first epic fantasy novel

Some might also consider 'The Faerie Queene' by Edmund Spenser as an early form of epic fantasy. It was written in the 16th century and contains elements of magic, heroic quests, and a richly detailed otherworldly setting. However, it has a more allegorical nature compared to modern epic fantasy novels.

As mentioned before, Edmund Spenser wrote 'The Faerie Queene' which is an early example of the genre. His writing style was different from modern epic fantasy, but it had many of the key elements such as a grand adventure in a fantastical setting.

It varies greatly. But generally, it could be around 100,000 to 150,000 words. Some might be shorter, around 80,000 words if it's a debut with a more concise story. However, there are also those that exceed 200,000 words.

An epic fantasy novel is a genre of fiction that typically features a vast and detailed fictional world, complex magic systems, heroic quests, and a cast of diverse characters.

An epic fantasy novel is a type of fiction that usually features a vast and detailed imaginary world, complex magic systems, and epic quests or battles involving heroic characters.

Another possible candidate could be George MacDonald. His works had elements of the fantastical and epic. But Tolkien's influence in terms of creating a fully - fledged, detailed epic fantasy world is so significant that when people think of the first real epic fantasy story, his name often comes up first.

For 'The Odyssey', also attributed to Homer. Again, the same questions about the identity of Homer exist. But regardless of the exact authorship, it was created in the context of ancient Greek culture and has had a profound impact on the development of literature.

One of the contenders for the first epic novel is 'The Epic of Gilgamesh'. It is an ancient Mesopotamian epic poem. It dates back to around 2100 BC and tells the story of Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk. It has many elements that are characteristic of epic novels such as heroic deeds, a journey of self - discovery, and interactions with gods and supernatural beings. This work influenced many later literary works in terms of themes, narrative structure, and the portrayal of heroes.

The identification of the author of the first epic novel is a complex question. Many ancient cultures had epic tales, but pinpointing the absolute first and its author is challenging due to the lack of clear historical records and the evolving nature of literature over time.

One way is to look at samples. Check out a number of first - time epic fantasy authors' works and calculate the average word count. For example, pick 10 debut novels and add up their word counts then divide by 10.