Books like The A-Zs of Worldbuilding — picked by fans

This is an erotica book. It dives right in with the heat. There's a mystery element snaked between all the hot and heavy steam. Yvonne is inexperienced at first, but there are a plethora of kinks by the end. Recommended for readers looking to learn more about the BDSM lifestyle, as well as to those with kinky experiences. Consent matters in this book, and all the hot scenes have only consensual adults.

Like any good romance, there's a happily-ever-after. The mystery creates a high-action scene. Y is for Yes, like a rollercoaster, is fast-paced with excellent twists and lots of fun. J.R. Vincente has a distinct, enjoyable voice.

Twisted Tales has an entertaining, witty introduction. The stories fly by, making it easy to read even during short time periods. Great for readers who are short on time. It's a good horror book in that the “monsters” and horrific situations are realistic. I recommend it to readers who enjoy horrors and thrillers. 

The recurring idea in Sapo Saga is that everyone wants to be remembered, or deserves to be.
“Iris” is the story in the book I enjoyed the most, because of the deep philosophy. It also has the character to which I could best relate.

It's a book that is easy to read and enjoy. I recommend it to readers ready for something different. There is a complexity to the story. The ending brings everything together, making it more enjoyable with a second read. The uncommon storytelling boomerangs the story plot. All of the fascinating characters make this book hard to put down.

This book was born because of the A to Z Challenge. I've been a fan of this author for years, having read other books and her blog. "Ditz" is a fantastic character right off the bat. Bibble is a villain who is easy to dislike.

Excellent and imaginative alien races appear in this story. Stephen Fry would be an excellent narrator, especially for the part about the Jupiter Station facts. Adam made me crave cake. The book had me pondering what it would look like if my life flashed before my eyes.

This novella is sci-fi humor with a touch of romance and a quest for justice.

I loved the voice of this book–it’s the voice of Stephen King, clever, yes, and a brilliant novelist, of course, but also absolutely down-to-earth. King is a perfectionist, continually going back through his writing to hone it–a useful reminder to all of us not to be satisfied with a first or second draft.

The book shows how, in the best writing, both dialogue and plot arise out of character. And I particularly valued his emphasis on cutting, cutting, cutting–dialogue and everything else. He’s made me do that more than ever!

I’m a sucker for in-depth worldbuilding, and this book really delivers. Jess French cooks up a host of contrasting human cultures and throws them together in an unforgiving wilderness populated with fantastical creatures.

And thanks to her zoological background, the creatures have as much depth as the human characters. I’m already looking forward to the sequel.

This is my bible, the book I’ve read more times than any other. It’s three books in one—Wolf in Shadow, The Last Guardian, and Bloodstone. There’s clearly some direct inspiration here in relation to the mystical power source that keeps cropping up (no spoilers). Some things just get in your head and reintroduce themselves when you least expect it. Jon Shannow is my favourite literary creation, Gemmell my favourite author. Overall, heroic and epic fantasy has had the most influence on my writing style, but I’ve merged it with contemporary language and the vision of large-scale sci-fi. I learned a lot from reading Gemmell, and The Jerusalem Man’s post-apocalyptic setting sees the sharp-shooting anti-hero face darkly religious demagogues, mutated creatures, and insidious megalomaniacs. Shannow is a troubled soul trying to be good in a world of relentless evil, but Gemmell’s writing is sharper, less… show more.

For my bookworm girlies who long for a historical adventure. This was one of the first historical fantasy/romance books I ever read and I loved it. I remember really loving the main character because not only was she bookish and unintentionally funny, she was smart, awkward, and relatable. The story gives the reader a chance to dive into a culture you may not be completely familiar with and that accounts for half the intrigue right there! I love the lore, the supernatural elements, the history, the action. It’s a story that ticks all the boxes for fun reads and I’d encourage anyone who enjoys those things to give it a shot.  

Cyteen won a Hugo Award in 1989 and pushed the envelope on both world building and character development. For me though, it was the author’s exploration of what it means to be human that made this book one of my all-time favourites. 

In Cyteen, there are born humans and made people. Some of the made people are clones of a particularly powerful individual, but most are created to perform a function. These lower-ranked people are taught everything they need to know by ‘tape’, while they sleep. 

The book asks some deep philosophical questions about what makes a person human, and whether any of us have the right to create ‘sub-humans’ for our own benefit. These are powerful questions that still beg for answers.

I love everything this author does because his world-building is simple but perfect. The post-apocalyptic world-building in this story involves not only a description of mass desolation but also how that desolation has changed humanity. Of course, people are going to be affected by their environment – especially under post-apocalyptic circumstances – and too often I feel like characters in post-apocalyptic fiction are just the same as people today. 

Zombie worlds all have the same familiar feel, but I really liked the idea of how “tribes” of survivors had formed in cities and how these people had reverted to more primitive ways – if the world hadn’t functioned in decades, yeah, teens wouldn’t know about electricity. The world-building in this book covers everything from setting to characters to a strange new social structure that was really intriguing.