Books with the Best Worldbuilding w/ Alix Calfa | Mistborn, Wheel of Time, Tolkein's Middle Earth & More
Places of magic, wonder, and realism: we're talking about worldbuilding! Marissa and not-Megan are back in this episode with the best worldbuilding in novels. Alix Calfa fills in for Megan this week and together Marissa and Alix discuss a number of books, including novels by Brandon Sanderson, J.R.R. Tolkein, Dan Brown, and so many more. They also discuss books they have recently finished and finish the episode with a look ahead to next week's topic!
Places of magic, wonder, and realism: we're talking about worldbuilding! Marissa and not-Megan are back in this episode with the best worldbuilding in novels. Alix Calfa fills in for Megan this week and together Marissa and Alix discuss a number of books, including novels by Brandon Sanderson, J.R.R. Tolkein, Dan Brown, and so many more. They also discuss books they have recently finished and finish the episode with a look ahead to next week's topic.
Marissa starts off the podcast by discussing John Green's The Anthropocene Reviewed, which she just recently finished. We also introduce our guest, Alix Calfa, who discusses her most recent read. From there, both bookworms jump into this week's topic: What is the best worldbuilding you've read in a novel?
Marissa starts by discussing the types of worldbuilding in novels: imaginary, alternate reality, and real places. From there, the readers start with the King of Worldbuilding himself: Mr. J.R.R. Tolkein. Alix jumps into several great and recent reads of hers, including the Mistborn series and Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson. Together, the two bookish friends discuss a number of other imaginary worldbuilding, including Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan, The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon, and a few others.
After that, they discuss alternate reality worlds. Marissa brings up some classics of this type, including Twilight and Harry Potter and expands into a recent read of her own: Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki. Alix discusses the Akata Witch series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Ready Player One, Dune, The Forgotten Daughter, and DaVinci Code.
Lastly, Marissa talks about how vital worldbuilding is even in novels that take place in real places. To strike her point home, she discusses Lures by Sue Goyette, Villette and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, and Jane Austen. Alix finishes off this episode by discussing a few worldbuilding novels that were only "meh," citing Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, and others.
And, to end the podcast, we draw our next week's topic.
If you're looking to find Alix on social, you can find her on Twitter (@alixcalfa), Instagram (@alixcalfa), and BookTok (@alsbooks).
Want your question featured on our podcast? DM us your question on Insta and we'll add it to the book jar.
Marissa starts off the podcast by discussing John Green's The Anthropocene Reviewed, which she just recently finished. We also introduce our guest, Alix Calfa, who discusses her most recent read. From there, both bookworms jump into this week's topic: What is the best worldbuilding you've read in a novel?
Marissa starts by discussing the types of worldbuilding in novels: imaginary, alternate reality, and real places. From there, the readers start with the King of Worldbuilding himself: Mr. J.R.R. Tolkein. Alix jumps into several great and recent reads of hers, including the Mistborn series and Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson. Together, the two bookish friends discuss a number of other imaginary worldbuilding, including Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan, The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon, and a few others.
After that, they discuss alternate reality worlds. Marissa brings up some classics of this type, including Twilight and Harry Potter and expands into a recent read of her own: Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki. Alix discusses the Akata Witch series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Ready Player One, Dune, The Forgotten Daughter, and DaVinci Code.
Lastly, Marissa talks about how vital worldbuilding is even in novels that take place in real places. To strike her point home, she discusses Lures by Sue Goyette, Villette and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, and Jane Austen. Alix finishes off this episode by discussing a few worldbuilding novels that were only "meh," citing Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, and others.
And, to end the podcast, we draw our next week's topic.
If you're looking to find Alix on social, you can find her on Twitter (@alixcalfa), Instagram (@alixcalfa), and BookTok (@alsbooks).
Want your question featured on our podcast? DM us your question on Insta and we'll add it to the book jar.