Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Top Ten Books If I Taught World Building


Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's Top Ten Tuesday asks bloggers to list their top ten books that would be on their syllabus if they taught ________. World building is never confined to the genre of fantasy although fantasy novels has some of the best worlds. Below are 10 fantasy and dystopian novels with some interesting and distinct worlds. The following books are not in a particular order.

1. The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski contains an interesting world with a political war between the Valorians and the Herrani.


2. Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini is historically magical with elements of science with parallel worlds of Salem.


3. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling is blend of the everyday Muggle world with an incredible magical world or witches, wizards and magical creatures. This is a series for all ages and is definitely a new classic.


4. Reckoning by Kerry Wilkinson contains a dystopian world centered around Silver Blackthorn and how she becomes an Offering for King Victor of Windsor.


5. Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan contains world of humans, Gods and half-bloods. If you like Greek mythology and urban fantasy, definitely check out this series.


6. The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins contains a dystopian world where 12 districts cater to the Capitol until the mockingjay leads her people to an uprising. I love reading how each district and the Capitol differ from each other.


7. The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare is a steampunk late 1800's Victorian-Era London series which involves shadowhunters, humans, demons, warlocks, etc.


8. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum is about the wonderful Land of Oz and how Dorothy meets a variety of different people and creatures in order to return back home to Kansas.


9. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll is about a fantasy world of Wonderland where Alice encounters many creatures and the King and Queen. Although a children's book, there is a lot of symbolism in the characters.


10. Stardust by Neil Gaiman is about Tristan on a search for a falling star and stumbles upon a mystical faerie realm of magic which is completely different from his English town of Wall.



19 comments:

  1. Nicole I would TOTALLY take this class! I love Stardust and Harry Potter and Mortal Instruments and would looooooove to study them as world building. Such cool worlds and inventions and fantasy you've got on this list! Thanks for sharing.

    My TTT: http://rachelwritesthings.blogspot.com/2015/08/top-ten-books-that-would-be-on-my.html

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    1. Thanks, Rachel! I would love to discuss theories in classroom setting about any of the books on the list. I will often discuss about Harry Potter theories on a daily basis...well to anyone who will listen to me talk about them. Lol.

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  2. I love this topic.

    http://seeingdoubleinneverland.blogspot.com/2015/08/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-books-that.html

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  3. Totally love your list! All of these books definitely have some great worldbuilding in it!:D Still need to read The Winners Curse, I have it sitting next to my bed right now so off I go!

    My TTT: http://simplybookishthings.blogspot.com/2015/08/top-ten-tuesday-11-ya-contemporary-101.html

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    1. I hope you have the time to read The Winner's Curse. I love the world building and the power dynamics in the novel. I have yet to read the sequel, The Winner's Crime, but I hope to soon.

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  4. Any class where I can read some of this stuff is a winner! Hunger Games and PErcy Jackson- neither of which I have read- would be fun to read and then discuss in a class setting. All of these actually...

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    1. I hope you get to read The Hunger Games trilogy and all the Percy Jackson books. They are wonderful and action packed!

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  5. Really great idea for a class. I still need to read HP but I can imagine it is perfect for this topic. Great list!!

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    1. Definitely read Harry Potter when you have a chance. The fall and winter seasons are perfect to read the series.

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  7. I agree with the others- great idea for a class. I would sign up. I love that you're not forgetting older fantasy titles like The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland. Great list :)

    oops! forgot my link: http://lesliehauser.com/2015/08/25/top-ten-tuesday-ya-contemporary-101-syllabus/

    -Leslie

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    1. Thank you! I cannot forget some of the classics out there. I haven't been up-to-date on a lot of classics but I would love to read more! There's a reason classics are classics.

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  8. I'm with Leslie - how great that you included Oz and Wonderland!! My TTT

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    1. Thank you! I wanted to mix some classics with my more modern books. I can't say no to Oz and Wonderland :D.

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  9. Great topic! You have sooo many good choices! :)

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  10. Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and Percy Jackson—YES. And Oz and Wonderland are, of course, fabulous.

    My TTT: http://thespellboundreader.blogspot.com/2015/08/top-ten-tuesday-characters-101.html

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    1. So glad you like the books on the list! They are some of my favorites!

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  11. Love The Hunger Games, Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. Haven't read The Winner's Curse, am still debating whether I want to or not.
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2015/08/25/top-ten-tuesday-19/

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    1. If you like books that have strong female characters, great world building, forbidden romance and power dynamics, you should check out The Winner's Curse.

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