Top Fantasy Worlds to Visit
Raise your hand if you’ve always believed that your letter to Hogwarts somehow got lost in the mail?
We love a good trip into a fantasy world. There’s magic, whimsical fairies, lots of adventure, and mysterious creatures of all shapes and sizes. There’s nothing better than escaping into a new world and getting swept up with the scenery, characters, and plot.
Escapist fiction is fiction that gives you a psychological escape from the thoughts of everyday life. You immerse yourself in new situations and activities. You can live through the magic and sword wielding characters, laugh and cry with them, and just enjoy something outside the daily grind of reality.
So, besides the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, what are some other top fantasy worlds to visit?
Prythian - A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
Who doesn’t want to live in the Night Court? I mean, Velaris sounds like a dream place to live, not just casually visit.
I really fell in love with the uniqueness of Prythian during the second book in this series. We didn’t see much outside the Spring Court with ACOTAR, but we got a taste of some of the other courts as the series continued. Also, living with Fae? Yes, please. Definitely a top fantasy world that I would happily stay in forever.
Narnia - The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by CS Lewis
Okay, hear me out. I would love to visit Narnia while the White Witch is still in power. I’m sorry. It’s not just this unbearable summer heat making me say this. I just love cooler weather, and I would not hate the snow.
Narnia might be my first fantasy world love. I think it might be one of the first fantasy books I remember reading at a young age. Faun and talking beavers and mystical worlds through the backs of wardrobes? Say no more.
Brakebills & Fillory - The Magicians by Lev Grossman
Narnia was created for younger audiences so Brakebills could soar for adults. The Magicians is like Narnia on drugs and alcohol and sex and worse decisions. The magic is divine and the characters are incredible. Of course, I’m here for the magic ‘post-grad education’ that doesn’t feel like a boarding school (sorry, Hogwarts). We’ve got the cliques, we’ve got the drama, and we don’t have to follow snobby eleven-year-olds around.
Fillory is where this delightful story really takes off. Not only do we have a magical school set in the real world, we have a Narnia-like escape (except it’s 50-shades of messed up). Like I said, it’s Narnia on drugs and an adult take on some very dark themes.
While the TV show strayed from the books, I have to applaud the SyFy show because it brought some background book characters to the forefront and made them my new favorites (looking at you, Margo).
Forest Hills - Blue Star Series
Yes, this is set in a fictional but real world setting, but superpowers. All the drama seems to happen in Forest Hills where we open the series. Clara has lost her memories, discovers she has telepathic and telekinetic powers, and discovers that she’s oddly drawn to Nate who has his own powers. It seems I have an obsession with shadow magic/superpowers because that’s a common theme in my books.
But I’d definitely love to visit my made up world. Maybe I’d just like to have a go at a high school where Clara, Glitch, and Nate are my best friends and we can be total badasses together. Plus, a sentient house. YES.
Belterra - Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
Okay, sticking with my theme of magic, I’m totally down to visit Belterra in my fictional world tour. Witches, werewolves, mermaids, and gods? Sure, we see these things all the time, but something about Mahurin’s characters made me appreciate the world a little more. Since the focus of the plot was on character growth, it really left the reader’s imagination to fill in the pieces of the setting. Belterra became our own creation.
I think I’d also be sold if someone like Reid was running around Belterra with me. I don’t even care if he’s trying to burn me for being a witch, I’m here for it.
What are some of your favorite fictional worlds?
Don’t forget to hop on my newsletter for all the updates.
