Fictional Places I Want to Visit (Despite The Danger)

One of the reasons I love reading fantasy so much is because you never quite know what sort of world you’ll get.

Maybe it’s a world filled with dragons and magic and all sorts of wonder. Maybe it’s a post-apocalyptic hellscape where the dead walk again and now you’re suddenly stuck with your parents forever except now instead of nagging you endlessly they’re trying to eat your brains . . . which, when you think about it, isn’t really all that different.

The point is that fantasy worlds can be pretty much anything. The possibilities are endless, and every time I pick up another fantasy, there’s a good chance I’ll find yet another world that I’m absolutely, madlessly in love with. Which is a teensy bit galling because, pfffft, why do these worlds only exist in books, hmm? Where’s the mad scientist trying to make real Pokemon or creating me my dragon army?!

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday is books set in a place I’d like to visit. Which, let’s face it, are always worlds where the mortality rate is high, the inhabitants have questionable morality, and there’s likely some sort of dragon or other giant monster threatening the people.

This is actually a topic I’ve done a couple times before. First was Literary Worlds I’ve Always Wanted to Visit and then came Favorite Fictional Places to Visit. I even changed it up at one point and wrote about Fantasy Jobs I’d Like to Apply For, which generally included worlds I’d like to visit. Obviously. Have to visit in order to work there! I tried to use different worlds for each of these, and I’m going to try not to repeat worlds here. Since they’re both older posts, I’ve read one or two hundred books since then, so I’ve visited quite a few new, unique worlds for this post. Not any less deadly, mind you. But new!

Last Gate of the Emperor

Written by Kwame Mbalia (who y’all might recognize, because I have done nothing but shout about his Tristan Strong series), the Last Gate of the Emperor series is a comedic science fiction middle grade story about Yared Heywat, who’s trying to find himself. Along the way, he finds . . . well, a lot of other things that aren’t exactly himself but are definitely trying to cause bodily harm to himself. Which is . . . close? If you squint a lot? Okay, so the world isn’t exactly doing Yared any favors, but I’d still like to visit. Mostly because I’m not Yared, but also for all the reasons below.

Perks of this place:

• Bionic lionesses are definitely a thing.
• And let me tell you, they have an attitude.
• (Also sharp claws, so . . . maybe don’t press them too much.)
• The Hunt for the Kalbe’s Obelisk (HKO), which is a freaking super cool augmented reality game
• (Also highly illegal, but pffft, definitely worth the risk.)
• Flying ships and hoverboards.
• Robots that make and serve you coffee.
• (If that last one doesn’t sell it for you, I don’t even know if we can be friends.)

Wingbearer

I actually picked up Wingbearer by Marjorie M. Liu on a whim. I’d seen the author’s other work and heard good things about it but never read any of it. There’s something super striking about that cover, though, and the artwork sucked me right in. Boy am I glad it caught my attention on the shelf and I listened to my gut and grabbed it, because I absolutely loved it. A lot of the reason I want to visit this world is due to Teny Issakhanian’s breathtaking illustrations that already make it feel like the world is leaping right off the page!

Perks of this place:

• Actually dragons! Well, if you know where to look . . .
• Very interesting lore, especially regarding the cycle of life.
• Goblins! But not the sort you’re expecting.
• Ancient runes just waiting to be discovered.
• Breathtaking scenery that will absolutely leave you awestruck.
• The best sorts of fantasy creatures.

Ashlords

The world in the Ashlords series is one of those that’s a bit contradictory. Sure, there are fun reasons why I’d want to visit, though there are likely even more reasons not to visit. The least of which is that it would almost assuredly be detrimental to my health. I would die, okay? No questions asked, absolutely would. It’s just a matter of what exactly gets me, because goodness knows I wouldn’t have the sense not to play with fire horses and angry gods. Who do you take me for?

Perks of this place:

• Fire horses reborn from the ashes every day at dawn.
• Depending on what formation you use, the horses take on different characteristics and abilities!
• Annual fire horse race where the winner can earn fame, fortune, and glory.
• But also where it’s totally acceptable to cheat, stab people in the back (mostly figuratively but hey who knows what happens in the desert), and scheme.
• Gods whose favor you can try to win in order to get significantly blessings.
• But also not necessarily good gods, sooooo . . . do with that what you will.
• Technically two worlds I get to explore.
• (Not that I necessarily want to visit them both. But, you know, I totally would.)

Willodeen

If I’m honest, I’d really love to visit basically any of the worlds Katherine Applegate creates (other than those set in the real world, obviously . . . been there, done that, won’t make that mistake again). Willodeen may be an outlier on this list, because it’s not a dark or dangerous world. in fact, I’d be willing to bet that I’d actually survive my visit for a change! Rather, this world is just too dang cute not to make the list!

Perks of this place:

• World filled with natural disasters but also strange and slightly magical creatures.
• It’s soft magic, but magic definitely exists in this world, in some form or another.
• “Screechers” are technically seen as pests, but joke’s on them because my sense of smell stinks.
• (Sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun. If you don’t like it, address your complaints to my screecher army here. I’m sure they’d be very interested in your opinion.)
• HUMMINGBEARS.
• I don’t care what you say, no one can resist the cuteness of hummingbears, okay? No. One.

The House in the Cerulean Sea

I feel like absolutely none of you should be surprised to find a T.J. Klune title on this list. Not only does he write fabulous books, but he creates fabulous worlds. I suppose the two rather go hand-in-hand. There are so many beautiful things about The House in the Cerulean Sea, so it really shouldn’t be any surprise that the world is one of them. I mean, just look at that cover. It’s so peaceful and picturesque. I mean, if you knew what lived in that house by the sea, you’d know that it wouldn’t exactly be a restful vacation, but still. I wouldn’t say no to a visit all the same.

Perks of this place:

• Do you see that cover? The view! The sea! The beaches!
• (I assure you, there are beaches. And an island.)
• Arthur, Linus, and I would be BFF.
• (Whether they like it or not!)
• I would also be BFF with the antichrist, but honestly, I wouldn’t need to force that relationship.
• A world with lots of people who aren’t necessarily 100% people but more peopley than the people-iest person.
• (I promise, that sentence makes at least 49.2950% more sense if you’ve read the book.)
• Not gonna lie, I’m definitely going mad scientist on this world until I can figure out how to turn myself into a dragon. Sorry, not sorry. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Vespertine

On the surface, Vespertine doesn’t seem like the type of world I’d want to visit, and I get it. I’m not particularly religious, and the world in Vespertine is aaaall about religion. It’s how people continue to exist, in fact. Still, if you dig into it a little more than first appearances, it’s pretty obvious why someone like me would want to visit this world.

Perks of this place:

• I would 1,000% let myself become possessed by a revenant.
• Okay, yeah, sure, it might utterly destroy me . . . but what if it doesn’t?
• (It’d be the start of a beautiful — probably dangerous — friendship, that’s what!)
• Plenty of evil forces abound, so, you know, villains have choices.
• (Not that I would be a villain necessarily. But . . . well, y’all know me. I’m keeping my options open.)
• Magic! Tied to religion, sure, but I can work with it.
• Evil spirits. Which, honestly, sounds kind of fun?
• (When you have magic to fight them, of course.)

Questland

If you want to get technically, the world in Questland actually is this world. Just, you know, with more interesting technological advances. Particularly those that will interest all the nerdy, geeky, gamer sorts of people. Which pretty much sums me up in three words, just in case you ever need to. In some ways, I’d like to visit this world the most, only because it seems the most feasible of all the worlds on my list to “borrow” technology from to make it a reality!

Perks of this place:

• Remote island dedicated specifically to the gaming experience.
• By which I mean a real-life roleplaying game, where you get to play along.
• The danger’s real, sure, but so is the excitement!
• DRAGONS! The realistic kind that would sooner eat you than look at you.
• Basically, it’s paradise for gamers. Just drop me here and let me be.

Have Sword, Will Travel

If I’m honest, the world in the Have Sword, Will Travel series has a little of everything. It’s got two of my absolute favorite tropes: talking swords and dragons. Honestly, that alone is enough to make me want to visit this world. I mean, what more does a person need?! There is, however, more: in the form of adventures and quests, which this world seems to have no shortage of! I’d be utterly exhausted and worn out when I came home (if I came home?), but it’d be well worth it for a proper adventure.

Perks of this place:

• TALKING SWORDS! Yes, plural. The properly sarcastic sort.
• Dragons too!
• Honestly, this world has a bit of everything.
• Quests and adventure galore.
• You know, the sort that apparently children can undertake and no one bats an eye at?
• So I’m sure it’ll be fiiiiine. I won’t get in too much trouble.
• All sorts of magical (and potentially deadly) creatures.

The Helm of Midnight

How about a world that’s a little horror, a little fantasy, and 100% visitable? You know, if returning is optional rather than a requirement. There are a lot of things I’d love about a visit to the world of The Five Penalties series, least of which is considering a career change. Don’t get me wrong, I have never in my life considered joining the police force or becoming any sort of detective. But in this world? Phew, the mysteries are almost compelling enough to make me think I’ve missed my calling!

Perks of this place:

• Magical serial killers!
• Okay . . . wait . . . I realize that may be a weird foot to start off on, but hear me out . . .
• More stakes with serial killers means higher stakes mysteries! How thrilling!
• The essence of a dead person can be sealed into a death mask and used by future living people.
• Sometimes these masks make the wearer able to do incredible things, sometimes it takes them over.
• Hey, you roll the die with this. Genius doesn’t come easy.
• Oh, and not all masks have to be of good people, either.

Amari and the Night Brothers

This one probably comes as no shock to anyone, but I would absolutely love to visit the world in the Supernatural Investigations series. I feel like that series name alone should give away all the reasons why. If you haven’t read Amari yet, it’s basically Harry Potter meets Men in Black, with all the amazingness that both of those worlds combined. Honestly, I’d be a little suspicious of anyone who didn’t want to visit this world, for one reason or another.

Perks of this place:

• Lots of different kinds of magic!
• Also magical creatures . . . sometimes the unexpected kind.
• An entire magical agency charged with investigating magical claims.
• Basically, I could be in the Men in Black . . . but with a slightly less cool name.
• (And also, if we’re honest, a substantially less cool dress code.)
• A super cool spy cool . . . with magic!
• (Seriously . . . have I mentioned all the cool forms of magic yet?!)

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