“Absence of prostitutes”?!
What about the “Slot Machine Girls”; who, if you put a coin in the slot, will give you something you hadn’t got when you started. :dubious:
However, Loonie culture is a hoot.
“Absence of prostitutes”?!
What about the “Slot Machine Girls”; who, if you put a coin in the slot, will give you something you hadn’t got when you started. :dubious:
However, Loonie culture is a hoot.
I don’t remember that from the book at all. Long time since I’ve read it, though. One thing I do remember is that women are so scarce all men treat them like royalty. That’s not how it worked out in the Old West.
Recirculating testicles?
The kingdom of Karhide on Gethen in Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness.
The Atevi homeworld in C. J. Cherryh’s Foreigner series.
I came into say Karhide, but This’ll Do beat me to it.
As second most interesting, I’ll go with another Le Guin - The Archipelago from the Earthsea books. Of the two, I’d rather live in the Archipelago, but found Karhide more deeply realized and interesting.
My choice would be Cordwainer Smith’s *Instrumentality of Mankind * universe. Seeing C’Mell and D’Joan and all of the rest would be way cool.
ETA: Mr Roo votes for Wonderland
The Draka Domination, but only when I’m in a really bad mood.
After that…the world of the Difference Engine might be kinda fun, though I can’t say I’d be that enthused about balkanized North America.
My favorites are Hercules and rhombus
The world of A Canticle for Leibowitz. I would love to read history texts from the 38th century in that universe. (Also the collected works of the Venerable Boedullus.)
The time of Nehemiah Scudder from Heinlein’s future history.
What, and miss seeing Middle-Earth in the First Age? That was when Elves were Real Elves, Men were Real Men, and small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri were reall small, furry creatures from Alpha Centauri. (Ooops, wrong reference.)
Seriously though: more moving to me than all the descriptions of the glories of Nargothrond, Doriath, Gondolin and other fastnesses of the First Age, or of the white walls and jeweled streets of Tirion on the shores of Eldamar in Valinor, was the lament of Fangorn for the lost lands of Beleriand:
In the willow-meads of Tasarinan I walked in the Spring.
Ah! the sight and the smell of the Spring in Nan-tasarion!
And I said that was good.
I wandered in Summer in the elm-woods of Ossiriand.
Ah! the light and the music in the Summer by the Seven Rivers of Ossir!
And I thought that was best.
To the beeches of Neldoreth I came in the Autumn.
Ah! the gold and the red and the sighing of leaves in the Autumn in Taur-na-neldor!
It was more than my desire.
To the pine-trees upon the highland of Dorthonion I climbed in the Winter.
Ah! the wind and the whiteness and the black branches of Winter upon Orod-na-Thön!
My voice went up and sang in the sky.
And now all those lands lie under the wave…
Sure, I’d love to tour Tirion upon Tuna and peek inside Gondolin before the fall, or to behold Luthien wearing a Silmaril in the court of Thingol and Melian in Doriath. but I’d want to go home to what Treebeard described.
I think I’ll chose “Harlequin World”. This is the land of the romance novel. YOu’ll start out a lowly wage slave and be swept off your feet by an incredibly rich, handsome, funny guy with great hair. Then you live happily ever after.
Or perhaps the world that Katherine Kurtz’s Deryni novels are set in. Although you seem to have a pretty good chance of being killed by magic, poison or capital punishment.
StG
True to my username, I’d want to see Middle-earth. I’d rule in Minas Tirith but take frequent trips out to the hinterlands. The Sea of Rhun has always appealed to me, and it’d be nice to try out the different wines of Dorwinion.
For a near-perfect balance of personal freedom, high-tech cool stuff, varied entertainment, democracy, the rule of law, adventure and companionship, it’d be hard to beat the Federation of Star Trek: The Next Generation and thereafter. I’d definitely want to learn more about the Andorians, who I always thought were 'way cool.
The universe of Haviland Tuf of George R.R. Martin’s Tuf Voyaging, although tougher, less safe and more anarchic than ST:TNG, also appeals to me.
In the Harry Potter world, I wouldn’t mind working for the Ministry of Magic in some top post, post-Voldemort.
I’ve always kinda liked the idea of the Zensunni Fremen.
The Star Trek Federation is probably first choice. Pern, though, is a pretty close second. Harry Potter and Narnia tied for third.