[Keyoke]

Well, we've all talked about our favorite series, and our favorite characters..

How about, our Favorite Worlds? I mean, they make a huge difference in any book. Obvious, some books dont focus on the world as much.. Or, it's a slight imatation of our own, but, still.. their are some worlds that are painted so well, you think their real!

Here are a few of my favorite worlds..

1) The Land - Donaldson (Thomas Convenat)
2) Wheel of Time - Jordan. Barely remember what the heck is going on, but, still, a amazingly detail world.

3) The Cursed - Dave Duncan. If you ever find this single novel, read it.. =)

Those are a few more unique lands I found..

[Lady Fox]

I really like Anne McCaffrey's Pern. I think it's fascinating the way a whole society's structure becomes evolved around a genetically modified organism - the dragons. I agree with you on the ones you mentioned. I also like the world described in Friedman's In Conquest Born. It was well developed and intricate in its social structure. I have to add one more as well. As a child I was absulutely enthralled by Narnia by C.S.Lewis.

[FitzChivalry]

Well, mine are:

Riftwar Universe - Midkemia, Kelewan, and the other worlds in Feist's multiverse, the Valheru are also my favorite race in fantasy books.
Death Gate Worlds - in that series Weis & Hickman did a great job at world building, the worlds are very original and different from each other.
Krynn - Yeah, it's an ad&d world, but where else can you find kenders?
Erna - The world of The Cold Fire trilogy, where everyone's nightmares come true.
Middle Earth - I'm not as big fan of the lord of the rings as some other fantasy fans, but i have to admit that the middle earth is extremely well built, and it has a very special feeling to it.

I could name 10 more probably, but those are the ones i thought of just now.

[Rob B]

Here are a few:

Gilead (the world of S.King's Dark Tower)
Osten Ard (Memory Sorrow and Thorn by T.Williams)
The Land (S.R.D)
Randland (W.O.T.)

[Eventine]

Janny Wurts' Athera takes the cake easily as best world. An amazing back history and depth make you just as eager to learn more about the environment the characters are in as you are to see action!
Middle Earth gets a great mention of course.
The Land by donaldson is up there as well.
Death Gate rates a mention for an excellent concpet, but doesn't quite pull off the depth of the others mentioned.
Same goes to Leguinns Earthsea.

Basically, what I look for in a world is reality. Things must have a history and a reason for being, and a way of interacting with everything else. This is why Goodkind doesn't get a mention from me - everything in his novels seems so contrived and "easy". This is probably because he seems to be more of a character based author. And while I like Brooks, his worlds don't seem to have quite the depth of other authors. The best of both worlds comes with strong characters in excellent worlds - like Wurts and Donaldson deliver.

[This message has been edited by Eventine (edited October 04, 2000).]