A fictional place where you would like to visit or live? [looking for reading advice]
VBM
intrigues me right now is an attractive or interesting *place*. I would
like to find a new escapist resort or retreat, a place to head off when the
stresses of daily life come pressing in. This can be a world (The Land, or
Middle Earth), a city, even a ship (like ST:TNG's Enterprise or Rama) or
something more esoteric (the Restaurant at the end of the Universe?). It
need not be posh or clean, or safe and sound, but definitely inviting,
interesting and a place where you would want to spend time.
So, I thought I would ask a more general question in order to generate some
ideas. If you could spend some time visiting or even moving to a place out
of a science fiction/fantasy novel or series, where would it be,and why?
Thanks for any input!
Sea Wasp
Majipoor, from Silverberg's "Lord Valentine's Castle". One of the
most fascinating worlds ever built, and one which overall seems
relatively safe for visitors -- something almost unique in such
worlds. Not risk-free, certainly, but amazingly awesome and worth a visit.
--
Sea Wasp
/^\
;;;
Live Journal: http://www.livejournal.com/users/seawasp/
VBM
"Sea Wasp" <seawasp...@sgeObviousinc.com> wrote in message
news:4622DDB7...@sgeObviousinc.com...
Oh, yes! I read that first book back in high school (some 25 years ago),
but I never followed up with the sequels. That will definitely be on the
list. Thanks!
Alie...@gmail.com
Interesting? Ankh-Morpork. Suitably armed, of course.
Safe? Any Puppeteer world.
Inviting? Maybe Xanth, but I'm fond of weird.
For really long-term interest, the Ringworld.
Mark L. Fergerson
VBM
"nu...@bid.ness" <Alie...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1176698225.2...@w1g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
I just started reading Thud!, so you called that one right! I have not
read a Xanth novel in a long time, so that is another good suggestion. I
loved Ringworld, but heard the sequels were frustrating, so have not
bothered. Maybe I will try one out. But I have not read any Puppeteer
novel, so I will check that out, thanks for the suggestions!
Default User
> I am looking for a new book or series to get into, and for some
> reason, what intrigues me right now is an attractive or interesting
> place. I would like to find a new escapist resort or retreat, a
> place to head off when the stresses of daily life come pressing in.
The fictional land of British Hidalgo (modeled on real-life Belize) as
depicted in the Limekiller stories of Avram Davidson. The stories are
collected in a book titled Limekiller!.
Brian
--
If televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who
won't shut up.
-- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com)
David DeLaney
>>
>> For really long-term interest, the Ringworld.
>
>I just started reading Thud!, so you called that one right! I have not
>read a Xanth novel in a long time, so that is another good suggestion. I
>loved Ringworld, but heard the sequels were frustrating, so have not
>bothered. Maybe I will try one out. But I have not read any Puppeteer
>novel, so I will check that out, thanks for the suggestions!
There aren't any "Puppeteer novels" I'm aware of. (Which is something of a
shame, because they'd have to involve somehow getting around the _massive_
safety margins that almost have to be designed into Puppeteer society; we've
already had novels whose core motivation was 'outcast puppeteer has plans',
so I wouldn't classify the same again as "puppeteer novels" really...)
Dave
--
\/David DeLaney posting from d...@vic.com "It's not the pot that grows the flower
It's not the clock that slows the hour The definition's plain for anyone to see
Love is all it takes to make a family" - R&P. VISUALIZE HAPPYNET VRbeable<BLINK>
http://www.vic.com/~dbd/ - net.legends FAQ & Magic / I WUV you in all CAPS! --K.
Nicholas Waller
> So, I thought I would ask a more general question in order to generate some
> ideas. If you could spend some time visiting or even moving to a place out
> of a science fiction/fantasy novel or series, where would it be,and why?
> Thanks for any input!
New Crobuzon (in China Mieville's Perdido Street Station) sounds
interesting to visit, albeit dangerous and oppressive to live in.
Le Guin's Earthsea looks varied and intriguing, especially if you like
boats.
--
Nick
Howard Brazee
To live, I'd like something like Pohl's _Age of the Pussyfoot_.
Sea Wasp
I find the first two sequels (Majipoor Chronicles and Valentine
Pontifex) worthy. The rest aren't as good -- and in my view it's
because the presence of Lord Valentine is really a requirement to make
it all work.
It's a great world to visit, though.
Michael Urban
I grew up on the Oz books, and would enjoy a vacation in Oz.
Almost any of Jack Vance's worlds would be a rich and fascinating
place to visit. Cadwal for science fiction, or Lyonesse for fantasy.
If for no other reason than being somewhere where people routinely
converse in witty and mannered speech...
mark...@earthlink.net
> So, I thought I would ask a more general question in order to generate some
> ideas. If you could spend some time visiting or even moving to a place out
> of a science fiction/fantasy novel or series, where would it be,and why?
> Thanks for any input!
For starters, Julian May's Galactic Milieu. Leaving aside the
advantanges of living there, I'd love to be there when Rogi's memoirs
are published and every news outlet in the Milieu screams the five
word announcement below:
BIG SPOILER if you haven't read the books
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
ATONING UNIFEX IS MARC REMILLARD!!!
Assuming they still use All Caps to scream headline worthy material.
I'd just like to see the reaction to learning that the Angel of the
Abyss and the guiding Overlord responsible for the Milieu were one and
the same.
RobEkra
Why not try Ardmurran, on the banks of Loch Lomond in Scotland, and
Moridanza, in Extremadura, Spain?
Both are fictional places in 'The Ancient Order of Moridura', a new
scientific mystery book. Ardmurran is on the western bank of this
famous Scottish lake, and Moridanza is located 'east of the sun and
west of the moon'. Both are idyllic, leaving aside the occasional
bouts of violent action in this complex book, but once that is sorted
out, they would be a nice place to vacation. Or you could consider the
monastery of Moridura itself, where you might be welcomed by the
Benedictine monks, now that the bad guys have been dealt with.
There are sample chapters (six) online at http://moridura.blogspot.com
Gene Ward Smith
> New Crobuzon (in China Mieville's Perdido Street Station) sounds
> interesting to visit, albeit dangerous and oppressive to live in.
Merovingen, but don't drink the water.
> Le Guin's Earthsea looks varied and intriguing, especially if you like
> boats.
I dunno; I think I'd prefer Fourth Age Middle Earth.
Anthony Nance
If it's a place to which I'm allowed to transplant my current self,
I think I could make living in Banks' Culture universe work out
very well.
If I need to pick a place to be born and grow up in, I think...hmm,
I think I have to think some more.
Tony
VBM
"Default User" <defaul...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:58gjklF...@mid.individual.net...
> VBM wrote:
>
> > I am looking for a new book or series to get into, and for some
> > reason, what intrigues me right now is an attractive or interesting
> > place. I would like to find a new escapist resort or retreat, a
> > place to head off when the stresses of daily life come pressing in.
>
> The fictional land of British Hidalgo (modeled on real-life Belize) as
> depicted in the Limekiller stories of Avram Davidson. The stories are
> collected in a book titled Limekiller!.
Now that sounds very interesting, I will look it up. Thanks!
VBM
Those are some great ideas and I now have a new slew of books to check out!
Thanks a lot for all the input so far!
philos...@yahoo.com
<genewa...@gmail.com> wrote:
>On Apr 16, 3:49 am, "Nicholas Waller" <testo...@aol.com> wrote:
>
>> New Crobuzon (in China Mieville's Perdido Street Station) sounds
>> interesting to visit, albeit dangerous and oppressive to live in.
>
>Merovingen, but don't drink the water.
>
I think a (suitably escorted!) trip through Fenisterre would be
interesting. Not sure I'd want to _live_ there, though.
Rebecca
allthecool...@gmail.com
> For starters, Julian May's Galactic Milieu. Leaving aside the
> advantanges of living there, I'd love to be there when Rogi's memoirs
> are published and every news outlet in the Milieu screams the five
> word announcement below:
Heh. I'm re-reading those books now. I was about to pick the planet
Denali as a great place to visit.
All winter! All the time! I'm not sure about living in the Milieu,
though. Unity's kind of distasteful. And the events of the Pliocene
Exile books put me off of wanting to live there. It's a little too
exciting.
The Culture would be good, but it's already been mentioned too. Hmm.
Miranda seems like it'd be an okay enough planet, if you don't mind
getting flooded out every now and then
Default User
Here's a bit more information at Henry Wessells's fine Avram Davidson
web site:
<http://www.avramdavidson.org/hidalgo.htm>
Kay Shapero
mari...@adelphia.net says...
> So, I thought I would ask a more general question in order to generate some
> ideas. If you could spend some time visiting or even moving to a place out
> of a science fiction/fantasy novel or series, where would it be,and why?
> Thanks for any input!
>
I'd like to visit the Ents, Tom Bombadil, and the Shire, all on Middle
Earth. Also Angevine England in the Lord Darcy tales. I've always
wanted to visit Venus Equilateral and doodle on the tablecloths. :)
The world of Varley's Steel Beach would be interesting to visit for
awhile.
--
Kay Shapero
http://www.kayshapero.net
Address munged - to email use kay at the domain of my website, above.
Damien Sullivan
>I think a (suitably escorted!) trip through Fenisterre would be
>interesting. Not sure I'd want to _live_ there, though.
Rider at the Gate? I think that's Finisterre. "End of the Earth".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud's_Rider
-xx- Damien X-)
Will in New Haven
Carcossa, in Paul Edwin Zimmer's DARK BORDERS series, would be a nice
place to live. Living along the border would be a bit too, um, lively
and interesting.
Bordertown in the short-story collection of the same name and the
related books. Chicago in the slightly related novel <The Last Hot
Time> would be good, although dangerous.
Castle Anthrax has its charms.
Lankhmar
or Ankh Morpork
California, although I have never found any of the many works set
there quite believable.
Will in New Haven
--
philos...@yahoo.com
Sullivan) wrote:
>philos...@sbcglobal.net wrote:
>
>>I think a (suitably escorted!) trip through Fenisterre would be
>>interesting. Not sure I'd want to _live_ there, though.
>
>Rider at the Gate? I think that's Finisterre. "End of the Earth".
>
Mea culpa. Blame too much German... I keep thinking Fenster and Terra
(window world). Which always did strike me as a bit odd....
Rebecca
mark...@earthlink.net
> On Apr 16, 10:41 am, markr1...@earthlink.net wrote:
>
> > For starters, Julian May's Galactic Milieu. Leaving aside the
> > advantanges of living there, I'd love to be there when Rogi's memoirs
> > are published and every news outlet in the Milieu screams the five
> > word announcement below:
>
> Heh. I'm re-reading those books now. I was about to pick the planet
> Denali as a great place to visit.
> All winter! All the time! I'm not sure about living in the Milieu,
> though. Unity's kind of distasteful.
Sounds like you'd fit right in with the Rebellion. :)
> And the events of the Pliocene
> Exile books put me off of wanting to live there. It's a little too
> exciting.
Me too.
Kay Shapero
bill....@taylorandfrancis.com says...
>
> California, although I have never found any of the many works set
> there quite believable.
>
that stuff you see on New Year's Day is done with mirrors. Come to
think of it, a brief visit to Ron Goulart's version of CA would be
interesting.
Mike Stone
"Kay Shapero" <k...@see.my.sig.invalid> wrote
in message
news:MPG.208e18656...@news.west.ea
rthlink.net...
> In article
<QZqdnabVNpMeVL_bnZ2dnUVZ_tunnZ2d@adelphia.c
om>,
> mari...@adelphia.net says...
>
>
> > So, I thought I would ask a more general
question in order to generate some
> > ideas. If you could spend some time
visiting or even moving to a place out
> > of a science fiction/fantasy novel or
series, where would it be,and why?
> > Thanks for any input!
> >
To visit - just about anywhere by Poul
Anderson, ACC or RAH.
To _live_ - maybe the Gand world of Eric
Frank Russell's _And Then There were None_.
--
Mike Stone - Peterborough, England
I can never understand how people fail to
grasp the need for ethnic diversity.
After all, how could we English ever truly
appreciate our own superiority, if there
were no foreigners around for us to be
superior to?
grey...@gmaildo.tcom
As in one of the first modern fantasy books, `The well at the worlds
end'.
--
Greymaus
Just another grumpy old man
il...@rcn.com
put this nutcase in restraints right away!
As for my choice of SF/F vacation spot, I'd pick Niven's "Smoke Ring".
*Some* armament might be prudent, but there are Caribbean islands more
dangerous.
Jeffrey Kaplan
> So, I thought I would ask a more general question in order to generate some
> ideas. If you could spend some time visiting or even moving to a place out
> of a science fiction/fantasy novel or series, where would it be,and why?
> Thanks for any input!
Barrayar and Admiral Naismith's mercenary fleet, just know when and
where to jump when Miles Vorkosigan draws fire (the Vorkosigan books).
If I were healthy enough, I wouldn't mind marching with Paksenarrion
under the banner of Gird (Deed of Paksenarrion). When I was younger, I
wanted a fire lizard as a pet (Dragonriders of Pern). Then again, I
also wanted to ride with Helva (The Ship Who Sang). Castle Amber
sounds like a place I'd like to visit, but of course, I'd have to
convince one of the Nine Princes of Amber to take me there.
--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol
If I Am Ever the Sidekick... 13. Before accepting the role of
Sidekick, I will learn how the position became vacant.
William
news:QZqdnabVNpMeVL_b...@adelphia.com...
>
> So, I thought I would ask a more general question in order to generate
> some ideas. If you could spend some time visiting or even moving to a
> place out of a science fiction/fantasy novel or series, where would it
> be,and why? Thanks for any input!
Maybe the Rosinante space colony from Alexis Gilliland's series. I just
think the idea of living in a place where you can look up and be looking
down as from a great height at the same time is neat.
-Wm