Literary Worlds I’ve Always Wanted to Visit

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

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