Hello, I'm looking for a book with fictional (i.e. not real-life) setting which is immersive and integral to the story; where the setting is so intertwined with it that it's impossible for the story to happen anywhere else. Arcologies, megastructures, unique buildings/districts/cities are more than welcome. By the very nature of the question, I expect vast majority of answers will fall into fantasy or SF territory; although it's not a prerequisite.
Examples of what I'm seeking for:
– New Crobuzon series by China Mieville: happens in meticulously crafted factional city with unique urbanism, species, history and general aesthetics.
– The Book that wouldn't burn by Mark Lawrence: happens in city-sized library
– Piranesi by Susanna Clarke: happens in building with infinite rooms
– Senlin Acends by Joisah Bancroft: happens in huge tower where each floor is effectively a world on its own
by Let_There_Be_Fire
10 Comments
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin
The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera
Blood Over Bright Haven by ML Wang
Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer
Fantasy: Riddle Master trilogy by Patricia McKillip
***Gormenghast***
Eon by Greg Bear comes to mind
Snare by Katherine Kerr.
The Bas Lag books by China Mieville.
{{The Surviving Sky by Kritika Rao}} – the city/building that they live in is intimately tied to their post-apocalyptic survival and the technology/magic system.
{{A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine}} – I found the setting well described and integral to the story
{{Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis}} – almost entirely set in a spaceship hotel
Possibly Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series – Ankh-Morpokh, the city where many of the books takes place, provides an overarching theme/vibe. {{The Jinn-bot of Shantiport by Samit Basu}} is also one where the city has a lot of character, though I’m not sure it’s described in as much detail as the books you mentioned.
Ringworld, Niven
The Telling, Ursula K LeGuin
Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds
Midworld by Alan Dean Foster
Deathworld by Harry Harrison