills yield practical results, what point is there in spending time reading about fictitious characters in imaginary worlds?

I started a related thread a long time ago and got some great answers - "Why fantasy?" You might get something from there. I did. I started it because I used to feel really insecure about reading fantasy novels.

A couple of things happened since then. First, through this subreddit and other places on the internet, I learned about a lot of the people who write and enjoy fantasy - authors, editors, fans, etc. There are a lot of interesting, driven, passionate, and fascinating people who work in this genre. Some of them are actually inspiring.

Second, I came to realize the value of escapism. Some great authors have weighed in on that. Daniel Abraham says escapism allows us to analyze ideas without the trappings of real history. George R.R. Martin says it lets us see brighter, more vivid colors. Neil Gaiman says it helps us awaken our inner child. Guy Gavriel Kay says it can let us see our world with a different perspective.

For me, I am advancing a career in finance. I am juggling a full-time job, an MBA program, analyst work in a student investment fund, and the CFA exams. Fantasy and escapism do not teach any skills the benefit those directly, no, but it helps me see beyond them. It reminds me to look beyond the skyscrapers and see the infinite sky.

There is value in that. Not salary-increasing value, sure, but still something that is essential to my well-being. Escapism is as important as anything we have. Some people get it through television, others through sports or painting or whatever else. For me it's fantasy novels.

/r/Fantasy Thread