Kum Za Bi 21-naa Mizo Fantasy Novel Ziaktute Hmanrua (Narrative Dynamics in 21st Century Mizo Fantasy Novel)

Fantasy fiction has emerged as a dynamic literary form in contemporary Mizo literature, particularly in the twenty-first century, when writers increasingly experiment with complex storytelling techniques, mythic imagination, and speculative narrative forms. This article examines the narrative dynamics in selected twenty-first-century Mizo fantasy novels, with particular focus on narrative structure, temporality, world-building, character transformation, narrative voice, conflict, and indigenous cultural imagination. The study analyzes selected texts across fantasy subgenres, including mythic fantasy, epic fantasy, quest fantasy, and science fiction. The article argues that contemporary Mizo fantasy fiction departs from earlier linear, adventure-oriented narratives through multilayered plot structures, liminal settings, altered temporality, symbolic conflicts, and transformative character journeys. The selected novels construct fictional worlds that function not merely as imaginative settings but as active narrative forces shaping characters, themes, and emotional experience. Particular attention is given to the relationship between memory, mythology, identity, and cosmic imagination within these narratives. The study further explores how indigenous Mizo folklore, cosmology, traditional beliefs, and cultural values continue to influence modern fantasy storytelling despite the increasing presence of speculative aesthetics and contemporary narrative techniques. The article contributes to the growing field of Mizo literary studies by identifying fantasy fiction as an intellectually significant and evolving genre within contemporary Mizo literature.