Intricate and Immersive Worlds in SF & Fantasy

If you want to listen to the original podcast it is

https://anchor.fm/alchemyofgenres/episodes/Intricate--Immersive-Worlds-in-SF--Fantasy-eid3mf

The focus this time is on long running series' or intricately built worlds with depth and fully developed systems/relationships/rules/laws.  These will not be urban fantasy novels as those are based on our reality with a bit "extra' and not wholly new worlds created out of imagination.  As I have struggled with how to write up the information for this podcast, I have elected to just encourage you to explore the titles based on descriptions from the podcast.  It is a lot to write up.  I have also discovered that some series may not have aged well (specifically Edding's Elenium series when I revisited it, found some definite issues that I didn't remember from my original reading 10 years ago).

Here is a simple list of the worlds/authors discussed.

1.  Shannara Chronicles by Terry Brooks.  Four Lands (name of the world, Shannara is a person's name, and the titular characters all relate in some way to a descendant)

"original trilogy" Sword of Shannara, Elf Stones of Shannara and Wishsong of Shannara

Started in 1977, still being written

2.  Pern books by Anne McCaffrey (Pern is the name of the world as well as the name of the series overall)

First book is Dragonflight.  Started series in 1967, ended in 2012 when author died.

I also talked about some of her other series/worlds; so feel free to explore; but again, some may not have aged well, and all of her series/world building started in the late 60s and early 70s.  Discussed Brainship books and Tower & Hive books in brief in addition to Pern (but Pern is her most well known and focused world).

3.  Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

This trilogy was written in 1954, the Hobbit was 1937; so feel free to start with either the single book or the trilogy (I recommend starting with the Hobbit personally but there is no incorrect way).  This series is kind of the definition of a High Fantasy series and paved the way for many more.

4.  Discworld by Terry Pratchett

    First book is Color of Magic; it is a fantasy series with a lot of humor.  

 The series started in 1983 and ended in 2015 with the death of the author.  All of the books are written as stand alone titles but they also build on each other, so you can jump around but may spoil the ending of some titles if you do.

5.  Flinx books (also Humanx Commonwealth books) by Alan Dean Foster

These two worlds/series are intricately entwined but can be read separately.  Flinx lives IN the Humanx Commonwealth (Human Thranx Cooperative); so there are stories of the planets & issues; and many more of Flinx and his quest to figure out his heritage and finding the evil science organization dedicated to their own purposes (hint: it's evil...haha).  For Love of Mother Not is the first story of Flinx; Tar-Aiym Krang is when Flinx meets operatives of the Commonwealth.  

Series started in 1972, it is possible more are coming but none have come out in awhile.

6.  Star Trek and Star Wars books (duh).  If you like either of these universes from the movies or tv shows, you should look into the comics and books.  They go deep on characters not even touched in media; and get inside the heads of favorite characters.

7.  Drizzt books by R.A Salvatore

First book is The Crystal Shard (Icewind Dale Trilogy); written in 1988.  This universe grew out of the Dungeons & Dragons universe; but features Drizzt, a Dark Elf who follows his own path and fights for the underdogs and for his right to be happy.  This series is still being written now, with new books coming on the horizon.

8.  Dragonlance Chronicles by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman

Another series that grew out of D&D and Forgotten Realms universe building.  This series began in 1984 with Dragons of Autumn Twilight.  High Fantasy tales with the good underdogs against the ruling evil; really nicely done with lots of drama with many many trilogies, prequels and focused storylines.

The series ended in the 90s but was continued in comics form up until 2008.

9.  Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan, first book is Eye of the World published in 1990; and the series ended in 2013.  This is a very intricate and complicated universe and storyline where literally explaining too much ruins something; suffice to say, it is a fantasy story, definitely a Heroic Quest but so much more as well.  If you like losing yourself in a world, this is a good one.

10.  Valdemar series by Mercedes Lackey.

I am obsessed with Lackey's Valdemar books, and have been forever.  They started in 1989 and are still going strong.  Magic's Pawn is the first book in the first trilogy (Last Herald Mage trilogy) or you can start with prequel Black Gryphon (Mage Wars trilogy).  Regardless, this is another intricately drawn world where each trilogy introduces or further develops a character; thus bringing more information on their world to light.  I don't think this series gets enough respect, because Lackey focuses not just on the adventure but on the emotional journeys of characters; and many in the industry hate the "womanly" nature of having characters with emotions (the nerve!)....If you are new to fantasy, this is actually a good series as her writing isn't overly fanciful and the world building is easy to grasp.  

11.  Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix (YA series)

This series needs more love, it is an intricate world built alongside a mundane world (literally separated by a wall) and you can travel on either side.  The mundane side is roughly equivalent to early 1900's; the Old Kingdom is where magic lies and technology doesn't work there so it's very different.  Nix focuses on the Abhorsen, who is a necromancer dedicated to putting the dead back and keeping the living safe.  In the first book, Sabriel; you are introduced to the titular character who is the Abhorsen's daughter and reluctantly takes on the mantle when her father disappears.  Nix has developed such a vivid idea of all the realms of death; how the bells work and just.....yeah, it's dark and it's cool and so awesome.  It is not an easy read but it's amazing (and as a bonus Tim Curry reads all the audiobooks).

The first book was written in 1995, and the series took a break; but Nix has recently started writing in the universe again.

12.  Chronicles of Elantra by Michelle Sagara  

This series began in 2005 and is still ongoing.  Sagara has a world where basically everyone running from "shadow" ends up. (If wondering what shadow is, think of it like The Nothing from NeverEnding Story or just a void space idea)  This being an "original" world with many races, there are an abundance of issues, differences and ways of being all intersected and trying to make it work.  Sagara's stories center on Kaylin Neya, a private in the Hawks (think police) and her finding trouble and trying to save the world even though she has no idea what she should be doing or how to do it.  

Obsessed.  Really.

13.  Dune series by Frank Herbert

This one has to be mentioned if only because it's experiencing a resurgence of interest due to the new movie coming soon.  Dune was written in 1965, and his son has continued the stories after Frank's death.  I personally stopped reading after the original author's books stopped; partly because it is a LOT (very intricate and layered plot lines) but also because I needed a break.  However, this is a classic series for a reason, and it has aged well because the greed, nepotism, colonialism and such still resonate for modern readers.  

14.  Memory Sorrow Thorn trilogy by Tad Wiliams

First book, Dragonbone Chair, series ran 1988-1993; but sequel/next gen story began in 2017 and is still being written.  

This is a quiet thoughtful read that builds on suspense and smart plot points to make a quest story that feels different, not just another formulaic schlock story.  Civil war, politics, magic, destiny and so many elements blend to make a truly interesting and deep story.

15.  I still enjoy David Eddings as a writer, but I found some issues rereading the Elenium books, so I will just say, go read and enjoy; or don't....sometimes amazing stories you remember aren't the same 15 years later.

16.  Black Jewels series by Anne Bishop, first book is Daughter of the Blood; series went from 1998-2011 (approx)

This is a very dark world, with cruelty and kindness and fate and demons all intertwined.  I really liked the gothic feel of it and highly recommend reading it if you want more substance in the magic and more.....grit in your fantasy.

17.  Honorable Mentions:

     Gail Carriger:  steampunk universes with Soulless and Finishing school books, lots of detail and also humor

     Philip Pullman: His Dark Materials series

     JK Rowling: Harry Potter (still good)

     L Frank Baum: Oz books (read carefully though as they are written in early 1900s and there are definitely some racist and out of touch ideas that don't age well; but the inventiveness of the world building is still there.

     Nnedi Okorafor: Binti books (space travel/aliens AND afro-futuristic ?  Amaze-balls!)