‘The night’s as hot as hell. It’s a lousy room in a lousy part of a lousy town….’
30 April 2015
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Big Cities, Fantasy Review Barn, Tough Travelling
This week over at Tough Travelling Nathan from the Fantasy Review Barn is taking us once again through the tropes of fantasy. The topic this week is: THE BIG CITY
There has to be somewhere in Fantasyland where everyone comes together. All roads lead to Rome after all. A place where traders prosper, politicians scheme, and criminals thrive.
The Emerald City – all the yellow brick roads lead there after all and it has an all and powerful wizard in residence. The Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum
City of Stairs by Robert Bennett – I guess the clue is in the title but in this book we visit the City of Bulikov and it’s certainly impressive.
London Below – Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, a very interesting take on London City – what lies beneath and through the gaps, particularly of society.
The hundred thousand kingdoms by N K Jemisin – The City of Sky – this is an awesome book with great world building.
Gotham City – holy urban landscape! – Sorry, I couldn’t leave off Gotham City.
Hon mentions:
Minas Tirith – Lord of the Rings
Books and travelling with Lynn 
Oh, Minas Tirith, why did I forget you?
Great list Lynn, seems I’m the only person on the blogosphere who hasn’t read City of Stairs!
You simply must read City of Stairs – it’s just so good.
Lynn 😀
I haven’t read it either… it’s on so many lists this week!
Perhaps we need to get on and read it then eh!
Lynn 😀
N K Jamisin is already on my list–need to do something about it.
It was really good and I’ve got No.2 waiting patiently. Need to get to it.
Lynn 😀
Great call on City of Stairs. Bulikov totally slipped my mind. 🙂
Funnily enough that was actually the first and only one that came to mind for a while.
Lynn 😀
Gotham! I only know Batman from the movies but I loved that city with its dark streets and nasty, nasty creatures.
The Emerald City is a great pick, I have the song stuck in my head now, thanks for that 😉
Lions and tigers and bears… oh my! And, you’re welcome heheheheheh
Lynn 😀
Ah… Minas Tirith!! One of the most lovely sights in PJ’s vision of Middle Earth!
Great choice 🙂
Yeah, you have to love Minas Tirith.
Lynn 😀
The Emerald City – Win!
Yeah 😀
Thanks – all reads lead to the Emerald City after all.
Lynn 😀
Sin City! Nice. I’m very intrigued by Neverwhere. I’ve heard that the audiobook is amazing (I guess it’s an ensemble cast) so I may have to listen to that at some point.
I really like Neverwhere – it’s packed with imagination and London Below is great.
Lynn 😀
I wish Sin City was like, half, the length it is. because I like it, but no way can I rewatch that entire thing.
It certainly could have been reduced I think – I do like it though. I love the way it’s shot, the colours and the crazy.
Lynn 😀
All of these were great choices, but double points for using Gotham City! (I’m such a comic/gaming nerd that everyone that uses comics and gaming references in these get a prize which is basically my fangirl squeeing you can’t hear… be thankful for that you can’t…. LOL.)
I think I can actually hear your squeeing! LOL
Lynn 😀
Yay for City of Stairs! It’s been a popular pick this week – obviously Bulikov made a big impression on folks! It’s a great book.
I wasn’t surprised that it was on lots of lists. It’s such a good book.
Lynn 😀
I see your Gotham and raise you a Metropolis. Admit it, no one really wants to *go* to Gotham except crazy people.
Yeah, I would absolutely go to Gotham, and creep about the place so as to avoid notice – but yeah, it would be great to see it!
Lynn 😀
Speak for yourself Wendy, I would LOVE to go to Gotham! If nothing else, for the architecture 😛
Haha – that makes two crazies then because I would absolutely go for a visit! Might lock myself in a room at night though like a scaredy-cat!
Lynn 😀
Gotham City and London Below are a great choices! This was a fun week 🙂
Yeah, I enjoyed this week’s theme – I was hoping to come up with something obscure but didn’t really manage to. Must read more!
Lynn 😀
The Emerald City, Gotham City, and Minas Tirith are all great choices, sadly I don’t know the other ones. I was thinking of Ankh Morpork from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series 🙂
Yeah, the Terry Pratchett choice has been on quite a few lists that I’ve checked out. I’ve not read about it though – I’ve only read his Tiffany Aching books from Discworld – I really do want to read more though.
Lynn 😀
I’ve just finished reading Mort but that only briefly visited Ankh Morpork. You need to read the books involving the wizards as they tend to be set in the city.
SinCity is definitely the city! And Gotham heck yes…oh and the city in that book THE WAKING ENGINE!
The City Unspoken? I’ve not read that book. Did you read it and like it?
Lynn 😀