T5W - Favourite Fictional Cities

Yah, I'm actually getting a topic posted on a Wednesday!  This hasn't happened in quite a while, so I will enjoy the buzz while it lasts.

This week we are delving into our bookshelves to find out top fictional cities (or towns).  I found this a tad tricky as most of my books take place in either an alternate history/parallel world, or are set in actual places.  So, after much contemplation - and only a little bit of crazed panic - here are my top 5 fictional cities.

"A sprawling city of marble and glass spread out in every direction; its elegant lines exquisite under the razor-sharp burn of the sun.  Dark-leafed trees provided soothing patches of green on both sides of the gorge that cut a massive divide through the city, while snow-capped mountains ruled the skyline.  There were no roads, no high-rises, nothing to disturb the otherworldly grace of it."

 As soon as I read this description of the Refuge, I just wanted to visit.  It sounds so beautiful, full of ancient buildings, and artworks.  It appears in the second book in the Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh, and is a wonderful introduction to the secret stronghold of the angelic race.

Welcome to St. Mary Mead, home of the deceptively benign Miss Jane Marple.  I do love a good English murder mystery, and have been in love with this quaint little village since the 80's when I used to watch the Joan Hickson movies with my mother.  Since it such a treasured childhood memory, I couldn't not include St. Mary Mead in a T5W list somewhere.

PS - Don't eat or drink anything during your time in St. Mary Mead... just to be sure ;-D

Follow the yellow brick road... follow the yellow brick road... follow, follow follow....

Okay, got a bit carried away there.  Such happy memories as I've read the book, and watched the 1939 movie more than a few times ;-D  Loved the Emerald City, and after watching the most recent adaptation, OZ Great and Powerful, their interpretations of the Emerald City are amazing.   

Ah, the Green Dragon

Who would pass up an opportunity to visit any of the places from The Lord of the Rings/Hobbit world?  I picked out Hobbiton and Rivendell because they are the places that I find the most interesting - as well as appeal to me because I have trouble visiting big, loud, noisy, smelly cities (allergies).  I loved the Peter Jackson sets, and if I ever get the chance, I'm going to go over and visit the Hobbiton set ;-D

Perhaps the most amazing, and imaginative world after Middle-Earth.  I am only a recent convert to the Discworld series, but having grown up in a household where there were more than a few books in the series floating around, I was no stranger to it.  Ankh-Morpork sounds so interesting, and crazy, that I'm always fascinated whenever I watch the DVD's {Hogfather, Going Postal, Colour of Magic}, and I love the Dickensian feel to the Discworld. 

Can't believe that there is going to be no new Discworld adventures.

And on that slightly depressing note, thank you for checking out my T5W post for this week.  Did I include your favourite fictional city in my list?  Let me know in the comments ;-D

T5W was created by the lovely Lainey over at GINGERREADSLAINEY and I'll include a link to the Goodreads group {HERE} if you would also like to participate. 

Until next time,

Top 5 Wednesday - Top Worlds

This week we're counting down the Top 5 Worlds.  When I think of worlds, I think of the amazing world-building in my favourite series that allow you to effortlessly jump into a book or series and not question the environment {people, places, objects, technology, etc} around the characters at every turn.

So in honour of the Top 5 Worlds, I have mentally sifted through the hundreds of books on my shelves and after careful consideration, I finally narrowed it down to my top 5 worlds...

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

The world of Harry Potter is wonderfully imaginative.  I love the idea of a

 magical world hiding from the everyday, Muggle, world. 

Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh

This is a fabulous series about angels and vampires and Archangels {oh my!}

With a great storyline, amazing characters, action, romance, and every other

emotion from A-Z, the Guild Hunter series is a great way to spend a few hours.

 

Anita Blake Vampire Executioner series by LKH

 The Anita-verse comes in third for world building.  Although I haven't enjoyed

 the last couple of books in the series, the world building has remained

 amazing.  It takes skills to make shapeshifters, zombies, necromancers 

and vampires seem like everyday folk you might share a town with.

 

In Death series by J.D. Robb

With 38 books in the series published - and counting - the In Death series is just

a brilliant collection that revolves around the life of Lt. Eve Dallas, and her husband, Roarke,

in the not too distant future of 2060.  Robb's imaginative ideas of what our world might be like

in 50 or so years is so well done that I almost expect to see some of the tech ;-D 

 

Lord of the Rings + The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

OMG!  The world building in the LOTR trilogy (and The Hobbit) is just so complex

and imaginative.  With languages, poetry and appendices full of information, J.R.R. Tolkien

built a world that is so rich in details that you don't even have to watch the movies to

picture it in your mind.

So that's it for my Top 5 this week.  I hope you enjoyed your stay ;-D.  If you leave a link below to your Top 5 list I'd love to check it out.  Oh, and if you want to join the fun, then head on over to the Top 5 Wednesday page on Goodreads {here}.

Until next time,

 

Back to Middle Earth

Just finished watching Lord of the Rings DVDs.  Still absolutely amazed by the landscapes of middle earth, aka New Zealand, especially the snow capped mountains that seem endless in the background.  Can't wait for The Hobbit!

Caved and bought the 50th anniversary 3-in-1 hard cover edition and even found a 70th anniversary copy of The Hobbit.  Wish airmail was a little faster! :-)