[Azurehero]

I know I like having a map to look at when I pick up a fantasy book. In fact, when there isn't a map, I find myself wishing for one when ever a city or a country or a damn road is mentioned. What about you people?

[Metosblat]

Sometimes the story is more enjoyable when you get to imagine the landscape, and sometimes it is not. I can't imagine having to read The Wheel of time without a map, it would be very hard considering They keep zipping here and zipping there.

[Cannon Fodder]

Lots of Fantasy stuff benefits by the inclusion of a map, particularly epic length multi volume stories eg The Wheel of Time. Maps are particularly welcome when the stories involve wars or conlficts etc. bewteen multiple neighbouring states to give you a bit of an idea of what's going on. Maps are also welcome when the story involves long journies across the world it's set in, also to give a bit of perspective.

[FitzChivalry]

Yeah, i like it when there is a map in a book.
Some maps don't really do the job well though, like the map in The Book of Words, the borders between the countries are not there, i wanted to see where is the border between The Four Kingdoms and Halcus...

[Bardos]

When there is not a map in a fantasy book (any fantasy book, mind) I feel something is missing. I know (??) the geography of Earth, but what anout the world the author discribes.
I think it a "major" fault for a fantasy book not to have a map.

Of course, that is because I like maps so mutch http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/wink.gif

[Cadfael]

I agree, you gotta have a map http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

I actually photocopy and enlarge the maps from books to refer to without having to turn back and squint at the tiny placenames...

... I don't know if that is just clever, or incredibly sad! http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/frown.gif

[Liselle]

I absolutely love maps! They make it easier for me to imagine the circumstances; then (attention for this is only a maybe very stupid theory), I think that a map in a book proves that the author must have imagined his world thouroughly and this could be a sign for a good book...?

[Charles]

dennizm, I think it may be a combination of both, but I like the idea, so what does that say about me? I think maps are necessary though. I have found myself, on numerous occassions, referring to maps to see where places are or to see where they are with respect to where they began. It makes it more interesting...

[Bardos]

Have you seen the maps Tolkien himself draw about Middle-Earth?

[azaz]

I like to have maps for books that need it. There are some books which don't need it so thats O.K. But otherwise I prefer a Map at hand. I was reading the BLACK COMPANY, and that did not have a map, I did get confused of the places, then a friend recommended a website where I could print out a map for the first 3 books.