The real world is terribly boring. There, I said it.
Part of the appeal of a good book is the escapism. It’s falling into a world that’s so different from our own. It’s the magic, dragons, romance, necromancy, ninjas, and newness of a different world. But mostly the dragons, let’s be honest.
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is about the bookstores/libraries we want to visit, but since I actually have never given any thought to it and really don’t care, I’m going to be a rebel and focus on bookish worlds instead.
I’ve given this probably too much thought. I also know that given my clumsiness and general ineptitude, I probably wouldn’t last long in any of these worlds, but I would still visit just on principle. I’m sure it’d be worth the risk to my person.
Discworld (Terry Pratchett)
You had to know this one was coming, right? So I got it out of the way right off the bat. Yes, I would visit the Discworld, and I would court Death and visit so many lovely characters and just have fun. Sure, there are things in the Discworld that aren’t always great, but the world entirely makes up for that.
Reasons to Visit:
- DEATH! Not yours, but the character.
- Magic! Sometimes it works, sometimes you go boom.
- Ook.
- My ridiculous self wouldn’t stand out in the least
- Heck, I might even just be able to take over the world
Animorphs (K.A. Applegate)
I have had over a decade to consider this literary world and all the reasons I’d want to exist in it. I mean, sure, there’s an alien species invading and taking over people so that you can LITERALLY TRUST NO ONE. But, eh, you should probably just never trust anyone in general. That’s pretty solid life advice. So bring on the Yeerks!
Reasons to visit:
- Ability to morph into animals
- Dragons don’t count, but I can still be a wolf and wolves are cool
- *sings* I WANNA FLY LIKE AN EAGLE …
- Andalites are kinda sexy
- Their personalities, not their looks
- Although, what’s not to love about a centaur-like alien with a scythe for a tail?!
Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling)
I mean … duh? This one’s a no-brainer, isn’t it? I’ve been dreaming of being part of this world since I was eight, along with soooo many other children and adults. Being a Muggle feels so dirty. It’s my biggest regret in life. I’m 99% that I would be Dumbledore, which is probably why I don’t have magic. For the safety of Muggles everywhere.
Reasons to visit:
- DRAGONS AND OTHER CUTE FLUFFIES
- Might try to eat you, but that’s just how they show affection
- MAGIC!
- DARK MAGIC!
- Ability to write your own spells
- Which is better than any other form of writing
- Quidditch, which I’m 90% sure I’m not coordinated enough to play
- Magical cures for all my Quidditch-related injuries
The Reckoners (Brandon Sanderson)
I’m a little torn on this one, because for people without powers, this world kind of sucks. But also, for people with powers, this world kind of sucks, but slightly less because, I mean, they’re called Epics for a reason, obviously.
Reasons to visit:
- 50/50 chance I become an Epic and take over the world
- Or I live in fear, but hey, that’s a chance you take
- My fears are both complicated and easy to overcome
- So I’m pretty sure I’d have no weaknesses and be unstoppable
- Can totally fangirl over Prof in person and drool over his tech
- Likely to die, but the world will know my name!
The Chronicles of St. Mary’s (Jodi Taylor)
Historians. Time travel. The ability to see past events in person, in real time and participate in them. I’m not sure why this isn’t actually a thing already. WHAT HAVE WE BEEN DOING AS A SOCIETY?! Wasting our time, is what. I’m not a fan of all the duplicity, life-threatening situations, and probable death, but that’s a risk I’m willing to take.
Reasons to visit:
- I can see real, live DINOSAURS!
- Also, potentially be eaten by them
- Finally, history might be a subject I enjoy
- Ability to meet any person, even if they’re deceased
- TIME TRAVEL
- Something about being a historian makes people brilliant in this world
- I’ve never wanted to be a historian more in my life
Fawkes (Nadine Brandes)
This world is just like the real world, but better because there’s color magic. Which obviously would make life infinitely more interesting.
Reasons to visit:
- Color magic!
- White Light would obviously be my BFF
- Get to wear masks all the time
- So really, life is one big masquerade
- Imagine all the things I could do with color magic
- THE POWER! THE POWERRRRR!
Wayward Children (Seanan McGuire)
Imagine: a world full of doorways to other places, and when you’ve given up on this world, the doorway to another world that’s exactly what you need appears. All you have to do is be sure.
Reasons to visit:
- Obviously, my door would lead to dragons and ninjas
- If there’s not a chance of death, is it even worth it?
- So many endless possibilities for everyone
- I’d end up somewhere that’s high logic, high wicked
- Pretty sure that describes me, though, so it’s all good
- Is it possible to take over other worlds from the one you’re in?
- CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
Inkworld (Cornelia Funke)
I consider myself a pretty capable fangirl, and what fangirl wouldn’t love the ability to read things out of stories? Okay, yeah, the reading things into stories might also be inconvenient maybe. But … would it really? I mean think about it. You can trade your pesky siblings for some hunky villain who will probably kill your family in their sleep, but hey, you’d get one good glomp in before he disposes of you!
Reasons to visit:
- Who doesn’t want to be in a book?!
- Pssst we’re literally talking about being in books right now
- If we have to suffer through the real world, let’s at least make it interesting?
- Another legitimate way to get a dragon
- It just make take a few tries …
- Get the chance to meet your favorite characters in person!
- I like villains, so … some of you might die as a consequence
- It’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make
The Star-Touched Queen (Roshani Chokshi)
This is sort of sticky territory because the world in this book is based off Hindu myths, so some people legitimately believe this is the world we live in, and all I’m saying is +1 to your beliefs. Thumbs up, like button, retweet. Yes, I 100% support Hindu legends because they’re beautiful and terrifying and I don’t want to be on the wrong side of the Dharma Raj, okay?!
Reasons to visit:
- I am so pro-reincarnation
- Because wow, world domination is not working out for me in this lifetime
- I want to find out exactly what you can get in the Night Bazaar
- Bet I could probably use that to take over the world …
- The Dharma Raj sounds kind of hot
- I’m aware that sounds a bit like blasphemy, okay?!
- I need me a snarky zombie horse sidekick, STAT!
Scythe (Neal Shusterman)
Okay, I understand that this is supposed to be a dystopia. Really, I do. But you know what? From this side of history, it looks pretty dang good, okay? They think they know chaos? Pfffft. Post-Age of Mortality has nothing on Age of Mortality. I COULD RULE THIS WORLD. Not that I would want to, because do you know all the things you can do when you can’t die, just merely go deadish? All the things you could learn with access to the Thunderhead? Ain’t nobody got time to take over the world here. This world ain’t even worth taking over. I’d just go wild and have fun.
Reasons to visit:
- You think books are great? Pffft. Check the Thunderhead
- WHO FEARS THE REAPER? NOT ME!
- 100% would become a scythe somehow
- Would be the most extra scythe you’ve ever seen
- Goddard has nothing on my level of extra, k, thanks
I am also iffy about the Reckoners world because a lot of it sounds pretty scary and awful! But I think you’re right that a lot might depend on whether you have powers (useful ones) or not.
Knowing my luck, I’d be some lame Epic that, like, glows in the dark or something. xD Man, do you know how much that would suck? I would start hunting other Epics just out of spite lol.
Nice twist on this weeks TTT post!!
Here’s a link to my TTT post: http://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2018/10/top-ten-tuesday-bookstores-ive-visited.html
Thanks!
Absolutely all my yes to Harry Potter! If there’s one world I’d love to visit most it’s the Wizarding World! The world of the Star-Touched Queen would be amazing too!
I think most people would like to visit the wizarding world! I mean, what’s not to love about it? There’s dragons! And Dark magic! And thestrals! I would definitely breed an army of thestrals. I mean …
if only, we could all go to fictional words and spend our time there 😀 I believe world would have been better. 😀 Nice twist on the topic 🙂
Right?! Gosh, it’d be lovely. Thanks!
Oh my gosh yes, would love to visit the world of Harry Potter (obvs) and the world of Fawkes-I am a sucker for a good masquerade so being permanently masked and able to manipulate colours? Super awesome!
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2018/10/16/top-ten-tuesday-181/
I think everyone wants to visit the Wizarding world! I would totally learn dark magic. And become an Animagus. And probably end up in Azkaban, but meh, you know what? At least you know I had fun. xD
Right! It sounds like so much fun, and think of all the things you can do! I imagine dancing and entertainment sort of Avatar-style with bending. How spectacular would that be to get a red mask and a blue mask together and have the Tango of Fire and Water?! Wow, I’ve spent too much time thinking about this haha.
Ha ha it’s always more fun to be on the dark side! Wow that would be incredible-and no, you can never spend too much time thinking about what you’d do in fictional worlds!
I am totally here for a spin in Scythe-world. Though this is coming from the person who wants to hang out in Panem, and the post-apocalyptic world of The 100, so I’d take anything I say with a grain of salt hahah.
Hey, I mean, there’s nothing like a healthy fear of death and dismemberment to make you appreciate being alive, right? That’s perfectly normal, I’m sure. xD
Oh my god, I can’t believe I forgot the Inkworld on my list! Such a great choice.
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