# Help Me Find Pure Escapist Fantasy **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 22, 2017, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630 "2017-06-22T19:31:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630/41 "2017-06-23T13:53:33Z")
You’ve seen **Stranger Things** on Netflix, right? _Riiiiiiight?_ ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630/42 "2017-06-23T14:30:43Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I’m stressed out and have just arranged for a week long staycation. I’m hoping to do very little of value during this time. I’m seeking fun, escapist movies, TV, books, video games - anything that pulls me out of reality. > > Bonus points if any of these things involve smoking hot men.[…] > Strong female characters a must. Preferably hooking up with smoking hot men. Are you familiar with the _Vampire Diaries_ spinoff, [The Originals](http://www.wetpaint.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/2/w630_OR1-1389138021.jpg)? (that’s the Season 1 cast) ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630/43 "2017-06-23T14:40:52Z")
I’m gonna suggest something that’s definitely dumb, but hear me out. If you have Netflix, check out the first few seasons of Lucha Underground. I know, I know…it’s wrestling. But it’s presented as a TV show, so it has plotlines and characters and taped segments. There are even supernatural aspects of it (one of the characters is a living dragon). And, as wrestling goes, it’s lucha so there are tons of flips and cartwheels and athletic moves to make your jaw drop. And since it’s wrestling it has plenty of smoking hot men. I am a straight male, and can safely say these dudes are hot as hell (Johnny Mundo, Prince Puma…hello boys). And, lastly, because it’s wrestling, it’s pure, unadulterated escapism. Feel free to laugh at the suggestion…but I’m just sayin… ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630/44 "2017-06-23T15:05:35Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > You’ve seen **Stranger Things** on Netflix, right? _Riiiiiiight?_ But of course. What sort of geek do you take me for? Also, how _are_ you? I haven’t heard from you in yonks. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630/45 "2017-06-23T15:29:45Z")
How about a couple of (non-romance) book series? The Detective Agent Chen series by Liz Walker and the Marla Mason series by Tim Pratt? ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630/46 "2017-06-23T16:08:41Z")
[Muffy Birnbaum- Barbarian Swordsperson](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1568651015). Total fun. [Ariel](https://www.amazon.com/Ariel-Steven-R-Boyett/dp/0441017940/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1498233994&sr=1-1&keywords=Ariel+boyett) by Stephen R Boyett. One of my favourite books of all time. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630/47 "2017-06-23T16:18:17Z")
The Sherlock Holmes Complete Collection is a fun read. Its mostly short stories so it doesn’t require a big time commitment. Its also fun to see how our language has evolved. Its a free download at The Play Store. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630/48 "2017-06-23T16:58:50Z")
I think _Lucifer_, which is available on Hulu, fulfills all your criteria. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630/49 "2017-06-23T17:02:57Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > The Sherlock Holmes Complete Collection is a fun read. Its mostly short stories so it doesn’t require a big time commitment. Its also fun to see how our language has evolved. Its a free download at The Play Store. Another thing I downloaded eons ago and never read. I’m starting with gaming, actually. Steam is having a summer sale. I’m thinking [Samorost](http://store.steampowered.com/app/421120/Samorost_3/)or [Botanicula](http://store.steampowered.com/app/207690/Botanicula/). Both right up my bizarre-creature-nature-loving alley. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630/50 "2017-06-23T17:04:52Z")
> [@swampspruce](#): > > [Muffy Birnbaum- Barbarian Swordsperson](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1568651015). Total fun. That does look terribly fun. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630/51 "2017-06-23T17:07:07Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Another thing I downloaded eons ago and never read. > > I’m starting with gaming, actually. Steam is having a summer sale. I’m thinking [Samorost](http://store.steampowered.com/app/421120/Samorost_3/)or [Botanicula](http://store.steampowered.com/app/207690/Botanicula/). Both right up my bizarre-creature-nature-loving alley. Ignore the novels and read the ss’s. They are quick fun smart reads. Hope you have a fun summer. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630/52 "2017-06-23T17:12:02Z")
Check out _The Hike_ by Drew Magary. Available in print, Kindle, or audiobook. Absurd but engaging adventure of an everyman who takes a short hike and finds himself in a bizarre world filled with strange, dangerous creatures, makes friends with a foul-mouthed talking crab, and has a crazy time following a path that he’s told will take him home. Frequently goes off the rails, but that’s a good thing. Shouldn’t really work but it does. Very entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630/53 "2017-06-23T17:23:38Z")
The last time someone needed some escapism, I pulled out the wonderful _The Emperor’s Edge,_ by Lindsay Buroker. That went over well, so I’ll bring it out again. SO MUCH FUN, a kickass female lead, and a smoking hot guy! And it’s the first in a series, which means more is available where that came from! Less cheerful (the main character at the very beginning is suffering extreme depression), but really good and one of the best female leads in a really outstanding sf book: Martha Wells’s The Fall of Ile-Rien series, starting with _The Wizard Hunters_. For romance, I like Courtney Milan. If you like historical romance, her Brothers Sinister series is really good, especially the fourth one. (She has a modern series which I don’t like nearly as well, but one of the titles stars a transwoman, which was nice to see.) Recently, my escapism has been in reading cozy mysteries. I can’t really recommend you do that. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630/54 "2017-06-23T17:26:50Z")
Have you ever read anything by Mercedes Lackey? I adore her Valdemar series, (although there ARE instances of rape and sexual assault in some of them) ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630/55 "2017-06-23T17:27:29Z")
> [@cher3](#): > > I think _Lucifer_, which is available on Hulu, fulfills all your criteria. Oh my lawdy yes. _Fans self._ Possibly also Netflix and Amazon as well. Fun cop show (:rolleyes: aren’t they all cop shows these days) loosely based on the comic book. Fun and well equipped with smoking hot men. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630/56 "2017-06-23T17:49:36Z")
The Peter Grant / Rivers of London books. CSI / Sherlock Holmes meets Harry Potter. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630/57 "2017-06-23T17:53:57Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > Oh my lawdy yes. _Fans self._ Possibly also Netflix and Amazon as well. Fun cop show (:rolleyes: aren’t they all cop shows these days) loosely based on the comic book. Fun and well equipped with smoking hot men. _googles_ Oh, my. I told **Sr. Weasel** that Hulu would be worth it. It only took six years to talk him into it, stubborn bastard… Looks like he was just trying to snuff out the competition. 😃 [QUOTE=jsgoddess] The last time someone needed some escapism, I pulled out the wonderful The Emperor’s Edge, by Lindsay Buroker. [/QUOTE] Aaand another book I own but haven’t read yet. Recommended to me by a friend. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630/58 "2017-06-23T18:20:27Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Less cheerful (the main character at the very beginning is suffering extreme depression), but really good and one of the best female leads in a really outstanding sf book: Martha Wells’s The Fall of Ile-Rien series, starting with _The Wizard Hunters_. You were the one who mentioned it in the “Rec a book with good female characters” thread, right? I stayed up to God-knows-what-hour last night reading it, and finished it this morning. I can’t wait to read book 2. Anyway, some fun ones no one seems to have mentioned yet: Duelist Trilogy, Julia Knight: swashbuckling + steampunk + wizards, kinda The Greatcoat series, Sebastien De Castell: basically the Three Musketeers in fantasyland WebMage series, Kelly McCullough: [del]Greeks and geeks[/del] mythology goes digital ---
**Author:** ![Wednesday\_Evening](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b2d939/32.png) [@Wednesday\_Evening](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wednesday_Evening)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630/59 "2017-06-23T19:12:31Z")
Nth-ing **The Magicians.** I loved both the TV series and the books. But the books are kinda depressing (although still amazing), so for now I would stick to the TV series. The \*\*Elemental Masters \*\*series by Mercedes Lackey is enjoyable and light, and are fairly stand-alone (each is based on a different fairy tale). If you like 80s nostalgia, **Ready Player One** is fun. I have not played it yet, but my brother and I are big Myst fans, and he just finished playing Cyan’s new game **Obduction**. He says it is the best game they have ever done, which coming from him is saying a lot. It is also on sale at Steam! I bought it, unfortunately my computer died about a week ago so I have to fix it before I can play. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2017, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630/60 "2017-06-23T19:23:04Z")
\*Shadowhunters \*on Freeform network (formerly ABC Family) sounds right up your alley. It is about hybrid human/angels fighting werewolves and vampires and others - all of which are smoking hot men and women with very little “monster” makeup. My GF loves it, I presume for the smoking hot dudes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pure-escapist-fantasy/789630.md?page=4)