Synopsis:
Journey from fantasy mountains to super-cities, through piratical seas and up into space without missing any must-see sights – or putting a foot wrong with the locals! Whether you’re Lord of the shoestring-budget or Luxe Skywalker – Notes from Small Planets is your pastiche passport through the best worlds of Science Fiction and Fantasy.
Your ultimate travel guide to all the must-see locations in the worlds of Science Fiction and Fantasy.
The perfect gift for self-professed geeks and fans of all things genre – from classic genre listeners to new young disciples of nerdery. From misty mountains to wizarding schools, from the homes of superheroes to lairs of infamous villains – visit your favourite worlds and discover new ones – all without ever missing a single landmark or traditional dish. What’s orc for ‘bon voyage’?
My Review
When Harper Voyager put out a shout on twitter to review this book, I was straight in there. I am happy to say it did not disappoint, I have had an absolute blast reading this.
What’s it about?
What we are reading here is a long-lost travel journal, written by Floyd Watt as he journeyed about the 8 Worlds now lost to human kind. This is his manuscript, a lonely planet’s guide If you will, to those worlds. All ‘helpfully’ edited by Eliza Salt. Clearly those two did not have a great relationship.
The Worlds
Each world we visit is unique and interesting, from the plains of Mittelvelde to deep Space and everywhere in-between. Floyd tells us all, the places to visit (the ones to avoid at all costs), little anecdotes, suggested itineraries, the history of the area and places to eat and drink. Nothing is missing.
So Bloody Funny
The best thing about this book though, is just how funny it is. Properly laugh out loud funny, it is a rare book that gets me to do that. The footnotes that have been left in from Eliza are brilliant. Lots of snarky comments, digs and exasperation with Floyd in general. As well as the description of the places, people and activities on offer. It is so comical.
My fellow Discworld fans, have you ever wondered what it may have been like to be the Tourist? Wonder no longer, that is exactly how I felt as I read this. Everything is so vividly described, these worlds come to life on the page.
Final Thoughts
The story lover in me wants more. I want the tales behind the facts, what did happen between Floyd and the Bison King in that villa? There are so many of those moments.
This is so much more than a travel guide; it is a jump start to your imagination. It will leave you convinced these worlds exist and wondering why they no longer do. Fantasy and Sci-fi fans I would say this is a must have in your collection. It is a book I can see myself continually revisiting and I have already recommended it to multiple people.
My thanks to Harper Voyager for inviting me onto the blog tour and sending me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Final Thoughts
With his hilarious, insightful (and often poignant) observations on all things geekery, Nate Crowley has amassed a dedicated following of over 11k on Twitter.
A writer for War Hammer’s Black Library and a master of video game platform, Twitch, Nate has the nerd-credentials to take you on a journey into the worlds of Fantasy and Science Fiction like no other.
Nate Crowley is the author of a slowly increasing pile of books, and is an editor for PC gaming website Rock Paper Shotgun. He lives in Walsall with his partner Ashleigh, his daughter and a bunch of crabs and lizards and stuff, plus a cat he insists on calling Turkey Boy. He likes cooking stews, having baths, thinking about the sea and getting way to into strategy games.
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