There are few authors who have had as great an impact on the fantasy genre as Terry Pratchett. Pratchett was born in 1948 in Buckinghamshire, England. He had his first story published when he was just 13. He continued to write throughout his teens and 20s, but The Color of Magic launched his commercial success in 1983. The Discworld series would go on to span 41 books, selling over 85 million copies worldwide.

Pratchett’s sharp social commentary and satire set his work apart from other fantasy. He feels that the fantasy genre, even some of its better examples, is prone—ironically enough—to a lack of originality. Pratchett conceived his Discworld books in loving protest against the cliches of dark lords and magical swords, characters who break into Old World English at inopportune moments, and women who lie around waiting for brawny heroes to save them from unfortunate fates.

Many other authors across varying genres use stories for social commentary. People tell stories to express profound ideas in narrative, to relive important developmental stages, and to practice dealing with stressful emotions. Even the most blatant escapism often incorporates the issues that challenge readers in their real lives.