Light in the Darkness: What is Noblebright Fantasy?
Anyone hanging around me on social media or in person (where you could literally hear me squeeing) might have gotten an inkling of a cool project I’m involved in. Rise of the Storm was invited into a twelve-author box set specifically highlighting Noblebright fantasy. So what exactly is Noblebright?
The quickest description for fantasy lovers is, the opposite of Grimdark. C.J. Brightley, who put this box set together explains it like this:
Noblebright fantasy has at least one important character with noble, idealistic motives who does the right thing out of principle. The character is flawed, but his or her actions are generally defined by honesty, integrity, sacrifice, love, and kindness. The story upholds the goodness of the character; the character’s good qualities are not held up as naiveté, cluelessness, or stupidity, but rather shown to be worthwhile. Good characters can make a difference. Noblebright characters can learn and grow. They can deliberately choose to be kind when tempted to be unkind, they can choose generosity when it hurts, and they can influence their world and other characters for the better. In a noblebright story, even villains are not without hope; their stories may have a redemptive ending, or they may have some kind of conversion experience (religious or not). It’s not guaranteed, of course, but in a noblebright story, it’s a possibility.
Noblebright fantasy is not utopian fiction. The world of a noblebright story is not perfect, and indeed can sometimes be quite dark. Actions have consequences, and even good characters can make terrible mistakes. But a noblebright story is generally hopeful in tone, even if there are plenty of bad, grim, dark things going on in the world.
Check out the rest of C.J.’s blog post for a comprehensive definition.
Besides Rise of the Storm, here are the other titles in the boxed set. It will be available October 18, but you can preorder now for just 99 cents. I’ve already read several books in the set, so watch this space for some mini reviews.
The King’s Sword- C.J. Brightley
The Emperor’s Edge- Lindsay Buroker
The Last Mage Guardian- Sabrina Chase
Pen Pal- Francesca Forrest
Beneath the Canyons- Kyra Halland
Into the Storm- Angela Holder
On the Shores of Irradan- Ronald Long
Hope and the Patient Man- Mike Reeves-McMillan
Six Celestial Swords- T.A. Miles
Lhind the Thief- Sherwood Smith
The Keeper and the Rulership- Emily Martha Sorensen
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Congratulations on getting Rise of the Storm in the set. I’ve never heard the term noblebright, but it sounds very much like the fantasy I like to read. I love stories about hope and good people striving to make the world better.
Thanks! That’s what I thought too when I first heard about it. Hey, these are my people! 😀
You now have a tribe!!! 😀
I know! For the first time in my life I actually fit in somewhere. 😀