The first ever fantasy novel could be argued to be 'The Faerie Queene' by Edmund Spenser. He was a great English poet. His work is full of magic, knights, and fairies. It was a very influential piece in the development of the fantasy genre.
One of the early contenders for the first ever fantasy novel was 'The Epic of Gilgamesh'. It was written by an anonymous author in ancient Mesopotamia. It contains elements like a hero's journey and encounters with supernatural beings, which are typical of fantasy.
The author of the first vampire novel was John Polidori. His work 'The Vampyre' was a milestone in the history of vampire literature.
Edgar Allan Poe wrote the first ever detective novel. His work 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue' is considered the pioneer in the detective genre. Poe introduced elements like the brilliant detective, in this case, C. Auguste Dupin, and a complex mystery that required careful analysis to solve.
The first novel that was considered a fantasy novel was Journey to the West.
This question was a little difficult to answer because fantasy novels were a relatively broad concept. Different people might have different understandings of this word. But if we answer according to the common definition of a fantasy novel, then the first novel that is considered a fantasy novel is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
Alan Dean Foster wrote the first ever Star Wars novel.
The first ever detective novel is often considered to be 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue' by Edgar Allan Poe.
It's hard to say exactly who wrote the very first horror story as horror elements have been present in stories from ancient times. However, some early examples can be traced back to the works of ancient Greek writers like Homer with his description of the Cyclops in 'The Odyssey', which had elements of horror.
There is some debate about who exactly wrote the first urban fantasy novel. Some people might point to Fritz Leiber and his works like 'Our Lady of Darkness' which had early elements of urban fantasy.
For 'The Odyssey', it was written by Homer. His works have been studied for centuries for their literary merit and their contribution to the development of various genres, including fantasy.
It's hard to say for certain who wrote the first science fantasy novel. There are several contenders like Mary Shelley with 'Frankenstein' and Jonathan Swift with 'Gulliver's Travels'. Each of these works has elements that could classify them as science fantasy, but they were written in different historical contexts and for different purposes.