Modern fantasy is a genre of literature that is closely related to traditional literature. The biggest difference is the fact that the books that fall into this genre are not originally told orally. This works are written down by known authors who can be identified, unlike traditional literature where the original author is modern fantasy sometimes uses talking animals as characters. In addition to this, readers will still encounter magical realms or spells and mythological figures, like gods and goddesses. In essence, modern fantasy borrows from the tales of old, sometimes uses ancient mythologies and folktales to create a new and original tale that may be set in the present or in the past, depending upon the preferences of the author.