# Best Fantasy Cities



## Hilarious Joke

I'd say Camaar from *The Lies of Locke Lamora*. Love the canals, the different districts, the elderglass towers, and just the general Venetian vibe.

Which cities do you like?


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## Rodders

Mega City 1 from Judge Dredd. 
Blade Runners Los Angeles. 
The Dark City. 
Chasm City.

OK, i know that only Chasm City is the Literary one. Do the others still count?


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## Dimentio

I actually enjoy Tar Valon, Coruscant and Rivendell the most of generic fantasy cities. I know it is boring and stereotypical, but such is the whole thing.

My two favourite cities in my own world are Culerica and Eolai. 

Culerica is a large metropolis which I would say reminds of a mixture between Petra, ancient Babylon and New York. It is located on the Corazünean eastern coastline (eastern Noviyaria) which consists mostly of a wall of sharp cliffs on which the waves are whipping all the time.

The city is located on a cliff which is almost entirely separated from the mainland (a part from a narrow isthmus) by two fjords. The city is carved out from the rock itself, and was original built by the alshatists. Its architecture is a mixture between most historical styles in eastern and western Noviyaria, which means large subterrean vaults, classicist buildings with cupoles on their roofs, extensively decorated facades. And everything two sizes above whats practical. For example an archetypical tenement building is the size of a cathedral. Inside, most apartments and spaces have been carved smooth, but still reminds more of naturally shaped cavern crypts than actual rooms and corridors. The city is electrified and has a natural hot spring aquifier which is a source of both running water and heating. Food must be imported though.

Culerica lies located in a barren coast, but surrounded by very resource-rich regions. Thus, it is the natural centre of trading in the region. The problem is of course the stormy and treasonous waters around the city.  The city authorities has cleared a path through the reefs and enlarged a natural cave below Culerica to create one of the largest harbours in the world.

Out of Culerica's population, about half consists of humans from over a dozen nationalities, while the other half is composed of goblins. Traditionally, the goblins are in control of the economy, through the clan syndicates. Each ethnic group has representatives in the city council, but the city's executive is a military governor of the Noviyarian Union. It is the only place in the Union where goblins and human migrants from provinces have the right to become citizens, and is the most multi-cultural place in all the world. There is even a small but flourishing Iadaryan community in the city.

Culerica was besieged in The Great Noviyarian War (7742-7753) and lost about 2,5 million of its 5 million inhabitants due to shelling, air bombardment and starvation. But during the decades which have passed since the war, immigration has restored the population to its previous levels.


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## Hilarious Joke

> Mega City 1 from Judge Dredd.
> Blade Runners Los Angeles.
> The Dark City.
> Chasm City.
> 
> OK, i know that only Chasm City is the Literary one. Do the others still count?


 
Well I did say _fantasy _cities, not SF, but for you Rodders, I'll make an exception.  Especially since I think the *Bladerunner* Los Angeles is also pretty cool.



> I actually enjoy Tar Valon, Coruscant and Rivendell the most of generic fantasy cities. I know it is boring and stereotypical, but such is the whole thing.


 
I'll also make an exception for Coruscant, because I _love _Coruscant! Is Rivendell a city?

Culerica sounds awesome Dimentio! Now tell us about Eolai! Please?


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## Fried Egg

The ancient walled city of *Xuchotl* in the Conan tail called "Red Nails" by *Robert Howard* always sticks in my memory. It was brilliantly described.

*New Crobuzon* in "Perdido Street Station" by *China Meiville* is an obvious choice as a memorable city too although it certainly isn't somewhere I'd like to visit...


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## GOLLUM

And let's not forget M John Harrison's brilliantly described Virconium.....


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## Hilarious Joke

> *New Crobuzon* in "Perdido Street Station" by *China Meiville* is an obvious choice as a memorable city too although it certainly isn't somewhere I'd like to visit...


 
I keep hearing awesome things about this, should definitely read!


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## Karn Maeshalanadae

It's hard to say....

If anything, I'd probably have to lean towards Kell or Tol Honeth from the Belgariad/Mallorean serieses....


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## Pyan

In no particular order, apart from the first one...


*Ankh-Morpork* - _Terry Pratchett_

*Minas Tirith *- _J.R.R. Tolkien_

*The Emerald City of Oz *- _L. Frank Baum_

*Castle Mount* - _Robert Silverberg_

*Merovingen* - _C.J. Cherryh_


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## thepaladin

There are so many..... but let me go back again to a time when I was still finding the wonder of the books...reading new the ones that are now classics:


Zelazny's  Amber or Moorcock's  Tanalorn


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## Karn Maeshalanadae

Hehe. I should kick myself for forgetting Oz's emerald city!


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## Omphalos

I really liked the idea of the temporary cities in Silverberg's Sailing to Byzantium.  Giving them expiration dates somehow made them more interesting.  

The city in At The Mountains of Madness was pretty cool too.  Cant remember if it had a name.  

The city in Carol Emshwiller's The Secret City was interesting.  An almost abandoned neolithic appearing city hidden in the mountains, harboring a few fugitives and castaways from an alien spaceship wreck.  Cool stuff.  

The city in The Caves of Steel has to take the cake, though.  Unless you are counting movies, then maybe the city in Blade Runner (the city as described in the book was not as compelling).


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## Omphalos

And Veritas in City of Truth by Morrow.  Loved that one.


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## Ursa major

Hilarious Joke said:


> I keep hearing awesome things about this, should definitely read!


 
Yes you should.


And another nod towards *New Crobuzon*.


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## Talysia

I'll add my vote for Ankh Morpork.  It truly is one of the most colourful, interesting and well-developed cities I've read in fantasy.


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## nj1

Krondor from Raymond Fiest's books was always one of my favs, the different quarters, the docks and the people made it an interesting place. Also his vision of the Great city of Kesh, built into a mountain plateau was fantastic.
An honourable mention to the fortress of Dros Delnoch (David Gemmell), not a city really but a fortress with seven walls each named to mirror the defenders feelings during a siege, very clever concept IMO.


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## paranoid marvin

Wouldnt fancy living in many of the cities already mentioned!
Would love to put my feet up quaffing ale in The Prancing Pony at Bree (as long as there were no Black Riders about naturally!)


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## The Judge

*Tristopolis* (John Meaney) is... er... interesting but not a place I'd want to visit any time soon.

*Ankh Morpork* I would like to see, as long as I had a very large police escort through the Shades.

J


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## Pyan

The Judge said:


> *Ankh Morpork* I would like to see, as long as I had a very large police escort through the Shades.



The Shades: 





> a folklorique network of old alleys and picturesque streets, wherre exitement and romans lurke arounde everry corner and much may be heard the traditional street cries of old time also the laughing visages of the denuizens as they goe about their business private.



As Pterry says, you _have_ been warned...


Forgot to add in *Lankhmar*, in the _Fafhrd/Gray Mouser_ books by Fritz Leiber, *Haven *in the_ Forest Kingdom_ series by Simon Green and *New York*, as one of the _Cities in Flight_ by James Blish.


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## jojajihisc

In Silverberg's *The World Inside* the cities are these enormous buildings called urbmons which span several square miles on the ground and rise a thousand stories high. The urbmons contain tens of thousands of people on a single floor and the singular nightly activity is to roam the building partaking in sexual relations with random strangers. I'll go with one of those urbmons as my favorite city.


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## manephelien

Ankh-Morpork, Minas Tirith and Coruscant.


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## chopper

none for Darujhistan?

Ankh and Minas Tirith for me as well.


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## reiver33

And what's so bad about Isengardl? I'm sure that after the war it would scrub up well and become quite the tourist attraction...


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## Hilarious Joke

Oooh I'd forgotten about some of these brilliant cities, especially Minas Tirith, Lankhmar and Darujhistan! I'd also like to add Caemlyn from Robert Jordan's _Wheel of Time_.


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## Daisy-Boo

*Ankh-Morpork* - I wouldn't mind being given a tour by Nobby Knobbs and Fred Colon

*Lancre* - I can't go to the Discworld and not meet the witches

*Death's domain* - not a city but who wouldn't want to see where death hangs his scythe?

*Nightside* - but only if John Taylor or Suzie Shooter is my bodyguard

*The Hollows* - I'd love to meet everyone at Vampiric Charms, including Jenks' and Matalina's 54 children.


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## Lioness

Coruscant and New Crobozun

I'd also like to go the University, from Patrick Rothfuss' _The Name of the Wind_. It just seems...awesome.


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## GOLLUM

Anyone mention Jeff Vandermeer's brilliant City Of Ambergis yet? Just finishing up on Shriek: An Afterword before launching into Mr. Finch.


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## Steffi

Oh I would love to go to Tranquility (Nights Dawn Trilogy)
Ankh-Morpork, as long as Vimes or Carrot were with me
I know it's not a city but would love to go to The Vale of Aldur


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## nixie

Amber would be a great place to visit. Also agree that Mega City One would be awesome.


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## Montero

Not necessarily a best fantasy city, but I would like to visit Jasper Fforde's version of Reading, with all the bears living in the Robert Southey building, the sacred Gonga and all the rest of it.
(Especially since I lived in Reading for a few years.  Dullish place as it really is.  OK but a bit dull.)

Sticking with Jasper Fforde would also like to be able to visit books as per his Eyre Affair series.  (Which is sort of what we are saying here anyway, but he does it a bit differently - love the concept of all the characters leaping to life as the reader turns the page, then sloping off once it is all over.)

On Fantasy cities - like to visit Feist and Janny Wurtz world the other side of the rift (what is the name?)  the Japanesey one.  See the Emporer's palace where everyone nearly gets killed.

Know it is sf - but in Peter J Evans Mnemosyne's Kiss, he has pretty neat houses grown from coral analogues, organic looking houses.

Mentioning organic houses - its not a city, but I really want a hobbit house of my own.


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## nj1

Montero said:


> On Fantasy cities - like to visit Feist and Janny Wurtz world the other side of the rift (what is the name?) the Japanesey one. See the Emporer's palace where everyone nearly gets killed.


 

That woulkd be Kelewan, planet of the Tsurranni, can't remembe what the city is called though.
_Surely Kesh would be a great city to visit, provided your allowed to the upper levels that is_


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## gully_foyle

*London Below* and another vote for *New Crobozun*. 

Can't really think of any particularly inspiring SF cities, except *Trantor *(on which *Coruscant *was based).


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## Hilarious Joke

I'm reading (and loving) *Red Seas under Red Skies *and I'd like to visit Tel Verarr, maybe because I love gambling and extravagance.


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## Arwena

I think Coruscant is the ultimate city city.


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## Window Bar

*Dale* in the _The Hobbit_. Where else could you scuba dive among dragon bones?


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## Rodders

I reckon that Alastair Reynolds Terminal World will be here a couple of weeks after it's release.


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## Rodders

Arwena said:


> I think Coruscant is the ultimate city city.


 

Arwena. My vote would be for Bespin everytime.


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## ebusinesstutor

Another vote for Roger Zelazny's Amber.


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## Stephen Palmer

Nothing beats Nessus... mind you, nothing beats New Crobuzon...

Nothing beats Viriconium... or Ambergris...

I may have to get back to you on this one...


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## Rodders

Thinking of Reynolds, what about Chasm City. Post plague of course. 

The decay, slime and broken buildings makes it a dour place, but an interesting one nevertheless.


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## J-WO

In cheeky cockney voice-
_
Mayyybe its becauuse I'm a New Crobuzonerrr,
that I lurve New Crobuzon sohhh!

_And what about Ol' Gotham town?They say if you can make it (as a masked villain) there you can make it anywhere.


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## Stephen Palmer

J-WO said:


> In cheeky cockney voice-
> 
> _Mayyybe its becauuse I'm a New Crobuzonerrr,_
> _that I lurve New Crobuzon sohhh!_


 
Are you a doubler?


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## J-WO

No, top-hated Sir. I'm a pearly king Wyrman! Look aht belowww!


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## Stephen Palmer

I hope you meant "top-hatted"...

I'm off now to sell some copies of Runagate Rampant.


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## bunnypeaches

I love so  many! Amber and Avalon from the Roger Zelazny series would be fun. But Tar Valon or Ebu Dar from the Wheel of time series would be my first choice. Does Lothlorien count as a city?


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## bunnypeaches

gully_foyle said:


> *London Below* and another vote for *New Crobozun*.
> 
> Can't really think of any particularly inspiring SF cities, except *Trantor *(on which *Coruscant *was based).


 
   Oh and good call on London Below, I'd love to meet Old Bailey and the Marquis.


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## J-WO

Stephen Palmer said:


> I hope you meant "top-hatted"...



Oops. Sleepy J-Wo!


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## J-WO

bunnypeaches said:


> Does Lothlorien count as a city?



Does Coruscant?


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## Justin_B

The City Forever
Rillanon


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## UltraCulture

A couple I'd vote for.

Yzordderrex

New Crobuzon on the Sea aka Armada.


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## devilsgrin

*Coruscant* is definitely one of them... and as Star Wars in not Sci-Fi, but Space Fantasy it qualifies anyway. 
*Tol Honeth* in Eddings' Belgariad/Malloreon. so pristine, so rich, so so corrupt. 
*Krondor* (its about the only part of Feist's works that left an impact aside from Pug...and the collaboration with Janny Wurts... which leads on to...)
*Kentosani *- capital of the Tsuranuanni Empire... awesome city... one of the few fantasty cities i would actually enjoy seeing in the flesh. (i imagine anyway).

Caras Galadhon counts as a city IN Lothlorien...


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## Rosemary

*Talon Spike* in the mountains where the winged Icari peoples lived.  Found in the books of the Axis Trilogy by Sara Douglass.


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## Rodders

Vervunhive from Necropolis. (Werthead will be getting to this Gaunts Ghosts novel soon. )


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## MeriPie

Definitely 100% Camorr from Lies of Locke Lamora. It's so rich and colourful, yet totally solid. You get the feeling that Lynch has got the whole thing completely mapped out on some massive cork-board, with photographs and fabric samples and little bottles of smells... Okay, maybe not, but he's clearly got that place totally sorted, and nothing adds a genuine feel to a story than a completely solid setting. 

I've got a bit of a soft-spot for Gotham too, because I just love really dirty, gritty, corrupt cities. 

Cassandra Clare's Alicante in The Mortal Instruments caught my interest too (although I wished she'd googled the name 'Alicante' and found out that it's an Easyjet tourist destination in Spain, not some magical name that mysteriously came to her in the middle of the night to describe a fantasy city), but I didn't think she played it enough. It teaches us a valuable lesson though, as writers: if you make a name up, please, please google it before you use it, just in case.

It's a pretty new book and I'm only halfway through, but I like Mark Charan Newton's Villjamur. It's another really solid place about which the author clearly knows a lot more than he mentions... and it's grey and gritty and if you get stabbed a load of beetles swarm up and eat your body. Why do I like such grim settings??


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## Snowdog

I few not mentioned:

Imrryr, the Dreaming City
Helium on Barsoom
TunFaire
Gondolin
Nessus

Amber is not really a city, but as a place, may be top of the pile.


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## Rodders

Would Arthur C. Clarke's Rama count? (I remember the inside of the ship being one citylike layout.)


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## Jon Sprunk

Sanctuary from Thieves World, followed by Leiber's Lankhmar.


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## Volkov

I myself prefer the Free City of Greyhawk.  Nothing is more fun than a city ruled by the guy who made the girdle of feminity/masculinity.  Of course, Zagyg hasn't ruled greyhawk for a while.  But still, I have many fond memories of it.


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## Hilarious Joke

> Definitely 100% Camorr from Lies of Locke Lamora. It's so rich and colourful, yet totally solid. You get the feeling that Lynch has got the whole thing completely mapped out on some massive cork-board, with photographs and fabric samples and little bottles of smells... Okay, maybe not, but he's clearly got that place totally sorted, and nothing adds a genuine feel to a story than a completely solid setting.


 
Great choice, and brilliant corkboard image! Love the idea of the little bottles of smells. I wouldn't put it past Scott Lynch, the guy's obviously a genius.


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## Nessa

Definitely Rivendell


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## Uraeus

Angband


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