# If you could transport yourself to any world from any book, which would it be?



## danielpatrick (Jul 28, 2013)

I guess I'm thinking more along the lines of an imaginary/fantasy world, but if you really want to transfer yourself to Ernest Hemingway's WW2, then I guess that would be cool too.

For me, I think it would probably be Middle Earth. After the war, of course. Pretty obvious, perhaps, but I'd love to head off from the Shire, with my little map in hand and enough food to keep me going, and just have a good old wander. Visit Rivendell, Bilbo's trolls, Weathertop, Rohan, Fangorn Forest. I can just imagine it being really quiet, peaceful.

Any other ideas?


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Easy: Iain M. Banks' "Culture" worlds.


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## 1131 (Dec 18, 2008)

It's not a matter of if; it's a matter of when. I'm moving to Pern. I'm going to send a message on one of the space missions. It doesn't matter when they get the message. They can time it to pick me up. I'll join one of the halls. Maybe in Benden so I can drink lots of excellent wine. I'll make friends with a few dragonriders so I can get rides without the hassle of taking care of a dragon. I have it planned. It'll be fun.


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## danielpatrick (Jul 28, 2013)

NogDog said:


> Easy: Iain M. Banks' "Culture" worlds.


I read all the Iain M. Banks Culture books when I was a kid, and I tried to read one again a few months ago but it just didn't do much for me. Still, I love the idea of living in a future time when we can zip around the galaxy and think nothing of it. Ahh, maybe one day. Sad news on Iain though.


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## danielpatrick (Jul 28, 2013)

imallbs said:


> It's not a matter of if; it's a matter of when. I'm moving to Pern. I'm going to send a message on one of the space missions. It doesn't matter when they get the message. They can time it to pick me up. I'll join one of the halls. Maybe in Benden so I can drink lots of excellent wine. I'll make friends with a few dragonriders so I can get rides without the hassle of taking care of a dragon. I have it planned. It'll be fun.


I don't know Pern. What's it like there?


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## 1131 (Dec 18, 2008)

danielpatrick said:


> I don't know Pern. What's it like there?


Pern is a complex society that was written by Anne McCaffery. Of course it didn't start out that way but she wrote so many books adding layers to the society it developed a strong character. 
Pern was settled by colonists from Earth. They lost all contact and developed their own society. Thread falls every few hundred years devouring any living thing it can touch. Because of the fight for survival (and a plague or two) the society lost it's technological knowledge and becomes medieval like (think England with some differences). Telepathic dragons are bread to help fight thread. The rest of society support the dragonriders or not. There is the aristocracy, the learned (like the healer hall, harpers, minecraft..) and a variety of others from farmers to nomads to drudges. I'm not going to be a drudge.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

imallbs said:


> ...I'm not going to be a drudge.


That's what I'd like about the Culture: _nobody_ has to be a drudge.


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## Carrie Rubin (Nov 19, 2012)

Definitely Roald Dahl's world of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Didn't even have to think twice on that one.


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## 1131 (Dec 18, 2008)

NogDog said:


> That's what I'd like about the Culture: _nobody_ has to be a drudge.


 
May have to read it


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## lmroth12 (Nov 15, 2012)

Middle Earth where I could roam in Lothlorien and ride in Rohan. I would like to see Numenor in its glory and glimpse the shores of Valinor. It would be relaxing to unwind in the Shire and thrilling to do night patrol in Minas Tirith.

And Camelot would be pretty cool too, what with all of the knights jousting and rescuing damsels in distress, and the simultaneous democracy of the Round Table and the dignity of Arthur's Court.


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## danielpatrick (Jul 28, 2013)

lmroth12 said:


> Middle Earth where I could roam in Lothlorien and ride in Rohan. I would like to see Numenor in its glory and glimpse the shores of Valinor. It would be relaxing to unwind in the Shire and thrilling to do night patrol in Minas Tirith.
> 
> And Camelot would be pretty cool too, what with all of the knights jousting and rescuing damsels in distress, and the simultaneous democracy of the Round Table and the dignity of Arthur's Court.


I think I'd live in Rohan. I loved the big, wide fields in the films. All that space, all that green!


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## lmroth12 (Nov 15, 2012)

danielpatrick said:


> I think I'd live in Rohan. I loved the big, wide fields in the films. All that space, all that green!


My vote for the most beautiful scene in the film trilogy was the one in *The Two Towers * where Eowyn runs from Wormtongue and bursts through the doors to the watch tower and looks out on that vast panorama with the grasslands, the mountains, and the wind taking up the banner of Rohan and whipping it away. Talk about grandeur!


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## bhazelgrove (Jul 16, 2013)

The world of To Kill A Mockingbird or the world of Catcher in the Rye. I just think Harper Lees world of the small town early twentieth century would be very interesting. The pace of life had to be so slow. And New York in the forties...need I say more? The very heart of Mickey Spilane Batman Gothum. Anyway those two books are my pick.


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## danielpatrick (Jul 28, 2013)

bhazelgrove said:


> The world of To Kill A Mockingbird or the world of Catcher in the Rye. I just think Harper Lees world of the small town early twentieth century would be very interesting. The pace of life had to be so slow. And New York in the forties...need I say more? The very heart of Mickey Spilane Batman Gothum. Anyway those two books are my pick.


To Kill a Mockingbird was a great book - one of those that I devoured in a day, or something like that. That early twentieth/late nineteenth century time is a good one. I've read a lot of Mark Twain's travel stuff during my time, and I always thought it would be nice to toodle along with him around America, on a steamboat, on a train into the West - hot, sandy. Sounds good.


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## lmroth12 (Nov 15, 2012)

danielpatrick said:


> To Kill a Mockingbird was a great book - one of those that I devoured in a day, or something like that. That early twentieth/late nineteenth century time is a good one. I've read a lot of Mark Twain's travel stuff during my time, and I always thought it would be nice to toodle along with him around America, on a steamboat, on a train into the West - hot, sandy. Sounds good.


I'm with you on Mark Twain. Whenever I travel to the West and go over the Mississippi at St. Louis I always want to get out of the vehicle and hop aboard one of the paddlewheel steamboats and visit his haunts. There is still a sense in St. Louis of old Americana, when the Mississippi was the "Grand Old Man" that brought vital goods to the West, took you to your destination, or whisked you away to adventure. And, yes, the late ninetheenth/early twentieth century time _was_ good. It was the last days of innocence before World War I destroyed it and technology sped up the tempo of living. That was still the time when having an automobile was a novelty, a visit to the ice cream parlor was a treat, and the circus coming to town was the big event of the year.


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## Nancy Beck (Jul 1, 2011)

danielpatrick said:


> I think I'd live in Rohan. I loved the big, wide fields in the films. All that space, all that green!


Rohan? Maybe, all those beautiful grasslands and horses.  But since I'm short, I'd probably get a kick out of hanging out in the Shire (well after the Scouring, for sure ). Or right nearby, in Bucklebury, on the banks of the Brandywine. I'm a water person, so it would be lovely.


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## haltenny (Jan 25, 2012)

I would like to live in Amber I think. The Chronicles of Amber is a series of fantasy novels written by Roger Zelazny A dangerous place but it would be fantastic to be able to walk through shadows to where ever you please. Pern would be a very nice place too. However, I'm somewhat hermit like so any primarily uninhabited place would do!


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## subtle_knife (Mar 17, 2011)

haltenny said:


> I would like to live in Amber I think. The Chronicles of Amber is a series of fantasy novels written by Roger Zelazny A dangerous place but it would be fantastic to be able to walk through shadows to where ever you please. Pern would be a very nice place too. However, I'm somewhat hermit like so any primarily uninhabited place would do!


Haha, that's how I feel too. Any place that, (in my head at least,) is primarily uninhabited would be a lovely place for me!


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## EvilTwinBrian (Jun 20, 2013)

Since it's an imaginary world, I'm assuming we can control the details of our lives in this new world. It would suck to leap into a fantastic realm, only to be the dude that gets captured by orcs, or is trampled by giant robots. 

I think I could live like a hobbit quite comfortably. I'm not that tall, I love foot, and sitting around the house sounds like a great idea most of the time. Also, I like walking around barefoot.

But I really would miss Netflix, internet, video games, movies, and all that other stuff that makes this world so appealing.


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## lmroth12 (Nov 15, 2012)

EvilTwinBrian said:


> Since it's an imaginary world, I'm assuming we can control the details of our lives in this new world. It would suck to leap into a fantastic realm, only to be the dude that gets captured by orcs, or is trampled by giant robots.
> 
> I think I could live like a hobbit quite comfortably. I'm not that tall, I love foot, and sitting around the house sounds like a great idea most of the time. Also, I like walking around barefoot.
> 
> But I really would miss Netflix, internet, video games, movies, and all that other stuff that makes this world so appealing.


What you would need is one of the Seeing Stones. Then you can catch Netflix, Internet, video games and movies quite nicely. After all, Aragorn was able to see what was happening with Arwen pretty well and Saruman communicated with Sauron through it much as you would a cell phone. And there's Galadriel's fountain if you want to catch a preview of what's to come. If you really think you would miss those oh so annoying previews at the theater, then this is a must. As for texting, you can always light a beacon or two until the message gets to its destination.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

Well, considering that I'm sure in most books I read I would be the peasant eaten by dragons or space monsters, I would pick a nice safe boring universe to live in. 

Pretty sure most "adventures" are more fun to read about than experience! And you may not end up being the hero (and hero or not stay away from any George R.R. Martin world!)

Julian May's Galactic Milieu would be a good hi-tech safe place to live. Or the Liaden universe of Steve and Sharon Miller, not as boring but the average person tends not to die horrible deaths

That's another thing... Middle Earth sounds great until you start missing running water, toilets, refrigerators, dental care, etc.


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## Benjamin (Dec 26, 2008)

The Malazan empire, for sure.


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## Russell Brooks (Dec 23, 2010)

Rivendell or Hobbiton, after the defeat of Sauron obviously.


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## Miriam Minger (Nov 27, 2010)

The Viking era.  


Miriam Minger


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## anguabell (Jan 9, 2011)

Rivendell, no doubt. I would probably stay away from Lothlorien - something is telling me Galadriel and I just wouldn't get along too well. And I would probably spend my days trying to reinvent Internet.


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## girlvsplanet (Aug 14, 2013)

I can't believe no one said Hogwarts! That's where I'd visit.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

girlvsplanet said:


> I can't believe no one said Hogwarts! That's where I'd visit.


Well, because, you CAN'T apparate inside Hogwarts.

Though, I suppose you could visit Hogsmead. 

Really, though, it would only be fun if one could also be a wizard.


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## girlvsplanet (Aug 14, 2013)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Well, because, you CAN'T apparate inside Hogwarts.
> 
> Though, I suppose you could visit Hogsmead.
> 
> Really, though, it would only be fun if one could also be a wizard.


True. I mean, it wouldn't be any fun to be a muggle!


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## Miriam Minger (Nov 27, 2010)

Pride and Prejudice.  


Miriam Minger


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## danielpatrick (Jul 28, 2013)

Miriam Minger said:


> The Viking era.


Just out of interest, why the Vikings Miriam?


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## Ergodic Mage (Jan 23, 2012)

Terminus after the war with Kalgan and the "discovery" of the Second Foundation.


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## Miriam Minger (Nov 27, 2010)

Viking Norway!

Miriam Minger


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## Faye Hunter (Jun 5, 2013)

Another vote for Pern! Would love to do that, especially if I could get my own Fire Lizard.


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## stevene9 (Nov 9, 2008)

It would depend a great deal on my situation in that world. For instance I have some medical problems that I need modern (or maybe futuristc) medical science. That would eliminate bucolic small towns in the past. Am I poor, middle class, rich, of noble birth, etc? Different worlds have different situations for different classes. If I was poor I would want a welfare society. If rich or a nobleman I might want a society ruled by the elite. If I am dictator, well that opens up a lot of possabilites. 

I would say I want a futuristic society with great medical science and that is peaceful, with a high standard of living for all. 
I have to really consider this more deeply.

Steve


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## dkrauss (Oct 13, 2012)

Jon's world, from Alexander Key's _The Forgotten Door_. http://www.amazon.com/The-Forgotten-Door-Alexander-Key/dp/B0012ZEE2W

Wanted to live there since I was 12.


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## SarahCarter (Nov 8, 2012)

Middle Earth, or the Discworld, or the world of Wheel of Time. It'd be fun to visit Hogwarts, but just for the building, not all the magical and hormonal teens lol.


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## jegarlick (Jun 23, 2013)

Ok, this sounds dumb, but I'd like to transport myself into the story world of THE HELP. I'd love to serve Hilly another serving of that pie! So loved that book, and all it stood for!


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## RAFarmer (Nov 12, 2013)

Pratchett and Baxter's Long Earth (from the books The Long Earth and The Long War).  Lots of places to explore and colonize, and unlike many science fiction and fantasy worlds, is not overloaded with dangers.

RAF


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