World-building books

[hmpf]

I think I've mentioned before that I love books that do really good world-building - this is one reason why I love Finder, for example. I'm currently reading two wonderful examples of the genre, and reading them very slowly, because I want to savour them.

One I have mentioned before: Austin Tappan Wright's Islandia. The landscapes in that are as vivid as those in The Lord of the Rings, and just as beautiful.

The other I received last week: Ursula Le Guin's Always Coming Home. I'm not as far into that yet as I am into Islandia, which I started reading a few months ago, but I already love it so much that I can't read it fast. I want to make it last.

Both books are like doors to Other Places, just waiting for me to enter them every night. They remind me how much I love the world. (This may seem paradoxical, as they seem to offer escape from the world. But they're reflections of the world, of course. And also, travelling into the inner worlds of Wright or Le Guin is part of living in this world - my idea of 'the world' includes the personal, inner worlds of everyone, and it's one of the greatest marvels of being alive that we can open these inner worlds for other people to visit them.)

Comments

[mikes-grrl.livejournal.com]

I love your comment about how 'doors to Other Places' remind you of how much you love the world. I think that is a beautiful phrase and it reflects my own feelings about it.

(I read Islandia years and years ago, and while I could not recap the plot without a Wiki lookup (why yes, I cheat, and often!) I DO remember the descriptions -- the 'world' -- of it vividly. I have not thought of that book in a long time. Now I'm getting all sentimental first thing in the morning. *sighhh* More tea.)

[ralphwynn.livejournal.com]

I concur with your opinions on Le Guin, they are also one of my favourite authors, though I mainly read the Earthsea set of books. Will have to check out this Islandia one tho!