Although written specifically about the Harry Potter series, David Colbert's The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter: A Treasury of Myths, Legends, and Fascinating Facts offers valuable insight on the literary genre of fantasy as a whole. One chapter in particular, titled "What Kinds of Nightmares Created Voldemort?," sheds light on the role of the villain in fantasy epics and the various traits typically possessed by the archetypal villain. According to Colbert, "Nothing brings out a great hero as much as a great villain" (249). This assertion proves especially true in fantasy novels, which typically revolve a battle between the forces of good and evil. A hero facing a pathetic opponent is nowhere near as interesting as one who combats the physical embodiment of all evil. Therefore, it is essential that the archetypal villain be evil and compelling, for it is their very work and existence that fuels the hero and consequently the entire fantasy genre. Due to its status as an archetype, the role of the villain is associated with several key traits that emphasize a villain's evil nature. They are often aged beings in the sense that they participated in past conflicts prior to the emergence of the tale in which they appear. To further their enigmatic nature, they are often beings of mystical and supernatural origins, possessing powers greater than those of any human and even of the hero himself. Their existence tends to reflect a decline in morality of the society from which they emerged, a society which they seek to rule in many cases. These traits are among the few mentioned by Colbert in his discussion of the villain.
Although written as an analysis of the Harry Potter series' main villain, Lord Voldemort, "What Kinds of Nightmares Created Voldemort?" provides insight on the role of the villain that can be applied to the archetypal villain in general. Colbert's initial focus does not prevent this message from being conveyed to the reader, thus making his writing applicable beyond what he intended. His discussion is short and simple, providing a brief overview of the information without elaborating or expanding upon it. It is by no means meant to be an analysis of the archetypal villain, but rather offers a brief look at the various traits of the villain as well as why they are important to the genre. This makes it a valuable source for basic information, but not for in-depth analysis.

Colbert, David. The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter: A Treasury of Myths, Legends, and

Fascinating Facts. New York: Berkley Books, 2004. Print.

In the introduction to her novel Dissecting Stephen King: From the Gothic to Literary Naturalism, author Heidi Strengell discusses the various influences on Stephen King's writing style and how these influences manifest themselves in his novels. According to Strengell, Puritanism, Gothicism, naturalism, and personal experiences are the primary recurring influences present in King's writing. Each manifests itself in a different manner, yet they are often inextricably linked to one another in one form or another. Strengell's first focus is on the religious undertones of King's writing, which she attributes to both King's personal religious views as well as the Puritanical religious frenzy that resonates in early American history, particularly during the era of the Salem witch trials. Characters such as Sylvia Pittson from The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger serve as physical manifestations of King's views on religion in his writing, for it is a recurring trend in King's novels to include a character overcome with some form of religious frenzy. King's past experiences growing up as a member of a lower middle class family also play a key role in his writing; indeed, another character stereotypical of a King novel is the "common man," a seemingly ordinary character plunged into a situation beyond the bounds of his daily existence. This stereotype ties in with one of King's prominent world views, the notion of free will versus fate. Along with the notion that there are inherently good and evil forces in the world, this is perhaps the most recurring element in King's writing, appearing in both his individual novels, such as The Dark Half, as well as his book series, such as The Dark Tower. Over the course of her introduction, Strengell references various historical and philosophical ideas in order to provide background to the influences which she attributes to King. This background information is provided at the beginning of each section, thus placi

In the article "Science Fiction," primary contributor Bruce Sterling discusses the history of the literary genre of science fiction, delineating how it came into being and how it has evolved over the years. In addition to this, Sterling analyzes the various themes and ideas that recur throughout science fiction works. Organized both chronologically and by topic, the article begins with a brief explanation of the genre itself before delving into the history and evolution of science fiction as a whole. Examples are provided throughout, creating connotations with which the reader can associate the topic at hand, provided they have read the works of those mentioned by Sterling. According to the article, certain key traits differentiate works of science fiction from those of other genres such as horror and fantasy, both of which are explained to be similar in nature to the science fiction genre. Shared traits such as a dark, dreary mood and plots revolving around the notions of alternative societies, alien encounters, time travel, space travel, and alternate universes serve as distinguishing factors of science fiction novels. Other commonalities involve plot points such as apocalyptic disaster, epic voyages, and prophetic events, as well as a heavy focus on technology. Over the years, authors have begun to use the genre of science fiction as an outlet for social discontent, satirizing society in such a manner as which they cannot be persecuted for. Sterling's assertions appear to be based on factual research, and therefore are unlikely to be influenced by biases or predispositions.