Travel Guide to Medieval Europe
Why are so many fantasy settings based on medieval Europe? The journeys through these new worlds seem familiar because they have this common root ancestor. There are exceptions, such as Daniel Abraham’s Long Price Quartet or Jane Lindskold’s Thirteen Orphans , but they tend not to catch on in a big way.
One of my favorite non-European settings is Stephen King’s Dark Tower world. This apocalyptic Old West is one of the most unique landscapes in speculative fiction, and it shows that the fantasy fan is willing to branch out. Granted, the Stephen King name helps. There’s also Star Wars, which is as much fantasy as science fiction. It features a traditional fantasy plot (rescuing the princess and overthrowing an evil empire) in an outer space setting.
So what other cultures or time periods are ripe for a fantasy interpretation? I’d vote for Shogun-era Japan.
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