The most famous fantasy universes and their creators (10 photos). Top fictional literary worlds Top universes

If the reality around you seems completely gray and dull, then it’s time to plunge into one of the most popular imaginary universes that I want to show you today.

Arda Tolkien created an original world that served as a source of inspiration for the creation of almost all fantasy universes. It was he who came up with the names for most fantasy races - orcs, elves, hobbits - the rest of the “creators of worlds” simply remade them in their own way. But the master is the master - the world he invented turned out to be alive: with its own history, features, key characters and, in some way, geography. By the way, the world invented by Tolkien is often called Middle-earth, but this is incorrect: in fact, its name is Arda. It appeared after the god Eru created amazing creatures - the Ainur, who literally sang the world. It is worth saying here that Tolkien himself repeatedly said that the action of his novels does not take place on any other planet or in a parallel world, but on our Earth. According to the master, Middle-earth existed on our planet in the distant past. Well, he has the right. In addition, if you compare the map of the same Middle-earth with the map of Europe, you can really notice the similarities. The most numerous race in Middle-earth are, of course, people: they inhabit most of the region. They differ from elves, essentially, in that they live for tens, not thousands of years, and, accordingly, their states change, but the elves remain practically unchanged over generations. Moreover, the soul of the elves remains forever after death in Arda in a special place called the Gardens of Mandos, while the human soul leaves the world. Magic in Tolkien's world differs from the later combat magic - here it is more of a creative act, rather than a series of clearly regulated actions and rules. A creature endowed with will can create magic - the stronger the will, the more impressive magical deeds the hero is capable of. However, magic is not the decisive argument - will is also needed, for example, to resist the power of the One Ring. In addition, over time, magic leaves Arda, and it becomes less and less. In the loose continuation of The Lord of the Rings, written by Nick Perumov, there is practically no magic left. One way or another, the world is famous thanks to recognizable living characters, detailed work and an unusual story. It's no wonder he has so many admirers.

Star Wars Star Wars is not just six feature-length films. The world invented by Lucas today is developing almost on its own - hundreds of books have been written about it, which describe the farthest corners of the universe, talk about all the heroes we saw in the films, and about many others about whom there is not a word in the films . Comics, video games, and cartoons have been created based on the classic Star Wars. The plot-forming element is the Jedi Order - knights who defend high ideals, peace and order and wield the Force. Those who succumbed to their dark nature and went over to the Dark Side of the Force were called Sith. They are the main protagonists of the universe, and there is a constant confrontation between the two orders. Few people know that before the events shown in the film "The Phantom Menace", the Galactic Republic enjoyed peace and order for almost 1000 years - it was a kind of golden age. However, this 1000 years is almost not described anywhere, and we can observe the development of the universe just from the events that occurred several years before The Phantom Menace. After the fall of the Jedi Order, only one knight remained - Luke Skywalker, and this is where the sixth film ends. However, the universe continues to develop - as a result, the Republic is reborn from the rubble, the Jedi Order reappears in the political arena, then war begins again, since almost half of Luke’s students went over to the Dark Side... In fact, “Star Wars” is a story that One can continue endlessly, so more and more books “based on” are being published. The universe is not developing chaotically: a special council headed by Lucas monitored the development of history, and now the Walt Disney studio will probably take care of this. And yes, a small spoiler if you didn’t know - in one of the books it was decided to kill Chewbacca.

Forgotten Realms The Forgotten Realms is a fantasy world developed for the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop role-playing game. The universe's greatest fame came from the novels written around the world by Robert Salvatore and the video games Icewind Dale, Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights. Much of the action takes place on Faerun, part of the planet's largest continent, Abeir Toril. The world is worked out almost to the smallest detail. Of course, one can find fault with many little things, such as the strange distribution of climate zones on the planet, but this is understandable - many authors worked on the project at the same time, each of whom took a small piece of the world, and only then they were “glued” together. But that's not the point. The planet is inhabited by many classic races - there are several varieties and factions of elves, gnomes, orcs and, of course, a huge number of human settlements. There are also races that are completely unlike anything else, like illithids - anthropomorphic octopuses that capture the minds of other intelligent beings and thus turn them into their slaves. In addition to Fairun, there are several other parts of the world on the planet - Zakhara (analogous to the Middle East), Kara-Tur (analogous to India and Indochina), Maztika (analogous to the territory of American Indians like the Mayans or Incas) and Evermeet (the legendary land of the elves). Since Abeir-Toril is a large planet, and developed technologies are not very highly regarded in the classic fantasy genre, many continents on the planet have not yet been discovered, so there is plenty of room for the imagination to run wild. “Forgotten Realms” has been exciting the minds of fans since the early 1990s, and all these years there has been constant work on the world. An interesting fact: so far only Fairun has been described in detail by the developers. It is interesting that in the Forgotten Realms there are practically no kingdoms as such: the main administrative unit is the city-state, among the most famous are Neverwinter, Baldur's Gate and Waterdeep. The gods play a very important role in this world. They are invented not only for the worship and enslavement of the masses, they are very real entities that give their adherents strength, abilities and opportunities, who love to actively interfere in the affairs of mortals. The gods are divided into “factions”: trade, love, darkness, and so on - everything you can imagine. In addition, the gods have a kind of career ladder - from a demigod you can grow to the Elder God, who will be worshiped by millions of admirers from all over the world.

Star Trek “Star Trek” is a science fiction series that was released in 1966 in the United States. It is important to remember that at that time humanity had not even made a flight to the Moon, but was only dreaming of space travel. So the timing was perfect: Star Trek is the saga of the first human travelers to explore deep space, meet and learn from the rest of the intelligent races inhabiting the galaxy. It all started when, at the beginning of the 21st century, NASA made an attempt to go into space on primitive ships. Then, in 2053, the Third World War broke out on Earth, after which humanity recovered within ten years. But in 2063, the first spaceship with warp drive (a technology that allows one to exceed the speed of light) launched, and so humanity first became acquainted with another intelligent race - the Vulcans from the planet Vulcan. The Vulcans turned out to be much more advanced technologically, so diplomatic relations were built slowly, since the Vulcans were not too keen on sharing technology with unpredictable people who had recently carried out a massacre on their own planet. Earthlings managed to build their own full-fledged starship, the Enterprise, only in 2151. Then the United Federation of Planets was created - a union of different intelligent races united for joint development and space exploration. It should be noted that there are a huge number of races in this universe, and not all of them are benevolent. So, there are, for example, the Klingons, who were previously skilled diplomats and peacemakers, but under the influence of politicians have slipped into warlike barbarians and, in their opinion, now profess the philosophy of real warriors. The history of Star Trek is written in detail up to the 24th century, and each milestone in this history is marked by global upheavals - for example, bloody warriors with other races like the Xindi, whose philosophy is extremely far from human. And, surprisingly, humanity emerged from any trouble with dignity (precisely dignity!). It should be noted that the action in this saga plays a secondary role - it mainly tells about universal human values. Moral issues are raised in almost every episode: for example, the viewer is asked to think about the consequences of the complete disappearance of a biological species and the like. In other words, the Star Trek universe teaches a lesson in a fascinating way about how important it is for people to remain human in any situation.

A Song of Ice and Fire The prototype for this universe was a real human story: the world of “PLIP” is comparable to our European Middle Ages - there is feudal fragmentation, a lack of gunpowder, a somewhat oppressed position of the common people and, of course, palace intrigues. It should be noted that there is no detailed map of the world, nor an official name for it. Westeros, for example, is only a separate continent approximately the size of South America; it is in Westeros that the vast majority of the events of the described era take place. There is another continent where peoples live, comparable to the peoples of our East, but practically nothing is known about the western lands. However, Martin took the trouble to come up with a full-fledged chronicle for his world. Initially, Westeros was inhabited by the mysterious Children of the Forest, who later disappeared. Then the First People came there, ousting the Children of the Forest, who were gradually forgotten: the memory of them was preserved only in legends and fairy tales. Then they were replaced by Andal conquerors, who conquered these lands and brought with them the religion of the Seven Gods. A little later, the east of the mainland was captured by the Rhoynar, who assimilated with the Andals and became almost a single people. In the east, meanwhile, the Valyrian Empire gained strength, from where the Targaryens flew to Westeros riding on dragons. Thanks to the dragons, they seized power, but after 300 years the dragons degenerated and the Targaryens went mad - largely, perhaps, due to consanguineous marriages. Then they were overthrown by Robert Baratheon, who later became king. And the rest of the story is known to those who watched the series “Game of Thrones,” based on Martin’s novels, or read the novels themselves. Religion and magic, which is typical for fantasy, play an important role in Martin’s world. Westeros officially professes the Seven Gods - septons (as local priests are called) from the point of view of magic cannot do anything at all, and they do not have much influence on politics. In fact, it is just a formal cult. But there is another religion, widespread precisely in the East - the cult of the fire deity R'hllor, whose priests have the power of fire magic: it is they who perform the main miracles. The fire god gives some of his adherents the opportunity to rise from the dead over and over again or see events of the past and future in the flames. Fire is opposed by Others - mysterious creatures that appeared from behind the Wall on the edge of the Seven Kingdoms - they personify ice. As the novels unfold, magical powers, which the inhabitants of the world have already forgotten to think about, gradually awaken, and how it will all end is unknown.

Traveling through different worlds, other universes and parallel dimensions is very easy. It is enough to open a book and immerse yourself in reading - and now we are already falling out of everyday routine to save Middle-earth together with brave hobbits, compete for power in Westeros, or even (well, why not?) frolic in Equestria with little ponies. There are many worlds, and everyone can make a pilgrimage to the universe that is closer to them.

The basic law of the creation of worlds

Sometimes the stimulus for the creation of the world becomes one strong image - for example, the universe of “A Song of Ice and Fire” was born from a picture that came to mind to George Martin many years ago - in his imagination he saw a huge wolf dying among the snow.

The list of examples could take a long time. How many writers - so many different options. However, there is one immutable law that absolutely all fictional worlds obey. And if you want to create your own world, you must follow it.

This law consists in the requirement of consistency. In the universe you have invented, any events that are unthinkable in everyday life can take place. Let, for example, cloned cyborg hobbits fly to Pluto, riding radioactive cat dragons. Or something even more fantastic is happening - whatever your imagination is capable of. The main thing is for the world to be whole and consistent. In other words, any event and phenomenon of this world must be consistent with the general logic of the created universe.

This is how, for example, Umberto Eco wrote about it in his book “The Role of the Reader. Research on text semiotics":

When, reading the fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood, we perceive as “unreal” the heroine’s property of remaining alive after being swallowed by a wolf, this is because we realize (at least at the level of intuition) that such a property contradicts the second law of thermodynamics. But the second law of thermodynamics is part of our system of concepts, our semantic encyclopedia. It is worth changing the encyclopedia - and our perception will become different.

A writer, creating his own world, together with it “writes” (not in the literal sense, of course) an “encyclopedia” of this world. Reading a novel or watching a film, we understand that what is happening is unreal (since we are firmly rooted in the “encyclopedia” of the real world), however, for a while we accept the rules of the game that the author offers. We can say that we allow ourselves to be deceived into believing what we are told about from the pages of a book or from the screen. This is the secret of the magic of art. Events taking place in Middle-earth or Westeros are real within their own universes, since they fit completely into the “semantic encyclopedias” of these worlds.

In addition to this law, another important restriction has been established. No matter what fantasy world a writer creates, this world will always be based on reality. Man is simply unable to conceive of a universe that is completely different from the one we are used to. The difference between “reality” and “fiction” lies in the presence of fantastic assumptions, but the basis of fantasy is always the experience of the author, and this experience cannot be anything other than the experience of a human being. Of course, a writer is like a demiurge who creates the world, but the “clay” from which he sculpts his creation was given to him in advance - in the knowledge of the real world and its laws.

By the way, Tolkien himself said that Middle-earth is not some kind of parallel world, but our ordinary world. The events simply described take place in ancient times (literally prehistoric, since the history of people begins with the sailing of the elves to the West). However, today we often hear the phrase “Tolkien’s world,” and this is perceived quite normally. World of Ice and Fire

At first glance, the world created by George R.R. Martin is not particularly original. The main conflict is taken from European history (the parallel "Lannisters and Starks - Lancasters and Yorks" is obvious). Dragons were also invented a long time ago. Well, the White Walkers are just a fantasy version of the classic Hollywood zombies. However, millions of people around the world simply fell in love with Martin’s creation. What's the secret? There are three reasons for the wild popularity of the books and the series.

Reason one. Despite the fact that the saga takes place in the so-called Middle Ages (in fact, everything is more complicated, but let’s accept it as such), the motivation of each character is transparent and understandable to modern people. The Lannisters, Starks and others behave as residents of the 21st century would behave in similar circumstances. In other words, “A Song of Ice and Fire” is modernity, but in a fantasy setting.

The second reason is Martin's ruthlessness towards his heroes. Yes, we are talking about those very unexpected plot twists in which everyone’s favorite heroes suddenly die. Which, again, brings this work closer to real life.

The third reason is composition. George R.R. Martin's skill is to take all the elements of the world and carefully fit them together to create a cohesive picture. Yes, we have already seen dragons in many places, as well as orphan princesses who have lost their kingdom. But all this, put together, gives an amazing combo effect.

The influence of “Game of Thrones” on modern culture is so great that even those who do not like fantasy (or prefer a “kinder” version of this genre) should familiarize themselves with this work. The world created by George R.R. Martin today dictates patterns of behavior and thinking for thousands of people across the planet. “A Song of Ice and Fire” becomes a new global epic, which is included in the cultural codes of the inhabitants of the “global village” called Earth. Let's make a bold, fantastic assumption: in a few years, a person who has not watched or read Game of Thrones will simply not understand what the people around him are talking about. Star Wars

“A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...” These words, which open every episode of Star Wars, are familiar to millions, if not billions, of people on earth. The story, which began with a bold cinematic experiment by George Lucas (in the success of which few believed), has grown to truly galactic proportions.

Now “Star Wars” is not only a series of films, but also cartoons, comics, games, as well as an incredible amount of licensed products - from action figures of the saga heroes and lightsabers to clothing with portraits of Darth Vader or Yoda. Marvel

If we strive for accuracy, then we should talk about not one, but many Marvel universes - the Marvel Multiverse. In the 21st century, the dominant role in this collection of worlds belongs to the “cinematic universe.”

The Marvel company fully lived up to its name by performing a real miracle. Previously, superhero discourse was legitimate only in the geek subculture. Now, after the release of films about Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Guardians of the Galaxy and other world saviors, it seems that almost everyone watches such films. DC

A giant of the comic book industry that gave us Batman, Joker, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Aquaman, and many other superheroes and supervillains. The world of DC is somewhat dark and serious. It is not surprising, since initially the abbreviation DC stood for Detective Comics, and the works published under this brand were close to such a direction as noir. Aliens

An attractive and at the same time frightening story about a creature absolutely hostile to humans from the depths of the universe continues to develop. Viewers and readers love “Aliens” because the works of the franchise hit on several fronts at once: here you have the atmosphere of a cold, merciless space, and philosophical and religious overtones (especially noticeable in “Prometheus”), and even a pro-feminist line, clearly indicated in the first three films.

And the monster born of Giger’s imagination has today become a recognizable attribute of pop culture. Dune

The world that Frank Herbert created did not become super popular among the general reader - but maybe that's for the better. In any case, Dune has a lot of loyal fans. The saga of life on the sandy planet Arrakis is a detailed world in which there is a place for love and enmity, intrigue and politics. In terms of the intensity of passions, this work is in many ways not inferior to A Song of Ice and Fire. This comparison is quite appropriate. Dune, created long before Game of Thrones, anticipated it in many ways. For example, one of the central plots of Frank Herbert is the confrontation between two Great Houses - the noble Atreides and the vile intriguers Harkonen. Doesn't remind you of anything? Lovecraft and his bestiary

The master of horror literature also designed his own world, in which there was a place for terrible ancient gods, mysterious cults and aliens from outer space. For more information about why the works of Howard Lovecraft are remarkable and what mark they left on culture, read our material. Grisha Universe

Compared to DC or Aliens, this universe is still a child, because it appeared relatively recently. But, despite her young age, she has already managed to acquire fans all over the world. An interesting fact: the author of the Grishaverse story, Leigh Bardugo, was inspired by Slavic, and especially Russian, culture when creating her world.

Bright characters, amazing dialogue, exciting adventures - you will find all this in the world that Leigh Bardugo built. Equestria

The appearance of this point here may seem strange, but we are talking about fictional worlds, so why not talk about this world? Yes, the My Little Pony franchise is aimed at a very specific audience - mainly little girls make up the core of the fan community. But many adults also like to follow the adventures of the inhabitants of the magical land of Equestria.

The world described in cartoons, books and comics about little ponies can easily be called fantasy. He lives by his own rules and, judging by the popularity of the franchise, many people like these rules.

Shared universes are perhaps the hottest trend right now. Each film studio, in pursuit of a long dollar, strives to push all its heroes together at the same time. As a rule, such experiments end in success - and a very decent box office. However, long before cinema, theories of the interpenetration of worlds were promoted in the field of gaming - if not by the developers themselves, then at least by fans of conspiracy theories. Gmbox presents you with the 7 most logical hypotheses that may well turn out to be true.

7. Bethesda Universe

Almost all Bethesda games supposedly take place in the same universe. William Blaskowitz from Wolfenstein is a distant ancestor of the nameless Marine from Doom, and the Nirnroot plant grows in both The Elder Scrolls and Fallout 4 (only there it is called NRT). Moreover, in the leaked documents on the space Starfield there is something like an order: to unite all three (!!!) worlds.

Moreover, regarding the timeline, there is an interesting theory: TES is the future of Fallout, and not the other way around. Over time, the radioactive wasteland gave way to such anomalies as magic, intelligent cats and equally intelligent lizards. The only problem is that Bethesda will be tortured to explain the presence of Daedric deities in the distant future of Earth.

6. Soulsborne Theory

This theory is most likely 100% true. Why? The proof can be a specific quest from The Ringed City - DLC for Dark Souls 3. A certain NPC asks to get him a Dark Soul, with which he could draw a new world for people. You only manage to get the Blood of the Dark Soul, and the painter has to operate with what he has. Well, in Yharnam everything is based on blood, and not on souls.

Additionally, the first Dark Souls has a strange NPC, Chester, whose equipment is more reminiscent of early steampunk than classic medieval dark fantasy. He says the following phrase: “Let me guess... Were you also grabbed by a shadow hand and dragged into the distant past?” In our opinion, everything fits, don’t go to a fortune teller.

5. Hitman, Kane & Lynch - a single world of cold-blooded killers

By temperament, Agent 47 and the “sweet couple” are direct opposites, two poles, ice and fire. However, in terms of cruelty and the number of murders, they are approximately the same. So it’s not surprising that IO Interactive has thought about a crossover more than once. In several parts of Hitman, the “exploits” of Kane and Lynch are described in detail in newspaper clippings, and fans will immediately recognize the completed missions.

Moreover, in the mission Birdie's Gift in Hitman Absolution, both Kane and Lynch can be found at the shooting range. There is zero interaction with them - neither kill nor talk. But these “beautiful” colorful faces are instantly recognizable, and it is not possible to confuse them with anyone else. Unfortunately, IO subsequently had serious financial problems, and now it is more about the survival of the 47th than about creating any crossovers.

4. Rockstar Shared Universe

Rockstar always wants to “be bigger,” and with the incredible success of the film studios, the company will probably eventually officially merge all of its games into one universe. Moreover, this has been happening for a long time - through small but irrefutable cross-links. Michael boasts in GTA V: “In ’88, he took a small office in Carcer City, 10 thousand bucks.” Punishment City is the setting for Manhunt.

In one of the shelters in GTA IV you can see a TV advertisement for Bulworth Academy, a private school from Bully. Well, in the original GTA Online build, you could choose John Marston himself as one of your ancestors. So GTA, Manhunt, Bully and even Red Dead Redemption are already connected - Rockstar just needs to acknowledge this at the official level, and try to make something smart and creative out of it.

3. Valve United Worlds

The connection between Half-Life and Portal has already been confirmed by no less than the Illuminati. GLaDOS mentions the closed Black Mesa facility in his famous song at the end of the first Portal. At the same time, in Half-Life there is a lost ship Borealis, which was constructed not just anywhere, but in Aperture Science Laboratories itself. Scientific interaction is visible and cannot be denied.

But fans go even further. They believe that Left 4 Dead and Counter-Strike are attention! - entertaining television series in the Half-Life/Portal universe. Evil tongues claim that Valve uses the same assets and room configurations in two very different games simply to save effort, but supporters of the theory present a powerful counterargument: these are modified sets at one large film studio.

2. Yes, and Nintendo too

In fact, the Japanese company can safely be called a pioneer in the field of connected worlds in gaming. Mario, Yoshi and Donkey Kong are all one arcade universe. The pillow-like (similar?) Kirby can be included in the same category, which should also not surprise anyone. Samus Aran and Link are a completely different matter. But they are also part of the Nintendo world.

Both the fairy elf and the space explorer can be found in Super Mario RPG. Both characters are non-interactive, but Samus still replies through her sleep that she is resting before the battle with Mother Brain, which leaves no doubt. And in Zelda: Ocarina of Time you can find Mario posters. Well, to consolidate the success: in Kirby’s Dreamland, Kirby clears out a nest of evil metroids, for which Samus Aran personally thanks him (her?) Interpenetration 100%

1. Ubiverse, or the Ubisoft universe

The French (and Canadians) have perhaps done the most work in terms of unifying their universes. Far Cry, Assassin's Creed and Watch Dogs are absolutely the same world, and there is plenty of evidence. The Abstergo company symbol can be found in Far Cry 3. The mission involving the assassination of the CEO of Abstergo Entertainment is in Watch Dogs. Not only that: exactly the same events are mentioned in Assassin’s Creed Rogue.

Let's move on. The ability to control animals in Far Cry Primal is a prototype of the eagle-eyed assassins, which is why it is the protagonist of Primal (and not Bayek from Origins) who is the very first assassin in history. Fans are also trying to tie Ghost Recon and Splinter Cell into the same universe, but so far it hasn't worked out very well. However, given the general trend towards shared universes and the fact that the publisher itself has already linked Splinter Cell and Ghost Recon, it is worth believing that over time this combination will be officially added to the Assassin’s Creed/Far Cry/Watch Dogs combination.

If the reality around you seems completely gray and dull, then it’s time to plunge into one of the most popular imaginary universes that I want to show you today.

Tolkien created an original world that served as inspiration for the creation of almost all fantasy universes. It was he who came up with the names for most fantasy races - orcs, elves, hobbits - the rest of the “creators of worlds” simply remade them in their own way.

But the master is the master - the world he invented turned out to be alive: with its own history, features, key characters and, in some way, geography. By the way, the world invented by Tolkien is often called Middle-earth, but this is incorrect: in fact, its name is Arda. It appeared after the god Eru created amazing creatures - the Ainur, who literally sang the world.

It is worth saying here that Tolkien himself repeatedly said that the action of his novels does not take place on any other planet or in a parallel world, but on our Earth. According to the master, Middle-earth existed on our planet in the distant past. Well, he has the right. In addition, if you compare the map of the same Middle-earth with the map of Europe, you can really notice the similarities.

The most numerous race in Middle-earth are, of course, people: they inhabit most of the region. They differ from elves, essentially, in that they live for tens, not thousands of years, and, accordingly, their states change, but the elves remain practically unchanged over generations. Moreover, the soul of the elves remains forever after death in Arda in a special place called the Gardens of Mandos, while the human soul leaves the world.

Magic in Tolkien's world differs from the later combat magic - here it is more of a creative act, rather than a series of clearly regulated actions and rules. A creature endowed with will can create magic - the stronger the will, the more impressive magical deeds the hero is capable of. However, magic is not the decisive argument - will is also needed, for example, to resist the power of the One Ring. In addition, over time, magic leaves Arda, and it becomes less and less. In the loose continuation of The Lord of the Rings, written by Nick Perumov, there is practically no magic left.

One way or another, the world is famous thanks to recognizable living characters, detailed work and an unusual story. It's no wonder he has so many admirers.


Creator - J. R. R. Tolkien




Star Wars

Star Wars is not just six full-length films. The world invented by Lucas today is developing almost on its own - hundreds of books have been written about it, which describe the most distant corners of the universe, talk about all the heroes that we saw in the films, and about many others about whom there is not a word in the films . Comics, video games, and cartoons have been created based on the classic Star Wars.

The plot-forming element is the Jedi Order - knights who defend high ideals, peace and order and wield the Force. Those who succumbed to their dark nature and went over to the Dark Side of the Force were called Sith. They are the main protagonists of the universe, and there is constant confrontation between the two orders.

Few people know that before the events shown in the film "The Phantom Menace", the Galactic Republic enjoyed peace and order for almost 1000 years - it was a kind of golden age. However, this 1000 years is almost not described anywhere, and we can observe the development of the universe just from the events that occurred several years before The Phantom Menace.

After the fall of the Jedi Order, only one knight remained - Luke Skywalker, and this is where the sixth film ends. However, the universe continues to develop - as a result, the Republic is reborn from the rubble, the Jedi Order reappears in the political arena, then war begins again, since almost half of Luke's students went over to the Dark Side... In fact, "Star Wars" is a story that One can continue endlessly, so more and more books “based on” are being published.

The universe is not developing chaotically: a special council headed by Lucas monitored the development of history, and now the Walt Disney studio will probably take care of this. And yes, a small spoiler if you didn’t know - in one of the books it was decided to kill Chubaka.





Creator: George Lucas




Forgotten Realms

The Forgotten Realms is a fantasy world developed for the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. The universe's greatest fame came from the novels written around the world by Robert Salvatore and the video games Icewind Dale, Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights. Much of the action takes place on Faerun, part of the planet's largest continent, Abeir Toril.

The world is worked out almost to the smallest detail. Of course, one can find fault with many little things, such as the strange distribution of climate zones on the planet, but this is understandable - many authors worked on the project at the same time, each of whom took a small piece of the world, and only then they were “glued” together. But that's not the point.

The planet is inhabited by many classic races - there are several varieties and factions of elves, gnomes, orcs and, of course, a huge number of human settlements. There are also races that are completely unlike anything else, like illithids - anthropomorphic octopuses that capture the minds of other intelligent beings and thus turn them into their slaves.

In addition to Fairun, there are several other parts of the world on the planet - Zakhara (analogous to the Middle East), Kara-Tur (analogous to India and Indochina), Maztika (analogous to the territory of American Indians like the Mayans or Incas) and Evermeet (the legendary land of the elves). Since Abeir-Toril is a large planet, and advanced technology is not highly respected in the classic fantasy genre, many continents on the planet have not yet been discovered, so there is plenty of room for your imagination to run wild. “Forgotten Realms” has been exciting the minds of fans since the early 1990s, and all these years there has been constant work on the world. An interesting fact: so far only Fairun has been described in detail by the developers.

Interestingly, in the Forgotten Realms there are practically no kingdoms as such: the main administrative unit is the city-state, among the most famous are Neverwinter, Baldur's Gate and Waterdeep.

The gods play a very important role in this world. They are invented not only for the worship and enslavement of the masses, they are very real entities that give their adherents strength, abilities and opportunities, who love to actively interfere in the affairs of mortals. The gods are divided into “factions”: trade, love, darkness, and so on - everything you can imagine. In addition, the gods have a kind of career ladder - from a demigod you can grow to the Elder God, who will be worshiped by millions of admirers from all over the world.




Creator: Ed Greenwood



Star Trek

"Star Trek" is a science fiction series that was released in 1966 in the United States. It is important to remember that at that time humanity had not even made a flight to the Moon, but was only dreaming of space travel. So the timing was perfect: Star Trek is the saga of the first human travelers to explore deep space, meet and learn from the rest of the intelligent races inhabiting the galaxy.

It all started when, at the beginning of the 21st century, NASA made an attempt to go into space on primitive ships. Then, in 2053, the Third World War broke out on Earth, after which humanity recovered within ten years. But in 2063, the first spaceship with warp drive (a technology that allows one to exceed the speed of light) launched, and so humanity first became acquainted with another intelligent race - the Vulcans from the planet Vulcan.

The Vulcans turned out to be much more advanced technologically, so diplomatic relations were built slowly, since the Vulcans were not too keen on sharing technology with unpredictable people who had recently carried out a massacre on their own planet.

Earthlings managed to build their own full-fledged starship, the Enterprise, only in 2151. Then the United Federation of Planets was created - a union of different intelligent races united for joint development and space exploration. It should be noted that there are a huge number of races in this universe, and not all of them are benevolent. So, there are, for example, the Klingons, who were previously skilled diplomats and peacemakers, but under the influence of politicians have slipped into warlike barbarians and, in their opinion, now profess the philosophy of real warriors.

The history of Star Trek is written in detail up to the 24th century, and each milestone in this history is marked by global upheavals - for example, bloody warriors with other races like the Xindi, whose philosophy is extremely far from human. And, surprisingly, humanity emerged from any trouble with dignity (precisely dignity!).

It should be noted that the action in this saga plays a secondary role - it mainly tells about universal human values. Moral issues are raised in almost every episode: for example, the viewer is asked to think about the consequences of the complete disappearance of a biological species and the like. In other words, the Star Trek universe teaches a lesson in a fascinating way about how important it is for people to remain human in any situation.




Creator: Gene Roddenberry




Song of Ice and Fire

The prototype for this universe was real human history: the world of “PLIP” is comparable to our European Middle Ages - there is feudal fragmentation, a lack of gunpowder, a somewhat oppressed position of the common people and, of course, palace intrigues.

It should be noted that there is no detailed map of the world, nor an official name for it. Westeros, for example, is only a separate continent approximately the size of South America; it is in Westeros that the vast majority of the events of the described era take place. There is another continent where peoples live, comparable to the peoples of our East, but practically nothing is known about the western lands.

However, Martin took the trouble to come up with a full-fledged chronicle for his world. Initially, Westeros was inhabited by the mysterious Children of the Forest, who later disappeared. Then the First People came there, ousting the Children of the Forest, who were gradually forgotten: the memory of them was preserved only in legends and fairy tales. Then they were replaced by Andal conquerors, who conquered these lands and brought with them the religion of the Seven Gods. A little later, the east of the mainland was captured by the Rhoynar, who assimilated with the Andals and became almost a single people.

In the east, meanwhile, the Valyrian Empire gained strength, from where the Targaryens flew to Westeros riding on dragons. Thanks to the dragons, they seized power, but after 300 years the dragons degenerated and the Targaryens went mad - largely, perhaps, due to consanguineous marriages. Then they were overthrown by Robert Baratheon, who later became king. And the rest of the story is known to those who watched the series “Game of Thrones,” based on Martin’s novels, or read the novels themselves.

Religion and magic, which is typical for fantasy, play an important role in Martin’s world. Westeros officially professes the Seven Gods - septons (as local priests are called) from the point of view of magic cannot do anything at all, and they do not have much influence on politics. In fact, it is just a formal cult.

But there is another religion, widespread precisely in the East - the cult of the fire deity R'hllor, whose priests have the power of fire magic: it is they who perform the main miracles. The fire god gives some of his adherents the opportunity to rise from the dead over and over again or see events of the past and future in the flames. Fire is opposed by Others - mysterious creatures that appeared from behind the Wall on the edge of the Seven Kingdoms - they personify ice. As the novels progress, magical forces, which the inhabitants of the world have already forgotten to think about, gradually awaken, and how it will all end is unknown.




Creator: George Martin

Fantasy is one of the most popular and sought-after branches of the science fiction genre. However, alas, too often, under this brand, readers end up with sadly similar works, written according to proven templates and repeatedly used patterns. So, in endless rows, noble warriors, bright magicians, colorful elves and stupidly insidious villains, “identical in appearance,” walk from book to book. Fortunately, Fantasyland is vast, rich, multifaceted and capable of delighting even the most demanding reader.

Today we present to your attention ten truly extraordinary fantasy books. This list does not pretend to be comprehensive - but each of the authors mentioned managed to bring something of their own, truly original, to the genre.

Plot plot: King Alethkar fell at the hands of an assassin sent by the Parshendi savages. For six years, his heir has been fighting those responsible for his father’s death. And less and less time remains before a real danger falls on Roshar, capable of destroying the entire world.

What's the trick? The world of Roshar differs from many others at the level of biology. The terrible Superstorms that changed animals and plants are to blame for this. To adapt to this unusual atmospheric phenomenon, the organisms of Roshar had to seriously evolve. The fauna, in order to withstand bad weather, acquired chitinous shells and increased the number of limbs. When a storm or any other danger approaches, flora has learned to hide in the ground or even a rocky surface. And people have radically changed the principles of building their homes: the buildings here are stone, low, heavy, turned at an acute angle to the hurricane and covered with thick, tarred wood. And no windows on the storm side!

Local inhabitants also managed to use Stormlight - the energy that appears during a storm - as a source of lighting, magic, and even a means of payment. Against this background, the rest of the features of Roshar (spren - elementals that are attracted to human emotions; converters - devices that can transform one matter into another; blades that cut stone like butter) look like only curious additions to the world.

Summary: Many fantasy epics can boast of colorful heroes, large-scale battles, exquisite intrigue and bizarre magic. Sanderson has enough of this, but the originality of his cycle lies precisely in the structure of the universe.

Jacek Dukaj “Other Songs”

Plot plot: going to the wilds of Africa, to the border of the terrible Change, Hieronymus Berbelek, once “the greatest strategos of our times,” pursued exclusively mercantile goals - to find out whether a certain Shulima Amitase belonged to the “rats” of the Warlock Kratistos, Berbelek’s sworn enemy. But a trip to the habitats of cacomorphs, which far from civilization take on absolutely monstrous forms, ultimately changed the fate of all humanity.

What's the trick? In the world invented by the Polish writer, spirit, thought, will rule over the mortal body: “The body is just clothing for the mind” (greetings from Aristotle, who was the first to propose the doctrine of matter and form). A strong spirit is able to prolong his life and remain healthy for a long time. A weak person who does not have a steely will, accidentally leaving the influence of the kratistos (local god), may completely lose his human form. Doctors are able to correct or improve almost any physical disability. And professional Ares warriors are capable of influencing the structure of matter during battle, after which their slightest touch becomes lethal. The local “earthly gods”, the Kratistos, change people and the world with one influence of their most powerful form (strength of spirit and will). Physical changes in the body are also not uncommon: the protagonist in the strategos morph is considerably taller than himself as a “merchant”.

All the actions and motives of the heroes are highlighted for everyone to see. There is no need for behind-the-scenes games - all you have to do is stand face to face, and after a couple of minutes it becomes clear to everyone around you whose will is stronger and whose spirit is stronger. A kind of anchor, a “lifebuoy” for the reader, dumbfounded by the changes that befell the Earth with the light hand of Dukai.

Summary: Jacek Dukaj didn’t just come up with another alternative world. He created a universe based on the works of ancient Greek philosophers, which is radically different from the one familiar to the reader - not only in religious, spiritual or political terms, but even at the level of physical and biological laws.

Plot plot: in Kabir, where most residents are mainly concerned with sword tournaments, mysterious murders begin. Dan Gien, nicknamed the Unicorn, one of the High Meilan, takes on their investigation. He is smart, experienced, skilled, but completely unprepared for what he will face. By the way, the Unicorn is not a person at all.

What's the trick? In this world there are two intelligent races - Humans and Shining Ones: a variety of edged weapons that mentally influence their carriers, call them Appendages and perceive them as a kind of “smaller brothers”. They seem to be living creatures, but with the brains of a butterfly. People, in turn, do not even suspect that many of their actions are provoked by their own weapons. Only gradually, after a lot of twists and turns, do these strange relationships turn into real symbiosis.

It is worth noting the magnificent view of fights as bloodless Conversations, showing not the desire to kill, but only the level of skill.

Summary: edged weapons have always evoked enthusiastic feelings among people. He was admired, he was sung, he was given names. But only Oldie took the next step, completely humanizing him.

Plot plot: New Crobuzon. A crazy city, a place where a variety of races, cultures and beliefs are intertwined in a phantasmagoric tangle. For some it is hell, for others it is a beloved home. But when something unprecedented and terribly dangerous breaks out onto the streets of New Crobuzon, representatives of these races begin to die.

What's the trick? The city created by Mieville is inhabited by many different creatures: ordinary people, intelligent cacti, beetle-headed khepris, grotesque “converted” ones, mermen and mermaids. Magic and steam technologies, social and racial problems, calculating machines and aerial monorails, Mad Gods and the Embassy of the Underworld... What is there!

It would seem that no one can prepare an edible dish from this bizarre mixture. But Miéville, taking on a burden that was too low for others, coped with the task very well. And this disgustingly attractive journey at the intersection of different genres will allow readers to reflect on many issues relevant to our lives.

Summary: Mixing genres, popular in cinema, is not uncommon in science fiction literature. But few people have managed to create such a vigorous cocktail as the master of the “new strange” came up with.

Jacek Piekara "Servant of God"

Plot plot: Jesus Christ did not die on the cross. Those who tried to bring Him death perished. After all, the wrath of the Son of God was terrible...

XV century. Europe has been hearing “Our Father” for more than one century in the version: “Give us this day our daily bread, and give us strength so that we do not forgive our offenders. And let us repel temptation, and let evil crawl in the dust at our feet.” Young inquisitor Mordimer Madderdine takes on a seemingly ordinary murder case. However, everything turns out to be not so simple.

What's the trick? Pekara's Christianity, which began with a failed crucifixion, is seriously different from what we are used to. It is cruel, unmerciful and denies forgiveness. Even praying to the Lord is accompanied by severe pain.

And in this world, it would never even occur to anyone to doubt the existence of God. At a minimum, because the Angels of the Lord are actively interfering in what is happening - extremely unpleasant types, by the way. Unbalanced, fickle and angry. Quite in the spirit of the Son of God himself, who brought to Calvary not peace, but a sword - in the literal sense of the word.

The celestials are matched by their earthly followers. So the inquisitors have a lot of work to do here. Bonfires, heretics, witches, sorcerers - and real ones. The work is nervous. One joy: after completing the case with the lascivious girl, somersault and a bottle or two of wine. Celibacy, piety, the sin of gluttony? No, we haven't heard.

In general, welcome to the non-idealistic Christian world with unsympathetic protagonists, after meeting whom you begin to appreciate Jesus “of our kind” more.

Summary: choose what happened on Golgotha ​​as a bifurcation point for the story about an alternative Europe? An extremely brave decision, especially for an author from Catholic Poland.

Susanna Clarke "Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell"

Plot plot: XIX century. Foggy Albion. For more than two centuries, the magic that once overflowed the Islands has been preserved only as a theoretical discipline. The best scientific minds are arguing about the reasons for this, foaming at the mouth. But there were two gentlemen who moved from words to deeds and decided to return magic to their homeland.

What's the trick? The gentleman magicians who are bringing magic back to Britain do not seek to enslave the Earth, endlessly rise above the living, or engage in any other nonsense from the typical list of fantasy sorcerers. They fall in love, quarrel, get into trouble, put a spoke in each other's wheels. In general, they simply live in their own world - harmonious, thought out to the smallest detail. And at the same time they represent different views on the acquisition and use of knowledge, on the interaction of the human and magical worlds. They express the spirit of good old England in different ways.

And, of course, they introduce the reader closely to the fairies. Creatures who long ago brought magic to the human world. Creatures who never thought of giving up magic. Creatures that are unpredictable, like nature itself, and capable of many actions that do not fit with human morality.

Summary: a rare example of a novel with a capital R, extremely atypical for modern fantasy. It’s like a greeting conveyed to us from the golden 19th century for literature.

Plot plot: something that almost all children dream about once happened to an ordinary girl Jane. She found herself in a magical land. But Neverland turned out to be completely different from what little kids see. And even meeting an old and grumpy dragon, which should have saved Jane from many problems, only ends up bringing her new troubles.

What's the trick? Swanwick's gloomy Avalon is radically different from the magical worlds created by more positive (or naive?) authors. Mechanical dragons with a bad character are assembled here in factories, gnomes are leading a revolution, ghouls resemble petty bandits, and the arrogance of the elves is comparable only to their contempt for others. Social challenges are intertwined with psychological sketches, the difficult story of growing up is intertwined with the study of social problems. Fairyland is interestingly thought out, well described and leaves a damn depressing impression. Perhaps because it is too reminiscent of our world. But is there any point in blaming the mirror?

Summary: one of the masters of cyberpunk, even playing on the fantasy field, did not want to give up the elements of social science fiction.

Plot plot: a distant country, the “Wild West” of the Earth Circle. What's the frontier without a gold rush? And then she came. Crowds of prospectors rushed to the West, awaiting them from tribes of aboriginal spirit people, bloodthirsty bandits and the remnants of recently defeated rebels. If you drive fast, will you die sooner? No matter how you drive, you won’t end up with problems. Especially if you, like Shai Sout, have to look for a gang of thugs who kidnapped your relatives. A gang that is heading to the very heart of the Far Country.

What's the trick? Abercrombie took aim at the classic Western, except perhaps without the great invention of Colonel Colt. Accurate stylization and authentic surroundings. The characters are all in the spirit of the “frontier” genre beloved by Americans. Bandits, “cowboys”, “Indians”... It smelled like Clint Eastwood. But the dark surroundings of the local frontier are too oppressive. Romance? Nobility? Loyalty? No, this is clearly not for old Joe.

Summary: mixing fantasy with a western, and even in its “spaghetti” version. A rare rarity, especially when performed by the apostle of “dark fantasy”.

Plot plot: The only miracle left on earth with cloven hooves goes in search of its missing relatives. Into a world that has lost its magic and memory of beauty. To a world where scary stories are told about King Haggard and the terrible Red Bull.

What's the trick? The main character of the book is not a person at all, but a real magical creature, moreover, capable of changing shape. By the way, the unicorn is by no means the only fairy-tale character to be found in Beagle's novel.

The author has achieved truly outstanding skill in word weaving. The text is filled to the limit with meaning, magically poetic, harmonious, exquisitely ironic, voluminous and very good in taste. It was like a dish prepared by a mother and tasted in childhood, when the trees were big and an unknown, but certainly beautiful life was just happening on the horizon.

However, the main advantage of the novel is that it returns to us a fairy tale that takes all the best from its children's colleagues, but does not shy away from the harsh truth of life. A fairy tale that is filled with magic, echoes of legends, and a feeling of the unusual. Which regrets the lost ability to see the magical side of existence. Which maintains faith in people and in the happy outcome of any hopeless enterprise.

Summary: One of the most famous fantasy works. Of this top, it is closest to the classic representatives of Fantasyland.

Plot plot: a guy named Shadow, after leaving prison, instead of the hugs of a loving wife and a measured life, gets a job with the mysterious Mr. Wednesday. And soon Shadow will have to meet very strange creatures and radically reconsider his ideas about reality.

What's the trick? Is the United States of America a land without gods (except for His Majesty the Dollar)? A deserted place, devoid of mythological history? No matter how it is! America, according to Gaiman, is overflowing with higher entities that immigrants from different parts of the world took with them. Each god is beautifully described and carries a national ideological layer. Gods quarrel, make friends, love and die. And sometimes they seem more real than most of our housemates.

The novel can serve as an excellent tool for studying ancient cults. It is also an ironic detective story with a fair amount of suspense, lively language, moral lessons and philosophical reflections.

Summary: This novel collected virtually all the awards it could get its hands on. And this is the rare case when a book is fully worthy of all the praise that has fallen upon it. A novel that allows you to get to know America more deeply and look at its history from a different angle.

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Stunning worlds. Gorgeous fantastic assumptions. Rich and non-trivial ideas. Excellent language and heart-tugging stories. Nutritious and delicious food for the brain. This is what distinguishes the truly bright, significant and original inhabitants of the Land of Fantasy. A country whose doors are open to everyone.