Is there a name for this genre of fantasy?

[Togath]

After a conversation with a friend earlier I've been wondering if this fantasy genre has a name;
Basically, it's standard premodern fantasy, but with fewer negative aspects glossed over, though not a grimdark style(heroes can still be heroic, and also have very high power levels), and monsters seem semi mundane(a creature might not be magical, though it might still be a dragon, hydra, or chimera, etc., and often times dire beasts and nature spirits[and sometimes fey] are more common then standard), alignment is also not black/white good/evil, though it doesn't end up grey.
Good examples of what I'm talking about are things such as 1E or early 2E dnd, the lord of the rings books, and to an extent the "Septimus Heap" books, though they do represent a somewhat softer setting.

[Serpentine]

"Realistic fantasy" or something like that, perhaps?

[Creed]

I believe the technical term is "Low-Magic Fantasy", however "Middle Ages Fiction" might also describe it.
I think I know what you're talking about. Would you mind shelling out a couple more examples of works in this genre? I think I understand, but two editions of DnD and Lord of the Rings make me kneejerk to just vanilla fantasy.

[SiuiS]

Sounds like a young adult version of Swords & Sorcery, actually. A little pulp, mayhaps?

[Feytalist]

Somehow it sounds like the genre should have the suffix "-punk" somewhere in the name. Like... fantasy punk. Heh.

I'm thinking something like the Witcher series; with its general lack of clear-cut morality and almost mundane monsters. But then the Witcher is probably a little darker than what you are aiming for.

[Giggling Ghast]

That is High Fantasy with the serial numbers filed off.

[Feytalist]

That is High Fantasy with the serial numbers filed off.

The novel series, maybe (but what I've read of it so far, I'm not even sure of that). But the original short stories fall pretty firmly into dark fantasy. I know it's listed on that page, but honestly, when has that ever been an accurate indication of anything.

[Togath]

I believe the technical term is "Low-Magic Fantasy", however "Middle Ages Fiction" might also describe it.
I think I know what you're talking about. Would you mind shelling out a couple more examples of works in this genre? I think I understand, but two editions of DnD and Lord of the Rings make me kneejerk to just vanilla fantasy.

I'll try to think up a few more examples(and dark is fine, I more mean a plot where the hero really does have a chance at success)

Books;
The Eragon trilogy
Games;
nothing really comes to mind that I have personally played, though from what i know of it the Monster Hunter series might fit, as would the Witcher series and possibly the Prince of Persia series(I did once play the second game, but never got very far into it)
Anime/Manga;
Claymore(more magic then mundane beasts, but it seems to fit at the dark end of the genre)
Other;

Modern setting but still fits the genre excluding that part;
Books;
the Artemis Fowl series, the "The Alchemist" series(the one by Michael Scott, as a google search gave several books with similar titles, and to an extent the Mortal Instruments Trilogy(though that one leans on the darker, more magical end),
Anime Manga;
Darker then Black, Toriko(though that one leans towards comedy), Seikon no Qwasar, and Fullmetal Alchemist(either the manga or the second anime, and it does lead a bit more towards magic), Naruto as well, and possibly fairy Tail as well

[Yora]

I think that's pretty much Heroic Fantasy in a nutshell.

Sword & Sorcery is often used synonymous, but I think that one is more of a sub-category that tends to be a bit more gritty and set in prehistoric times.

[hamlet]

I think that's pretty much Heroic Fantasy in a nutshell.

Sword & Sorcery is often used synonymous, but I think that one is more of a sub-category that tends to be a bit more gritty and set in prehistoric times.

Actually, the Swords and Sorcery stylings of Conan (Howard) and his ilk came first, generally speaking, and almost certainly influenced Tolkein's work. I believe in one of the letters he wrote positively about the Conan stories and said that he himself enjoyed reading them from time to time.

So, in a weird sort of way, Swords and Sorcery stuff, by which I'm indicating the Howardian style stories, are probably not quite a sub-trope as they are an earlier incarnation of the Fantasy tropes.

To the OP, at first, your style sounded a lot like the somewhat lighter side of Dark Fantasy, in which things are not black and white, sometimes it's hard to see the moral landscape and the hero has a tougher time of it, but generally speaking, there is still an identifiable hero who is recognizably good. This is in contrast to the more morally ambiguous stories of Howard and his crowd who were much more heavily influenced by Mr. Lovecraft than much else.

Then I read your list and you stuck "Eragon" on there. Granted, I've never read the books (having received almost universal negative reviews in my experience) and only having suffered through half the film, I don't know particularly into what genre that story would fit. Nor Claymore or anything like that as I've not read that (my experience with Manga/Anime is extremely limited. I grew up in a time when Anime = Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball Z and I've never quite grown out of that phase).

I'm still tempted to say that you're looking at the lighter side of Dark Fantasy, with low magic tossed in. But that particular genre is about as well defined as high vs. low fantasy is in the public eye, so take it for what it's worth.

[Yora]

I would say that Swords & Sorcery branched out a bit from it's original roots and then became to be refered as Heroic Fantasy, while the term Swords & Sorcery still sticks around for the old school works in the genre. A Game of Thrones would probably not be called Swords & Sorcery while Dark Sun most probably is, even though it's just five years older. Which makes them contemporaries in a genre that is close to a hundred years old.

[hamlet]

I would say that Swords & Sorcery branched out a bit from it's original roots and then became to be refered as Heroic Fantasy, while the term Swords & Sorcery still sticks around for the old school works in the genre. A Game of Thrones would probably not be called Swords & Sorcery while Dark Sun most probably is, even though it's just five years older. Which makes them contemporaries in a genre that is close to a hundred years old.

Those two also happen to be, thematically, worlds apart.

Horrible pun not intended . . .