I love fantasy books. So much. They’re my favorite type of escapism! However… I am sorely aware that I, unfortunately, would probably not last very long in a lot of these magical worlds. Most of them are war torn or in the middle of a rebellion or are actively hunting down the magical people in their world and I am simply not built for that! But some of them, I think I can handle. I don’t think it would be inherently easy, but I don’t think it would be impossible. But where is that line? What is survivable and what isn’t?
Leigh Bardugo – Grishaverse
The magical people in this universe are called Grisha, hence the Grishaverse. Grisha are born with element based powers and are separated into orders; the Order of Fabrikators, the Order of the Living and the Dead and the Order of Summoners. Grisha in those orders are called Materialki, Corporalki and Etheralaki respectively. They are treated drastically different depending on the country they are in, acting as a respected branch of the Army in Ravka, valuable in the skin trade of Kerch and the scum of the earth in Fjerda. Grisha power can be magnified by animal bones referred to as amplifiers or a highly addictive drug called jurda parem that is introduced in the Six of Crows duology. Ravka is known not only for its Grisha population but its Saints, who are martyred Grisha across the ages, including the protagonist of the Shadow and Bone trilogy, Alina Starkov.
This one I am very confident I could survive in, but there are a few exceptions! If I lived in Fjerda I would be literal toast since they would burn me alive, and if I had to serve in the Ravkan military I don’t think I would be very pleased or last very long. If I’m a Heartrender or something really fancy (Shadow or Sun Summoner, Zoya’s all powerful dragon situation at the end of Rule of Wolves or a Corpsewitch, maybe even a Saint!) then my chances of survival would be significantly higher simply because I’d think that I’m too cool to die.
Laini Taylor – Daughter of Smoke & Bone + Strange the Dreamer
I would like to apologize in advance, because this one is a doozy. Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Strange the Dreamer are both the first novels in two separate series by Laini Taylor. The series exist in the same universe, but are mostly disconnected in their plots with some subtle hints at a convergence at some point in the future (pretty, pretty please). To make a long, long story short, a group of twelve Seraphim, who are basically angels, went on a mission to explore other worlds. These Seraphims, called the Faerers, split into two groups of six and went in opposite directions to cut openings in the sky into other worlds and see what was going on in each, creating the Continuum and introducing the worlds in which the novels take place and also their conflicts.
In Zeru, where Strange the Dreamer takes place, there are Mesarthim and Godspawn. The Mesarthim invaded the city of Weep from a neighboring world in the Continuum and forced the humans of the city to have children with them, resulting in Godspawn. Godspawn have blue skin and magical abilities that range from summoning rain clouds to capturing and controlling people’s souls. In Eretz, there is a war going on between the Seraphim, who are basically angels, and the chimaera. In the course of this war, the Seraph emperor has sired a literal army of bastard children, meaning he has kids purely to create his army. The chimaera have begun creating Revenants, who are reconstructed and resurrected by a Resurrectionist, who is based in a really obscure neighboring world called Earth.
I absolutely would not survive in that, actually. Considering that the main characters in both series die at some point, I don’t think I have much of a chance. Being Godspawn or a Seraph or a Revenant would be sick as fuck, though, minus the insane amount of trauma.
V.E. Schwab – Shades of Magic
Similar to Laini Taylor’s universe, V.E. Schwab also messes around with the fabric of the universe. In this series, there are four separate worlds, with only one thing in common, London. Each world has the same city, in the same spot, with the same name. There is Grey London, which would be our London circa 1817, which is mostly devoid of magic and heavily polluted. There is Red London, a city built on magic that smells of flowers with a red river running through the middle in place of the Thames. There is White London, a frozen, vaguely Scandinavian inspired city that is devoid of magic and starving for blood. And then there is Black London, the lost London. It used to thrive on magic, much like Red London, until the magic got too strong and turned the world into a void, causing Red London to close the gates into Black London and earning the city its name. The only people who can travel between each London are called Antari, people born with enough magic in their blood to turn one of their eyes completely black.
In the case that I’m a normal magician in Red London, I’d be thriving until the whole Black London plague situation. I would die so quickly in that apocalypse it’s not even funny. If I were an Antari though? If I were an Antari you could not tell me shit about shit, I would be absolutely insufferable. That would either lead to me surviving the entire series or dying in a really lame way halfway through the second book. Only God (V.E. Schwab) knows.
Victoria Aveyard – Red Queen
Based on biological mutations rather than gods or magic, the power in Red Queen is built on blood. People with silver blood, or Silvers, are born with magical abilities inherited from their parents. They are the royal class of Norta, separated into Houses based on their bloodline and ability, similar to Game of Thrones. People with red blood, or Reds, are born with no magic, meaning they’re normal human beings. They are treated as the servant class, most Reds living in poverty, lucky to even be literate. Reds also make up the bulk of the Nortan military, being placed in the most lethal spots of a war that’s been going for decades. The social classes have been set up like this for all of history, until Newbloods emerge. Newbloods are Reds with enhanced Silver abilities, which scares the shit out of the Nortan royalty, especially when they begin to join a troublesome rebel army, the Red Guard.
100% would die. I personally believe I would be a Newblood, which would make me a target for the Nortan government. If I were a Silver, I think I’d ally myself with the Red Guard, which would also make me a target for the Nortan government. Either way it goes, Maven Calore will probably get my ass at some point!
Kristin Cashore – Graceling Realm
Another biological mutation situation!! In the Seven Kingdoms, sometimes kids develop heterochromia and with that, magical abilities. They are called Gracelings, and their abilities are called Graces. They are also considered property of the state in five out of seven of the kingdoms! Graces are developed at random, ranging from super strength to mind reading or even prophesying. For example, the main character of the first book, Katsa, seems to be Graced with the ability to kill, but later figures out she is Graced with survival skills. Her love interest, Po, seems to be Graced with hand to hand combat, but uses that as a cover for his ability to sense bodies and minds around him. Later in the series they meet a Graceling with the Grace of finding lost things, and another with a strange sort of invisibility. As the series progresses, more magical beings are introduced, such as Monsters with mind numbing beauty and colorful hair, and telepathic blue foxes.
I would live so long, you have no idea! I am joining the Council and making some besties, dude! Plus the eyes would be so fucking cool! Set me up in that fuck ass cabin Po was hiding in at the end of Graceling or throw me on a boat with Hava and I’m going to thrive. I don’t even need a Grace! Just keep the bombs away from me and I am good to go!
Holly Black – Folk of the Air
Back to mythology magic! Drawing from the Fae of folklore across Europe, Holly Black places the Duarte sisters – a set of human twins and their older, Fae sister – into a world of cruel bargains and Fae glamours. The Folk in this series live centuries long, decadent lives where they make deals to trick humans into servitude and attend parties that last three days and four nights. These Fae are also physically unable to lie, but possess a talent for speaking around the truth. The only Fae sister, Vivi, just wants to go back to the human world and live in peace with her girlfriend. One of the twins, Taryn, wants to fit in and live happily ever after. The final Duarte sister, Jude, has a talent for working around Fae tricks, and has every intention of beating them at their games. Especially when it comes to the children of the Gentry and the titular Cruel Prince, Cardan Greenbriar.
Dear God I would be eaten alive. I want to say I would be like Jude and make Elfhame my bitch but I am just a little guy, dude! The Gentry is way too… gentry for me. Vivi and I would get along great though. Maybe I would be fine if I stuck with her. My fatal flaw here would definitely be my love for chit chat, I would be telling anybody anything and then end up in that lake Cardan tried to drown Jude in.
So, to make a long story short, am I not cut out to be a politician! Especially during war! And under a monarchy! I just want to gossip and go on magical, low risk adventures with magical, cool people. Any deadly situations they get themselves in are absolutely none of my business.
