The Resteraunt at the end of the universe, as well as the main course that introduces itself. As well as a thousand other ideas the HGTTG had that I can’t remember.
The “book people” in Fahrenheit 451. They were a pleasant suprise at the ending to a good book. It never occured to me anyone would take up the duty of preserving written works by memorizing them if literature became outlawed to such the extent that the book people did.
Schofield’s ressurection in Ice Station. Matthew Reilly books are the junk food equivalent of a book. They’re real fun to read, but full of crap, and this was no exception. At the end of one chapter, the book describes the main character’s heart as stopping, right before the guy that shot him kicks him into a cold Antarctic docking bay thing…can’t remember exactly what it was, but it was water that was was inside of a station. Three chapter later or so, Schofield is back up and shooting people in the face again (albeit after recieving medical help from someone). The cold water had served as a shock and jump started his heart when he was kicked into it. No, it could never happen, but it was a novel way of bringing a character back from the dead.
For books, the concept behind ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ is pretty wild. Also, I’d consider much of HG Wells to be some of the finest concept-driven fiction; The Invisible Man, The Time Machine and so on. To take it back even further, what about Frankenstein? Either satire on the French Revolution or just a great monster flick. Takes some beating, even by the concept that the US discovered the Enigma machine during WWII, but let’s not go there.
The wardrobe to Narnia, of course. I can’t tell you how many doors I opened as a kid secretly hoping to get into the snowy wood. Then Stephen King’s Drawing of the Three got me started all over again! opens door
Larry Nivens’ Integral Trees. Trees large enough to support human colonies planted in . . . nothing. They’re orbiting around a neutron star and heated by a white dwarf.
I love the “Magical Item With Huge Cost Associated” myself. The Fionavar Tapestry made me a biiiiiiiiiiig suckah for that one. Lokdal, Owein’s Horn… even The Hamma gave me a warm feeling. It was just fitting that it burned Lance.
Actually, I might have first been sucked in when I read The Chronicles Of Prydain and Eilonwy had to choose between being a sorceress and being a Queen, and she gave it all up for love, and as a result all the magic left Prydain… sniff
In Ender’s Game, replace “magic” for “technology”, which is just modern magic, and you have the same dealie.
The Mirror Of Erised counts too.
I also like this device because the author can use it as a pivotal plot point; the hero uses it and pays the price, or doesn’t use it because the cost is too high, or my personal favourite: uses it without knowing the incredibly high cost until it is too late.
The multiple universe theory that Heinlein uses in 4 or 5 of his books.
Everything having to do with the Discworld, right down to it being carried on the backs of four elephants who are, in turn circling the carapice of a giant turtle.