[Rob B]

Authors, books and characters have been discussed alot.

But, what is your favorite Fantasy world, or what do you think is the best or coolest idea? Or who are the good/great world builders?

I will start with:

"Randland" from WOT of course; probably most developed Osten Ard from Memory, Sorrow and Thorn is great Shannara as a future Earth ravaged by war is a somewhat interesting idea if the only original in that series Runelords is pretty well developed Fionavaris really good too.

Fire away!

[This message has been edited by FitzFlagg (edited February 13, 2001).]

[Lady Fox]

You picked a couple of mine, FitzFlagg. I too like tWoT world. Fionavar is also absolutely wonderful. I'm pretty partial to a few others too:
Pern - Anne McCaffrey
World described in The Black Jewels trilogy -Anne Bishop
Narnia - C.S. Lewis
Xanth - Piers Anthony
Wendar and Varre - Kate Elliott

[DarthV]

Hrmmm here's a couple from me:

[list=a]
Middle Earth hands down.
Osten Ard as well...hope Tad returns for some more adventures.
Randland
Raymond Feist's Midkemia
[/list=a]

The world in SOT isn't too bad... the story and characters are http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by DarthV (edited February 13, 2001).]

[Eventine]

Definitely my favourite is Janny Wurts' Athera.

Alson an honourable mention to Stephen Donaldsons Land, and Earthsea by Leguinn.

[Cadfael]

1. Middle-earth, by a mile
2. Pern
3. Osten Ard

[Pluvious]

My own...hands down.

But Wot, Midkemia, and Katherine Kerr's are good also.

[Cannon Fodder]

A few favourites-

Terry Pratchett's Discworld.

Raymond E. Fiest's Midkemia.

The world of the Drenai in David Gemmell's books.

[Metosblat]

Even though alot of you seem to have a pet hate for David Eddings, I feel that His world is by far my favourite especially mallorea which I thought was really cool.
The way in which all his countries have distinct qualities (even though their all human)seems to have become cliche and copied by other authors.

[FitzChivalry]

This was actually discussed before in some older thread.

My favorites are:
1. The worlds in the Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.
2.Middle Earth - I'm not a big Tolkien fan, but you gotta admit he did some good job with the world.
3.Midkemia/Kalawan - Based on Earth cultures, but i like Feist's Multiverse and his different empires and creatures.

Some runners up are the World of the Runelords, it has potential, but we didn't see most of it yet and Randland, it has some nice countries and Shara and Seanchan are still mostly unknown.

[Bardos]

My top five fantasy worlds:

1. Kryn (from the Dragonlance Chronicles)
2. Hyborian Age (R.E. Howard's Conan)
3. Middle-Earth
4. Midkemia
5. Multiverse (Michael Moorcock)

Also like Martin's world (does anyone know if it has a name?), but I decided not to include it, since I haven't read aGoT yet.