From Middle-earth to Hyrule, here are the 14 most imaginative fantasy worlds
By John Fallon
4. Middle-earth, from The Lord of the Rings
Compared to Martin’s fantasy world, J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth is more fantastical and populated with far more epic heroes, but no less detailed. Middle-earth is iconic. The mythology and history of the world undergirds every word, every sentence, every song. There is so much detail here, it’s hard not to be in awe.
A linguist, Tolkien famously created fictional languages spoken by some of the various peoples he was writing about. Even if we don’t hear much of any one language, it’s there, and we sense its depth even if we don’t explore it fully, which makes us want to learn more.
Tolkien’s goal was to create a mythology that would be distinctly British but separate from Arthurian folklore. To that end, he developed an entire history and lore for Middle-earth that is only hinted at in the Lord of the Rings. You think there are a lot of names to remember in the Third Age? Try recalling all the elves who played roles in the Second Age, or the deities who shaped and then warred over the world in the First.
From the Misty Mountains to Mordor to Rivendell and the Shire, Tolkien created a fully realized world where readers could escape. It might not have been the first fantasy world, but it’s without a doubt the most famous, and it originated many of the tropes readers have come to expect from the genre. Elves being an immortal wise race, orcs being barbaric savages, and a dark lord seeking to conquer the world…you can find it all in Middle-earth.
However, even if Middle-earth weren’t the father of fantasy worlds, it would still deserve a place of honor on this list on account of its sheer depth. Middle-earth is arguably the most detailed and fleshed-out fantasy world ever conceived.
