Bangsian Fantasy
Bangsian fantasy is a fantasy genre which concerns the use of the afterlife as the main setting within which its characters, who may be famous preexisting historical or fictional figures, act and interact. It is named for John Kendrick Bangs (1862–1922), who often wrote it.
My favorite work in this genre is Legions of Hell by C.J. Cherryh. Its back cover teaser immediately hooked me:
“It was one of those days in Hell when Brutus showed up in Julius Caesar’s household, seventeen, and not remembering a thing about that little scene on the Ides of March. Well, that’s Hell for you…”
