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The list prompt this week is:
Top Ten Worlds I'd Never Want To Live In
I really tried, but I couldn't come up with ten of these. I don't often read books whose setting I wouldn't want to live in - even if that wouldn't always be for the best. I am trying very hard to fight the desire to just turn this into a 'least favorite fantasy books/settings' kind of post. It would be so easy for me to just list ten books that I disliked and whose settings were unmemorable. I really don't want to do that though, it simply not fair. So, here's my top five:
#5
Location: Krynn
Book: Dragonlance, especially those by Weis and Hickman
Now, you want to talk about a world that seems so incredibly depressing. So many books from this setting are of the 'we'll never survive' variety - even if they do survive easily. There's just this feeling of doom that permeates so many of the stories. I wouldn't like living in a world like that.
#4
Location: Menzoberranzan
Book: (most) Forgotten Realms that deal with the drow
Okay, I cheated on this one. Menzo isn't an actual world but a subdivision of sorts of the Forgotten Realms world. However, Menzo is an area that is so insular that it never has visitors and, the few times its citizens leave on a trip, they only do so to capture people for slavery. I have mixed feelings about the drow, but that is one place this girl could never live. (Please note: I am only speaking in generalities. I do not include Drizzt in these statements, because he is the exception rather than the rule for drow.)
Location: Paris
Book: The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan
This might be cheating a little, because the setting for Page Morgan's gothic tale is actually earth. Granted, an earth that has many many things going on under the surface, but earth nonetheless. I chose this world because of the hellhounds that wander around at will and the angels that are less than benevolent.
#2
Location: Vardia
Book: Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding
I would like to say, I like this book a lot. This is not commentary in any way, shape or form as to how much fun I had reading this book. However, and this may be because the story follows a group of less-than savory people recently turning their hand at sky piracy, I don't believe I'd last very long in this world. I suppose that's because I'm seeing myself as part of the Ketty Jay crew, and I just don't think I've got the mentality for that.
#1
Location: Dhrall
Book: The Dreamers series by David and Leigh Eddings
I refuse to get into my feelings for this series - suffice to say that I had nearly forgotten about it before I started perusing my Goodreads list for this list. I hate, absolutely hate, the idea of living in a world where everything can be hand-waved away - literally turning back time - by some omnipotent being whenever said being feels like it. That is the stuff that my nightmares are made of. (Well, that and the first Matrix movie...)
I actually have never read any of these books but they definitely sound interesting. Though I did see some some video interview about Drizzt. I think it's safe to say though that if the books weren't in a bad setting, they wouldn't be nearly as compelling.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree and, in fact, enjoyed most of these books. I do, generally, like reading about the drow (and I think Drizzt is cool) but I also wouldn't want to live in a drow ran society like Menzoberranzan. I probably wouldn't even survive in it for very long.
DeleteThanks for the comment.
Wow, I hate to admit that I haven't read any of these! But you've got some really good reasoning here on why these would not be good worlds to live in. Sky piracy sounds pretty cool, though :)
ReplyDeleteLisa
Oh yeah, sky pirates are cool - but the ones of the Ketty Jay attract so much trouble on a daily basis (with nothing ever going right for them) that if you're not in top form you might not live through the adventure. It would, no doubt, be fun but it would probably severely shorten my lifespan.
DeleteThanks for commenting.