(Found) Searching for title of book about underground civilization that creates worlds in books

[pes013]

More than 10 years ago I read this book about a woman (or girl?) who travels underground after someone dies (her uncle?) and finds a whole other civilization of "people" living deep down in tunnels. She and her uncle were archaeologists or excavators or something. The people underground have some kind of magic to write books that create new worlds, but the skill is restricted and you have to study to master it since it's very easy to accidentally create unstable worlds. The people there have very light eyes (I think). I think the woman ends up living there and marrying one of them and he writes/is writing a world for them. But there's a conflict with someone who wants the writing of these worlds in books to be less restricted, which is the central conflict of the story. Her being there may also be part of the conflict. I think the underground people may also excavate the tunnels for some kind of resource.

I would really like to read this one again, if anyone can help! I believe I found it when I was trying to find out what the Dune series was, so the title may have some connection to that.

 

[PaulMmn]

This sounds like the books written about the MYST/RIVEN gaming universe. There were 3:
[from Wikipedia] The Myst Reader is a collection of three novels based on the Myst series of adventure games. The collection was published in September 2004 and combines three works previously published separately: The Book of Atrus (1995), The Book of Ti'ana (1996), and The Book of D'ni (1997).[2] The novels were each written by British science-fiction writer David Wingrove with assistance from Myst's creators, Rand and Robyn Miller.

 

[pes013]

You are so right! Randomly stumbled upon those as a kid and never played the game...maybe I'll look it up. Thank you!

 

[PaulMmn]

I've always liked the MYST games because the puzzles aren't contrived; they're things like finding the key, powering up the generator to turn on the lights. And, most importantly, you can stand around and look at things without fear of being killed or eaten!
--Paul E Musselman