What fantasy world would you live in?

[Silva]

And please dont all yell Middle Earth at once either!!!
Or if you do, at least say where in Middle Earth, and why.

Yes ok so I confess middle earth would be my first choice too, beginning to wonder if this was a silly question, *sigh*.
But I'd also choose Britannia, which is the game world for the ultima series of RPG's, and nearly as nice as Middle Earth. I highly reccomend the ultima games to anyone here who loves rpgs, espeicially ulitma VII one of the best RPG's ever. My site has a section about ultimas for anyone who wants to know more.

I'd like to live in Rivendell because I love things like poetry and music, and I'm sure I would get lots of inspiration for poems in such a beautifull place. I dream about what Rivendell would look like, I've seen so many different paintings and representations of it, some come close to what I imagine others don't.
I'd like to live in middle earth long before the last elves leave, as I thought that was so sad.

If I got another choice I'd choose the undying lands, then I could be immortal and be with the elves for ever.

So since I've given more than one choice, I guess I'll have to let everyone else have more than one choice, I'm too kind.

[Sister Golden Hair]

Middle-earth is the only answer. I am not too picky about the realm, I would prefer an Elven realm though. I am more particular about the age. It would have to be First Age. I find that era to be much more exciting then the Third Age.

[mirrille]

Does science fiction count?

I stopped reading these books a few years ago, but at the time I would have like to live in Pern. The society is relatively stable and you don't have a Dark Lord/Supreme Evil/Demon King making an attempt to enslave the earth every couple hundred years or so. The common people are relatively taken care of, but the world is not completely boring. Can't be boring if you have dragons.
But I tend to like worlds that have an interesting combination of magic and "technology". Like the world in Escaflowne has magic and fantastic creatures and strange races, but they also have things like airships.
The world I would least like to live in Helliconia. I wonder if anyone has read it. The year lasts about 2000 of our years and when winter comes it's brutal. The different countries are constantly fighting and the humans have to compete with another sentient race. They are always trying to wipe each other out. Life on this planet is harsh, brutal, and short. That being said, the Helliconia series is very very good. Stories about people overcoming insurmountable odds can make good novels, LOTR being a case in point.
Middle Earth is very nice and all, but in real life, I look like an Easterling. Some beautiful elf might try to shoot me on sight.

[fireworks19]

I think I'd have to go with Lothlorien or Narnia...Narnia is all pretty and stuff! And so is Lothlorien. A third choice would definately be Piers Anthony's Xanth. Though the puns could get to be too much for a Mundane like myself. =)

[Aragorn]

Straight up Middle-Earth. I would go to Gondor, I always have been a warrior at heart.

Although I would like to either go to the StarCraft location and time period. And the Redwall world. But Middle-Earth is my #1 choice.

[Renille]

Middle earth, hands down.(Though I've always wanted to live at Hogwarts,too.)

[ringbearer]

Ther is a series of books by Fritz Leiber about a world called Nehwon(These books are about two heros called Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser). I think I would choose Nehwon first, then Amber(Roger Zelazney's creation) then Middle Earth!

[Treebeard's apprentice]

I would like to live in Orson Scott Card's version of an America that could have been (it is set during colonial times, like the late 1700's or so).
For those who don't know, some things are similar to the American past we know, while others are different. For instance, only part of the continent is independent, while the south is owned by King Arthur Stuart, exiled from England. The world and people are nice and simple, and the best part is folk magic actually works. People place hexes on their porches to ward off evil and other such crafty things. Certian people have special abilities, too. There are people known as torches who can somewhat see other person's futures, and Sparks who can start fires with their minds. Every has their own "knack" and most people treat each other well. All in all a nice place.

[anduin]

As much as I love LOTR and M-E, I would have to say Lucas' world. I have always felt more at home on Coruscant t than in Middle-earth, even though I have read LOTR many more times than I have seen SW.

And if not those two places then perhaps Liverpool.

[afro-elf]

this is a tough question

it seems that most of the fantasy worlds involve conflict of some sort usually of a major kind


as long as i was a whoop ass elf it doesn't make much difference to me


as far as sci fi i thing the dune series are the best books BUT the cereberal powers necessary to survive in that world are quite intense


finally i think the wuxia movies are really cool
in this world i'd be a whoop ass internal martial artist/chi kung master

[Gimly]

I have alot od different world to live in:

1)Middle-Earth - I would like to live in Hobbiton, because there isn't alot fight over there (except, of cource, the fights when the gang got back after destroying the Ring), and there you have my favourite way of live - eat and rest .

2)Xanth - Of cource I would like to be born there, because if not - it will loose all of it's charm.

3)DiskWorld - There are alot of heroes and magicians there, and weird stuff always happens there!!!

[Varda]

i would want to live in Narnia during the Golden Age when the two Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve were the kinds and queens. it was the most peaceful, and you could talk to animals and be friends with beings from Greek myths, and there was magic everywhere... only you'd probably rarely see Aslan and only then if there were serious problems to deal with.... but all in all, i think Narnia during that time would be the best.

[Churl]

It's an interesting question to think about…

In addition to deciding on which world you'd want to inhabit, you have to consider when you'd want to live in that world.

What's more, the events and conditions that make a story interesting are usually the opposite of those which would make for a happy life. (Remember the old curse: "May you live in interesting times.")

For instance, Middle Earth during the events of The Lord of the Rings is an interesting place, but it's one in which most of the population lived in fear of enslavement or death. To stave off that fate, tens of thousands rode or marched to war, and thousands died. An awesome and heartbreaking story, but also a rather sad and frightening milieu in which to live.

As another example, H. P. Lovecraft's Dreamworld (most extensively described in his novella The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath), is an incredible place … truly ethereal, surreal, and dreamlike in its beauty. But it's also home to great terror and evil: deadly creatures that can spring upon you when you least expect them. Not the best place to settle down — and I hear the school system isn't too great, either.

Of course, none of that answers your question, does it? Where (and when) would I live … hmmmm …

Among sci-fi worlds, I'd choose the culture of Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age, beginning just after the events of the book. (Mild spoiler warning) You get the sense that the new society would still enjoy the wonders of nanotech, but would be much less classist and restrictive than the neo-Victorian one that preceded it.

Among fantasy worlds, it has to be Middle Earth. But when and where? On one hand, I think it would be fascinating to join the dwarves as they reclaimed and restored Khazad-Dûm to its former splendor following the war. Still, I'd have to choose the Shire, beginning just after Ted Sandyman's ugly new mill had been torn down and Sam's post-scouring plantings had begun to sprout.

[samwise of the shire]

Middle Earth because it is fantasy but also like Our real world in the fact that the characters go through problems and choices that we all have to make or decide or go through. So it's alot like our world without being our world if you know what I mean. I'd want to be in the Shire during th egolden years and then go with Sam and Gimli and Legolas to the Undying Lands in the gray boat.
If M-E is filled up then I'd go to Mossflower and Redwall because there are grand feasts and fierce battles and heroic deeds done by the most unlikely of people. I'd be an Otter or a shrew cook.
Sam
The land of Faery might be interesting to visit.

[Darkhalcyon]

The fantasy world from a show calld Fushigi Yuugi. It existed in book, based off of a chinese (and later adopted by the jpanese) myth about a universe rued by four gods. It's like an ancient chinese place, except when girl from our world goes there, she gets to become a miko t he god that rules the country. ^.^ lord knows i like luxury...

[XRogue]

Middle Earth, Damar or Thorn. Maybe Earthsea.

[Malthrin Damodred]

Think i would live in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time world, probably from one of the borderlands. The setting is different from most others and just seems interesting to me. Of course if you never read the wheel of time series then i suggest you do if you dont mind some heavy reading, heavy but enjoyable.

[Matto Baggins]

First would be middle-earth, in Gondor so I could learn to fight and be a warrior and be able to grapple in the war against evil orcs and goblins.

Second Hogwarts, for the magic and the fun.

Third, the seven kingdoms in Winterfell so I could fight under the banners of King Robb and defeat the evil Lannisters.

[Darkside Spirit]

Interesting question. Very interesting question.

I suppose the obvious answer for me would be the Star Wars universe, but then you wouldn't be able to read about it would you? Also, it would depend what position you were in. You're going to be landed in either the tumultuous pre-Republic history, the unstable and corrupt Old Republic, the tyrranical Empire, the relatively pleasant but weak New Republic, or the troubles with the Yuuzhan Vong. Maybe there will be some lovely golden age of eternal utopia if and when the Yuuzhan Vong are defeated, but we've seen no evidence for it yet.

Middle Earth...hmmm. Maybe is all I have to say. It would be cool to live there as a wizard - no, I will bite the bullet, it would be cool to live there and be Sauron. But some poor creature below the Misty Mountains chased by Orcs all day everyday? I don't think so thankyou very much. Also, I'm not sure I could manage without the technology.

The ideal fantasy world to live in, for most people, is one they think up and "create" themselves because it will usually be modelled on their personal desires and personality.

[Steerpike]

Probably the Shire, during a peaceful time. I am probably a Hobbit at heart. Although I love modern technology, I sometimes long for a simpler time, free from credit card debt! Even though if I was somehow able to go "back to the land" I probably wouldn't survive very long at all!