Fantasy Land
When I was a kid I practically inhaled books. Common practice would find me reading three or four at the same time. I’d just stow them in different areas of the house and then, depending on where I settled for a few hours, that would decide which cover I’d crack until I moved again. This lead to a ton of virtual adventures in fantasy worlds that sometimes seemed so real I felt I could smell the smoke from the dragon’s breath if I stood utterly still and concentrated.
My favorite world? Narnia. If I could visit that place I’d pop outta this burg in a second. So let’s say I offered you a magical door to any of the worlds you’d ever read about or viewed on the big screen. What place would you love to visit?
This entry was posted on Monday, January 12th, 2009 at 8:30 am and is filed under Musings . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
January 12th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Well… Narnia’s definitely at the top of my list as well…and I’ve been reading the Leven Thumps series by Obert Skye – so I’d have to say Foo the land of dreams is also up there.
January 12th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Ooohhhh, good question depends on how safe I’d be to be honest. LOL
Theres a lot of worlds I’d love to visit however narrowing it down I think I’d have to visit the world of the Drenai, probably because it was my first adult series and partly because I love the writing of David Gemmell.
January 12th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Rivendale from the Lord of the Rings or any of the areas there except for Mordor. I see it as a beautiful place with waterfalls and a gentle breeze that blows all the time. Faint music playing in the background that can be heard anywhere in the area. Also lots of green trees and meadows.
January 12th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Definitely Narnia for me – particularly as described in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (even though only the end is in Narnia itself)
That moment at the beginning when Lucy, Edmund and Eustace are pulled through the painting is so vivid – whenever I re-read it I can almost taste the salt of the waves. What’s amazing about all the Narnia books is how beautifully C.S. Lewis evokes a scene without describing it in exhaustive detail so each reader can make the books their own. I’m definitely joining you in Narnia, Jen, if I get the chance!
January 12th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Currently my place to visit would be Laurell K. Hamilton’s St. Louis. Or Charlaine Harris’ Bon Temps. Or hey, how about Jennifer Rardin’s verison of Earth? Are you sensing a theme here? Any world where vamps and weres are, there I’d be.
January 12th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
4 places that I would love to go:
1) Narnia, but the real Narnia at the end of the series (but preferably without being dead).
2) Neverland, because it would be amazing to be able to fly.
3) The faraway tree, because then you could get to lots of different places every day (and I always secretly wanted a go on Moonface’s slide).
4) Alagaesia, because I always imagined it as a very beautiful place with lots of picturesque landscapes and I would love to meet the elves and dragons.
I could carry on this list forever but I think you may get very bored with me
January 12th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Wow that’s difficult. I think two options jump to mind; Tudor England because always thought I would have fitted in there … or maybe it was 18th century england, well one of the two. The other would be a combination of Transylvania (Van Helsing film) and Moulin Rouge, the actual place in the film. I just think they would be so dark and mysterious.
I would have so much fun exploring them and, probably, defending myself!!!
Narnia is a good choice, I think Peter in that is gor-ge-ous!
January 12th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
I would really love to visit Toril, the world from the Forgotten Realms setting for Dungeons & Dragons. There has been a huge series of novels written, by lots of different authors. I’d love to see Waterdeep & Silverymoon. But I’d like to go to Icewind Dale the most, Meet Drizzt Do’Urden, that would be the ultimate! Just gotta stay away from the Underdark….
January 12th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Jaz & Vayls world of course, hehe. (:
I’d want to go to Forks to meet Edward & Emmett (Emmett is so funny!).
If I could be Bella, well that’d be even cooler. (: I’d love that.
Narnia would be nice too (:
Morganville, scary but still an experience I’d want to have.
Stephanie Plums world! Anyone read that series? Hilarious (:
There’s more, I just can’t think.
P.S: I changed my website from my myspace to my LiveJournal. (: Be my friend.
January 12th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
The best fantasy world? Currently I would have to choose Laurell K. Hamilton’s St. Louis. I just finished reading the series a few days ago. Yays – finished all seventeen books in a month. That was fun.
Really though – any world where people know that vampires exist would be great
January 12th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Zita, I’m totally with you there too! On all of those!!! Toril was kinda my first idea from when I started reading fantasy back in college. The urban fantasy has been my obsession about the last 4 years. Always liked it, but it’s really become my passion now.
January 12th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
It would depend on whether I would have powers or not… the inkworld from “Inkheart,” sounds like an amazing place full of imagination. Juliet Marillier’s Sevenwaters, beautiful and mystic.
January 12th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
Any of the floating continents from The Death Gate Cycle. (Weis and Hickman) After a nuclear war that killed millions, a group of people called the Sartans decide to pull the earth apart into separate realms that all depend on each other to survive. To get to each world is Death Gate. Its just a highly intricate universe that the authors came up with. I would love to see it first hand:) A world full of magic and a lot of unknowns around every corner.
I also love worlds with vampires in them. Im a sucker for a good vampire story.(har, har) I think what attracts me the most about vampires is the amount of history that they could have potentially seen and lived through. To be able to get an eye witness account of something that happened hundreds of years ago?.. just insane!
January 13th, 2009 at 12:40 am
im with Taylor on the Twilight world…and of course jaz and Vayls world
January 13th, 2009 at 1:15 am
Hmmm…so many places id like to go…
Camelot for one, I’d love to visit Robert Jordans Wheel of Time world and Robin Hobbs Liveship world…anywhere with Dragons.
(I agree with Taylor. Twilight would suck without Emmett)
January 13th, 2009 at 1:59 am
definitely a universe where a stargate was accesible!
I’m a diehard stargate fan. The appeal in that is having a portal to an endless number of exciting planets…It beats having to pick one favourite supernatural world ;-P
The one downfall in stargate though is the lack of vampires and weres lol
So as a second option, your wonderful world, ms rardin, where such awesome creatures rome free…
January 13th, 2009 at 2:09 am
Books:
- Anything with… Vampires, werewolves, dragons, fairies, etc. So yes, Jaz & Vayl’s world most definitely.
- Narnia
- The many worlds in Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials Series.
- The various number of lands in Tolkien’s works.
Movies:
- Hayao Miyazaki’s worlds in Princess Mononoke, Spirited away, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Laputa (before it was abandoned and destroyed) in Castle in the Sky.
Videogames:
- The Final Fantasy series. Particularly 7, 9, and 10.
I’ve also seen a lot of anime, so a lot of the worlds from those I would LOVE to visit as well.
January 13th, 2009 at 3:46 am
OR!!
Pirates of the Carribbean world, with the corset dresses & boats & things. (:
That’d be so beautiful
January 13th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Further proving I like dark and deadly, I’d say the world of Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels.
January 13th, 2009 at 8:43 am
I’ll have to put that one on my TBR list, Monica. Sounds wonderful.
I’m with you, Gareth. Lots of places sound neat until you seriously consider visiting. And then, uh, I think I’d rather live, thanks!
I agree, Robin. I went to a flower show once where they’d recreated a section of Rivendale, very well I thought. I could’ve stayed forever!
That’s a deal, Katherine!
Go armed, Zita!
Yes, Emily, the lack of deadness would be ideal! I love your Neverland choice too!
Cool choices, Emzie-pooh!
I don’t recall that one, Andie, but I was old-school D&D, and only played for a couple of years in my late teens. Can’t even remember where we fought. Just that I was a halfling thief who eventually pissed off the DM and ended up ashed!!
Many interesting picks, Taylor! Hard to stick with just one, isn’t it?
Wow, that’s some fast reading, Rose! Laurell K. was probably my first introduction to urban fantasy. Pretty good stuff!
Those do sound like neat places to explore, Katie, though I’m not familiar with either. Will put them on my list!
Elizabeth, the Death Gate Cycle (which I own) is one of my all-time favorite series’. Masterfully plotted with characters you can love and hate pretty much equally. Not sure I’m tough enough to visit any of the worlds, but you go, girl!
Cool deal, Nikki!
Mmm, dragons! Sammyam, you have taste!
Okay, kim121, I adored the Stargate movie. Or was it just the premiere to the first series? I don’t even know anymore. Anyway, it rocked. But I’m totally confused by all the Stargates that have popped up since. If you can explain, I may try to get into the stories.
Clearly, you have excellent taste, Paris! I need to get into Philip Pullman. So much good stuff out there and no time to read anymore. Argh!
I agree, very beautiful, Taylor. I still can’t decide about the corset thing, though. While I deeply appreciate the figure it gives me. I’m way too into comfort to go for it more than once a year. So…yup. I’m sticking with Narnia!
January 13th, 2009 at 8:47 am
Not familiar with that one, Marissa. But, considering that I like dark and deadly too, I’ll be on the lookout for it!
January 13th, 2009 at 9:34 am
Oh yeah I forgot I hadn’t mentioned Forks.
Emmett is extremely funny and I’d like to meet Alice and of course Edward (sighs).
Taylor I totally agree; the world from Pirates of The Carribean would be amazing!!!
January 13th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Well… Hogwarts would be great. And (oh my God, I didn’t read it in English…), in the third book of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials, there was a world with strange creatures. Mary spent a lot of time there. I really love that part, so I want to go there.
January 13th, 2009 at 11:50 am
It’s fantasy, and personally, I adore it. Be warned: it has incest, molestation, rape, and slavery in it. Not really written out in detail, but it doesn’t try to save the reader from knowing the dark parts of society.
January 13th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Well,guys,hard to choose.
I would like to go to Iceland with my friends(that place is beautiful). To America(I Don’t live there!!!-and that sucks). But mostly I want to go those places you wrote in your books Jennifer.
P.S:One more bite is so great Jen! I haven’t finished it yet,but it’s very exciting!!!
January 13th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
corsets hurt. A LOT!
January 13th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Oh lets see,
The Discworld, Ramtops or Ankh Morepork.
LKH’s St Louis definatley I want to be Jasons snuggle bunny, I’ll even share him
(I do not recommend reading the series back to back while seriously ill and on high dose pain killers, you can go a bit strange 
as I did a couple of years back)
Pern, always wanted to be a dragon rider, or Menolly (Dragon Song was my first fantasy). Or Erehwon or Tower worlds
Kim Harrisons Hollows, Charlaines Bon Temps, Keri Arthurs Melbourne (Riley), Jennifer Rardin’s, the list goes on, so many good books..
Oh, yeah Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie plum rocks.
January 13th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
-pokes Marissa Turner-
The world of Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels seems so depressing at times.
But I guess it would be interesting. Especially being one of the long-lived races.
January 13th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
WOO! Go Penny for agreeing with me!
*high 5*
January 13th, 2009 at 11:43 pm
I don’t have some particular based fantasy that only one book covers.
My fantasy world covers the world of immortals.
Like Jaz’s world. A world where vampires and other creatures that go bump in the night (or day depending on what the creature may be) have been outted and are living among the humans with ease.
It makes it seem more real. How humanity struggles with this and soon comes to realize there is no going back and learn to except it.
January 13th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
Hi! well an interesting world to visit would be, for me, the one from the Amber Chronicles, written by Zelazni. I know, it’s a bit old but I loved the plot whith the Order and Chaos. As for Narnia, I was quite growned up when it has been translated in french, so I’ve never read it…Sush..Don’t shout…Maybe I will…
January 14th, 2009 at 5:12 am
I agree with Zita and Rose, I think I’d like a lot a world where vampires do exist. One thing that I like in most vampire worlds – apart from the whole dark, handsome and deadly part obviously
– is the fact that vampires truly believe in things like trust, fealty and such. So that it really has a whole new meaning to say that someone is going to be with you forever.
I’m hopelessly romantic, I know.
By the way, when I was a kid I did devour books too – and that hasn’t changed, lol- but my favourite world was the one of Ariel the mermaid (the Disney cartoon).
January 14th, 2009 at 7:48 am
*eyes dart around to see if anyone it watching*
Um… I still play D&D.
If I could be my Halfling Rogue, that would be the world I’d travel to.
I am one kick-butt halfling.
*wicked grin*
January 14th, 2009 at 8:15 am
Okay, Emily, I’m beginning to think there’s an unwritten rule that when we say Edward we have to sigh. Am I right?
Hogwarts! Oh yeah, Reby, I would totally go there. If only for the funky moving staircases!
Interesting you should mention that, Marissa. The first book I ever wrote mentioned incest, and that agent (which isn’t the one I have now) thought it would be very hard to sell. He was right–it never did. But then, I think there were a lot of other problems as well. I liked the main character though. She was kind of a precurser to Jaz. So, all in all, good practice.
Glad you’re enjoying One More Bite, Rena. And maybe someday you’ll get to live here. You never know!
Only if you try to draw a full breath, Samantha (snort!).
I’m trying to imagine reading any sort of urban fantasy while heavily dosing painkillers, Penny. I think it would be….odd.
Immortality is fascinating, Trace, I agree. The appeal, for me, is that there would be time to do all the things that fascinate me right now that I know I’ll never get to because I’m already too old. Like rollerblading.
Not shouting at all Isabelle, just whispering very gently–read those amazing chronicles!!
I get what you’re saying, Vale. It’s very tough to find a human who believes in those things in any time. I’m a hopeless romantic because I still think those people are out there, and I do believe in a love that can last forever. I think most people miss out because they settle before they’ve found either one.
I believe you’re a butt-kicker, zanheltangia!
January 14th, 2009 at 9:00 am
It is depressing at time, but the good times are so much fun! Come on, you mean to tell me that thinking of the High Lord of Hell rolling on the floor, laughing until he cried, isn’t a lighthearted moment?
Lucivar trying to explain ‘prick’ to a very young Janelle was also hilarious.
January 14th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Little Island in the movie Momma Mia cause I would get to sing & dance. Narnia 1. Hogwarts & Jaz’s world are tied 2. Bon Temps from the Sookie Stackhouse series & Stephinie Plum 3. The Realms from Libba Bray’s Gemma Doyle series 4. Alageasia 5. Middle Earth 6.
January 14th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Anyone read Clive Barkers Weaveworld? I wan to live there before the carpet.
January 14th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
& thank you too Emily for agreeing with me (:
*high fives all round!*
January 15th, 2009 at 4:08 am
Forks!!!….Narnia and Neverland also…ooohh and Misselthwaite Manor (the Secret Garden)…i love books i’m currently in the middle of about 5
January 15th, 2009 at 6:16 am
I think it would hvae to be Imardin, the city in Trudi Canavan’s Black Magician Trilogy it sounds amazing..Altho i have been there in my head many many times.
Either that or Isla Sorna From Jurassic Park
January 15th, 2009 at 9:48 am
Yh, all my friends are kinda annoyed with me at the moment. I should probably stop being so obsessed with things – try and give the illusion of normalness (I’m positive that’s not even a real word but I’m too lazy to check).
I will have to start sighing inwardly and get all trigger words out of my head, whenever someone mentions “Edward” or “vampires” or basically anything to do with my favourite books I instantly start listening.
Or maybe I’m just plain crazy? Who knows.
January 15th, 2009 at 10:04 am
I have got to see that movie, Samantha!
Not me, hagelrat, but it sounds interesting.
All excellent picke, Georgie K!
I just finished the first book in that series, Lee. Yup, I can definitely see the attraction!
January 15th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Yes Jen, you should most definitely read Pullman’s His Dark Materials Triology. I remember reading or hearing somewhere that it serves as a sort of antithesis to Lewis’ Narnia Chronicles, something that I think is quite obvious once the story starts to piece itself together into the bigger picture. But all religious metaphors aside, the story ventures into many different and parallel worlds, which is something I think you’d enjoy.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Oh! You sooo do understand me!!! I’d started to think I was the only one left who still believed in such things! Hey! If you happen to find a nice guy who’s free and believes in that… just let me know, will you? lol
January 16th, 2009 at 1:07 am
ok so stargate in 20 seconds..
The first stargate movie was the opening for the series that came out much later…
Stargate SG1 seasons 1-10
At the end of season 9, another branch, Stargate Atlantis kicked off with 4 of it’s own seasons occasionally interlocking with the plots of the original sg1 season 10… After season 10 of SG1, two movie-length episodes were created, ‘Ark of Truth’ and ‘Continuum’, in an attempt to tie off the whole thing…but they failed Lol…hence the names…sooo there is a fifth season of Startate Atlantis being released this year that is once again tying together both branches of Stargate…
Sorry if too confusing but the series is well worth getting into even if ulu font get around to seeing every last episode.
Kim121
January 16th, 2009 at 9:35 am
I ordered the whole set, Paris. Mainly because you and a couple of other people bragged it up, but also because my hubby was complaining that he was out of books to read. So now we’ll both have something to look forward to. Thanks for the recommendation!
I’d offer you my son, Vale, but he’s currently off the market. So I’ll keep my eyes open!
I am forever grateful, kim121. And willing to try the Stargates again. Thanks!
January 22nd, 2009 at 9:25 am
What does it say that I’d love to vacation somewhere that I could fight hordes of zombies?
January 22nd, 2009 at 9:56 am
LMAO!
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Griff.. I always tell people that they should be prepared for zombie invasions.. you just never know when a shotgun is gonna come in handy.
January 23rd, 2009 at 8:11 am
The world Cassandra Clare created for The Mortal Instruments Series. It’s AWESOME!
January 23rd, 2009 at 8:33 pm
i woulad also have to say Narnia or… Hogwarts! You can’t go wrong with wizards and witches!
January 25th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Sounds interesting, Samantha.
You’re so right, Jas!