The Last Book That Took You Somewhere?

[AB Editor]

Morning all,

I wondered if you could offer me any recommendations for books which "took you somewhere else" - where the world you were drawn into was some completely realised and compelling that it feels like a "real place".

I recently reread "Ghostwritten" by David Mitchell and found the locations profoundly real.

What's your nomination for the best realised world in a novel?

[sunny-dave]

Two choices from recent reading :

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

and

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs


both take our 'real' world and just tilt it ever so slightly, to become something very strange and wonderful.

[LazyGun]

Since I am a Sci-Fi fan -

"Only Forward" - Michael Marshall Smith. One of the best and most original pieces of science fiction i have ever read, with a truly remarkable take on the world of dreams and how they interact with reality.

All of Iain M.Banks "Culture" Sci-Fi novels. "Consider Phlebas" "Player of Games", "Excession". A highly idealised view of a future society. I have been re-reading them lately with a degree of melancholy because he recently announced he is dying of pancreatic cancer- only has a few months to live. This made me very sad...

[AB Editor]

Lazygun, thank you for the Banks recommendations - I've only read The Wasp Factory. While it's always sad when a much loved author is moving securely towards death, it is sometimes sadder when they're a Sci-fi or Fantasy writer - as if the worlds they create should excuse them from such indignities!

The Night Circus has come recommended to me before I think. One line summary?

[belrec]

While The Wasp Factory was interesting, Bank's Sci-fi is streets ahead.

The Player of Games
Consider Phlebas
Feersum Endjinn
Excession...

I agree with Lazy Gun it wil be a tragedy when he goes.

[douglas9401]

Bill Bryson's various travel escapades are a joy to read, he has the knack of painting pictures with words.

If you really want a book that takes you somewhere though the OS Road Atlas of Britain is a winner. :)

[Zacs-Master]

Most books I have ever read take me to another world. Sci Fi works well for me too. Any Arthur C Clarke, Michael Moorcock (mix of fantasy and sci-fi).

[chelle7272]

Agree with LazyGun, the Culture books and other fiction by Iian Banks, also very sad when I heard his news.

[AB Editor]

Which ones Zacs? You've got to give me a bit more to go on :)

[LazyGun]

My screen-name was taken directly from a Banks novel :)

He has handled his upcoming demise with dignity and lot of black humour.

[chelle7272]

I did wonder about the name LazyGun :)

His message to fans a few days ago had me welling up.

[Zacs-Master]

OK Ed. I would recommend 'Rendezvous with Rama' trilogy by ACC, or The City and the Stars which you may find paerticularly interesting as it may have some parallels to AB ;-)- The city of Diaspar is completely enclosed. Nobody has come in or left the city for as long as anybody can remember, and everybody in Diaspar has an instinctive insular conservatism. The story behind this fear of venturing outside the city tells of a race of ruthless invaders which beat humanity back from the stars to Earth, and then made a deal that humanity could live - if they never left the planet.

As for Michael Moorcock, you can't beat Dancers at the End of Time. YTou may then like to read some of the other books with Jherek Carnelian as a character at various points throughout time and his various incarnation's. Note his initials (I wont say any more).

[AB Editor]

Thanks Zacs, that's the kind of pitch I'm after!

[AB Editor]

Cormac McCarthy's books tend to "take me away" somewhere else - "Child of God" being a particular favourite for that. It's not a particularly nice place to be taken - but you can feel the landscape, the place and the spaces.

[chrisgel]

River God by Wilbur Smith.
A totally believable tale set in ancient Egypt.

[Bbbananas]

The Lonely Planet Guide to Tuscany took me to...errr.... Florence and Pisa.

Have I misunderstood the question? ;-)

[AB Editor]

I've heard River God is good Chrisgel.

[pastafreak]

Not like all the other books suggested.

I've just finished Stray-by A.N.Wilson. It is an "autobiography"...a life story told by an elderly alleycat to his grandkitten.
Horrific in places as it describes the cruelty of Man to animals. Written in a way that makes you see the world through a cats eyes.

[woofgang]

The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan is good for mind travelling...I though the final volume was disappointing though....and I know I keep harping, but the Discworld novels are amazingly real.

[anaxcrosswords]

Of Iain Banks' works The Bridge stands out for me. A genuine fantasy world!
Glad Wilbur Smith has been mentioned, too. I loved his Courtney series of books - magnificent characters and a beautifully described Africa.

[chelle7272]

Agree about Wheel of Time woofgang, loved the series but the end was disappointing in some areas.

Enjoyed the Game of Thrones books so far too.