Modern Good Reads discussion

Real World or Other World--What's your favorite setting?

Real World

I would prefer describing a setting where readers are familiar with and describing it with lots of details. When reading a book, readers want to picture the scenes as if they are watching a movie or actually viewing the scene in person.

I'm a fantasy/sci-fi lover so I prefer other world. Admittedly it's sometimes tough to find a writer who makes that world believable. As Antonello said, readers should be able to picture any world--real or imaginary--as if it were a movie playing in their minds.

Real World - I may go back in time, but not fantasy or sci-fiction. I love Appalachian novels best.

I write in both real world and fantasy world. I write in both because I like both. As long as the world in believable and written well I can become engrossed in it. I am currently looking books that relate to both worlds, but have magic in their real world. Does anyone know of any?

If one follows the Biblical account, the Antediluvian world has been the era I've mined for my series. I have seen very few books - Fantasy or otherwise - that has explored this period of time in any great detail.

@Jessica, there are a great many books that imbue magic into a real world setting. The Harry Potter series is probably the most popular one I can think of. I believe a good sub-genre to explore would be Urban Fantasy, as the real world setting is often a defining characteristic of this genre.

Does anyone have any specific books they'd like to suggest for Jessica?

D.H. wrote: "Does anyone have any specific books they'd like to suggest for Jessica? "

Of the top of my head, I'd recommend Kat Richardson's Harper Blaine stories, starting with Greywalker . Richardson has a light touch on the supernatural, which just makes it that much more compelling.

I love my fantasy to be more other worldy... or if it is of this world, a different time period. I like to be whisked away to something that I know is not real, but is thoroughly enjoyable.

I tend to prefer other world, when it's done well. As a reader I admire writers who can create worlds and whole histories and mythologies and civilisations. As a writer it's a lot of fun to indulge myself and create new worlds.

I particularly like China Mieville's Bas-Lag universe (Perdido Street Station, The Scar, Iron Council).

I like stories of our world. People with strong characters, likes and dislikes, and that have something special. Tender love stories, with difficulties which the protagonists must face and resolve, of course. Honestly, I'm a bit sick of blood, murder, torture, cruelty and the like.
I feel this way today. Maybe tomorrow I'll feel differently

Depends. Maybe a little of both. I enjoy real world elements mixed with not real world. Books that happen on Earth but not the one we know. Or places that have Earth like qualities.

I like a mix of both, but overall I love blending the real world with magic. I kinda shy away from imitations of Tolkienesque settings, unless the author presents it in a fresh way that's not just a knockoff. I swear some stories make me allergic to those maps in the front of a book >.>

Jessica: Epic of Gilgamesh. It occupies what critics call "mythic space." It's a great adventure set on earth (a few millennia ago) but feels other worldly.

I prefer real world, or I should say basic real world with some changes such as in Urban Fantasy

Kirstin wrote: "I love my fantasy to be more other worldy... or if it is of this world, a different time period. I like to be whisked away to something that I know is not real, but is thoroughly enjoyable."

me too..

For me, it depends on how clearly the author writes, and what`s the storyline.

At times, I can feel the author struggling to describe the fantasy world they have in mind, as if they can`t visualize it for their self.

Take the Pendragon series for example, the writer made it difficult to understand Derduron, but that`s different for everyone. For that series, I enjoyed the mystery plot in the mortal world a lot better.

What makes reading a fantasy book with it taking place in the real world is that you know what it looks like, you explore it everyday, which makes it easier to imagine.

However, if we were talking about Harry Potter, events that happened in the muggle world was the parts that i felt went by really slowly. I much rather preferred reading about Hogwarts, I mean, who doesn`t.

To conclude, I like both, it really just depends on the author`s writing.

I do like an alternate world, although I usually like someone from the real world to visit that world. That makes it fun for me.

Other world. I can see our world every day.

Doesn't matter much to me as long as it's believable.

What? They're different?
:)