A Question of Imaginary Countries? --
What are your favorite "imaginary" countries from Literature?
I must confess that, for me, Ruritania (of "Prisoner of Zenda" and "Rupert of Hentzau" fame) has always been a favorite. And, of course, Leonard Wibberly's whimsical "Duchy of Grand Fenwick" is another.
What about you? What imaginary European countries do you like from Literature (as opposed to wargaming)?
Since this blog is primarily about my imaginary 18th century country of Saxe-Bearstein, I'd like to know what other imaginary countries have tickled people's fancies.
-- Jeff
5 comments:
Ruritania is a great example. But my favourite is the Grand Duchy of Fenwick from "The Mouse that Roared" by Leonard Wibbley (later made into a movie with Peter Sellers).
Baron Munchousen has always been a favorite military one of mine.
Then there are the Narnia Lands, including such places as Archenland.
Other neat places show up in The Black Cauldron: Caer Cadarn, Caer Dallben, Caer Dathyl and Caerleon or Carlion.
Of course everyone should know of Camelot!
Tolkein also had plenty of different cool places like Cirith Gorgor, The Misty Mountains, Mordor, etc ... too many to really name here, some having many names in different languages!
Through the Looking Glass also has some cool places like Jabberwocky Wood!
Ultimately the Land of OZ also has some neat places, Quadling Country, Seebania, and Halidom Troth...beyond the sandy desert wastes there are places like the Kingdom of Ix, Kingdom of Scowleyow, Aurissau and Skampavia!
Places like Shangri-La, The Kamarg, Londra, Dutchy of Strackenz, Thekla, Uranopolis, and Xanadu also conjure up great fantasies and mystery.
Murdock,
Baron Karl Friedrich von Münchhausen was a real person (although his adventures were later much exaggerated -- delightfully so, I might add). He was German, but served with the Russian Army (mainly against the Turks even though officially he was stationed in Livonia). He served during the 1740s, being promoted to captain in 1750 . . . so he is very 18th century. Here's a link to his Wikipedia entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baron_Munchhausen
-- Jeff
Hmmm. I have always liked the Grand Duchy of Fenwick. Must also admit to a liking for Ursala LeGuinn's world as portrayed in the endpapers of her Earth Sea trilogy although the name escapes me at the moment. Yes,yes. . . harkening back to my long-haired D&D days of the early 80s.
Best Regards,
Stokes Schwartz
I did say, military one, not imaginary - like the others...
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