Seanan McGuire's 'October Daye' by Sam Marchello Max Frei's 'The Labyrinths of Echo' by Alex Fuller Clive Barker's 'Abarat' by Michael Baker Brandon Sanderson's 'Alcatraz' by Cassandra Ramos Larry Niven's 'Ringworld' by Adriaan den Ouden Kevin Hearne's 'Iron Druid Chronicles' by Scott Wachter Philippa Ballantine's 'Books of the Order' by Becky Cunningham Douglas Adams' 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' by Adriaan den Ouden Alexey Pehov's 'The Chronicles of Siala' by Alex Fuller Haruki Murakami's 'Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World' by Sam Marchello Discuss On Our Forums

by Sam Marchello "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it." — Terry Pratchett, Diggers Have you ever read a novel and thought that it would make an amazing role-playing game? I know on far too many occasions I've dreamed up my own RPGs based on novels I've read. I am someone who lives and breathes stories. Storytelling is in my blood and as an avid reader I adore being whisked away into new and engaging worlds. I love magic systems, politics, history, and even sparks of romance. What I enjoy in the realm of literature is the variety that comes with reading a story from cover to cover and seeing what the end results may be. It's the same with RPGs. RPGs have the power to transport players from their couches into fantastical worlds. These worlds may be that of high fantasy, outer space, post-apocalyptic tragedies, and even alternate history. Role-playing games provide us with feelings that we can't often replicate normally. We have no superpowers, no judgment rings or FOEs within our daily lives. Like a good novel, role-playing games offer us a chance to explore environments that are not real, and allow us to feel like in some small or large way that we make a difference in it. Fantastical Worlds is a celebration of literature. There are so many amazing novels that the RPGamer staff feel could translate into amazing RPG experiences. From the Unseelie Court to hitchin' a ride across the galaxy, our staff want to show everyone some interesting worlds that have yet to be explored, and provide their analysis as to why these places of interest deserve their chance to shine. Let us take you away to fantastical places of that you've never visited before or retread some familiar ground that may need to be reinvestigated. Novels, like RPGs, are meant to take us to far off lands, and what both hope to achieve is an unforgettable journey like no other. I hope that you enjoy our feature, add new books to your to-reads list, and open your minds to new possibilities. We know our ideas aren't foolproof, but that's the fun of working with a world you've fallen in love with over and over again when lost in a great book. Special Thanks: To Sarah McGarr for all her lovely banners and to all the staff who helped in proofreading and participating in the feature. All artwork is copyright of their respective owners. FIRST ENTRY »