Top 5 Sundays #13 - Fictional Worlds You'd Love to Live in!

Okey dokey, boils and ghouls, this week's Top 5 Sunday post is a little late. Okay, it's a lot late and technically it's last week's Top 5 but let's all just try to ignore that little detail, alright?

Now, this week's post is a truly special one - it coincides with the 100th, yup, ONE HUNDREDTH, such post over at Larissa's Bookish Life, the originator of this feature. Congrats, Lar! After just 13 posts I can totally understand the work the work that goes into them - and that's minus the headaches of coming up with the themes each week! Way to go, Ship #1!

Regarding this week's post, it's a hard one. Sure there are a lot of characters I'd love to trade places with but that doesn't necessarily mean I'd want to vacation - let alone live - in their world. I mean, heck, look at Karen Marie Moning's Fever series. Between the bookstore, Barrons, and the cars, I wouldn't mind having Mac's life, especially knowing that she survives her experiences as Priya and everything else her world throws at her. Others in her world, however, are no where near that lucky. In fact, when the walls come down, most of the Earth's population found itself collateral damage. So, yes, nice place to read about, great characters I wouldn't mind swapping places with, but not so great a substitute for the world as is, thanks but no thanks.

Another thing to bear in mind is that when it comes to the worlds of urban fantasy and paranormal romance, there tend to be two kinds: the worlds that know about the things that go bump and the worlds still in the dark about the vamps and weres and witches, oh my! If I'm going to be living in these worlds then I most certainly, most definitely, want to be in the know regards of what the rest of the world knows. I'm not saying I'd necessarily want to be one of the bumpers, but, seriously, what's the point of world swapping if you're not even going to know about the OMFG huge difference that just went on?

So, that being said, without further ado, I give you Calliope's Domain (belated) Top 5  Fictional Worlds I'd Love to Live in!


#5 - The World of Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews

Okay, so the magic's a little wild and unpredictable but even still this is one heck of a world. Vampires are the mindless, vicious undead piloted by necromancers. Shapeshifters are the result of a virus and live in clans overseen by one hell of a hunky alpha. Magic based crimes and problems can be investigated and dealt with by any one of a number agency, including The Order of Merciful Aid featuring knights and the mercenary run Guild. Sure, it has its problems - what fantasy world doesn't? - but by and large its interesting, unique blend of the magic and mundane. Literally.


#4 - The World of Jane Jameson by Molly Harper

Now this world has it all - vampires, werewolves, ghosts, legal rights - what's not to love? Plus, when you get Turned into a vamp, the (not even remotely) friendly neighbourhood vampire council sends you over a Welcome to your Undeath basket full of all your basic vampire starter needs. The fact that things will probably go horribly wrong soon afterwards is, well, to be expected. On the bright side, if Jane can survive, anyone can!

#3 - The World of the Metawars by Kelly Meding

Admittedly, this world gets off to a rocky start mostly on account of all the collateral damage inflicted during battle after battle of superheroes vs. supervillains. Fast forward fifteen powerless years though and the world has itself something of a reboot. Now superheroes are back and once more saving the day and, truly, who wouldn't want to live in a world so much like the one read about in comics? I mean...have you ever seen an ugly superhero? Exactly. Saving the world makes for hunky business.


#2 - The World of Sarah Dearly by Michelle Rowen

Picture a world just like ours except with vampires thrown into the mix. And by "vampire" think immortal, blood drinking undead human with super speed, super strength, super senses, and a couple other super gifts tossed into the mix. No reflections though. What I love about this world is that it has all the comforts of home tweaked with a supernatural slant. Heck, it's even set in Toronto.


#1 - The World of Kitty Katt-Martini by Gini Koch

This is a world with a secret agency run by alien who, to quote Kitty, "come from Planet Hunk, sent to Earth to protect and serve. And make the ladies happy." Yes, it's dangerous, with a varied mix of political intrigue, intergalactic subterfuge, and homegrown terrorism putting one's survival on the line over and over again. But it has hunky aliens. And an adorable super consciousness. And they use alligators as attack dogs at least once. Believe me when I say that if I could apply for employment at Centurion Division and/or its embassy, I would. Oh, how I would. Well, provided they offered adequate health insurance that is.

And there you have it! This (by which I of course mean "last") week's Top 5! Stay tuned...later today or tomorrow, LOL, for the next feature!

Top 5 Sundays #3 - Characters I'd Love to Have Dinner With!

Ah, tis Sunday yet again and that means, you guessed it, it's time for Calliope's Domain latest Top 5. Now, looking at the tone set by Larissa's Bookish Life, the character pool is not limited to just the worlds between the pages, which made this extra difficult to narrow down. I know, I know - I've been saying that every week but, heck, it's true! These can be some pretty tough choices, especially when I've only got five spaces to fill!

Without further adieu, I give you Calliope's Domain's Top 5 Characters I'd Love to Have Dinner With!

#1 - Jack Sparrow 

Ok, so this one was no contest. I mean, have you seen the Pirates of the Caribbean movies? He's witty, he's funny, he's unpredictable, he's...he's Captain Jack Sparrow, savvy?

#2 - Charley Davidson

 I made the mistake of reading the first book while drinking Coca-Cola. Needless to say, the coke went straight out my nose by the second paragraph. I adore Charley's perspective, spunk and attitude and would love the chance to pick her brain. Not to mention get the dish on Reyes.


#3 - Prince Charming

Now, let's be clear here - when I say "Prince Charming" (as in Snow's true love in Once Upon a Time - THAT Prince Charming) I mean the hunky hero running about the fairy tale world searching for his perpetually missing Snow White, not his real world counterpart, David. Charming was heroic, brave, noble and all those good prince qualities. David was a moron. It's an important distinction.


#4 - Jane Jameson 

Even if you ignore the fact that we're talking about a vampiric bibliophile with a head full of random trivia, a gorgeous Civil War era boyfriend, and a family that puts the "fun" in "disfunctional," we're still left with a vamp whose a best friend, wedded to a werewolf and one pointed voo-doo cursed by his mama, is, hands down, the most normal character in this book. Why wouldn't you want Jane over for dinner?!

#5 - Betsy Taylor

Betsy...Betsy is kind of like a force of nature who comes blowing through, causing upheaval after upheaval, leaving a wake of destruction, and then leaves you standing there blinking in confusion over whether or not you should strangle her or thank her. And did I mention this is the Queen of the Vamps initiated into the ranks of the undead after an unfortunate run in with an Aztec? The car, not the civilization.


And there you have it - my Top 5. Hopefully this will pop up again next week (yes, I'm still being pessimistic about this...or realistic if you think of my track record thus far). Until then...over and out, mes amours!