What Would You Choose?

I was wasting time on pinterest the other day (a site I usually find to be a little overwhelming with the excess of wedding planning ideas that get pinned) when I ran across a pin that basically said you find yourself in front of 7 doors. They lead to Wonderland, Neverland, Hogwarts, Narnia, Middle-earth, Westeros and Camelot. Which do you choose and why?

Which got me thinking, which one would I choose?

Neverland was kicked out immediately. I’ve never read the book, the Disney movie is not my favorite, and as entertaining a movie as Hook is…meh. That story has never really ignited my imagination.

Camelot was the next to go. While I love most of the Arthurian fiction that I’ve read (particular favorites are the Warlord Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell and The Camulod Chronicles by Jack Whyte), I wouldn’t want to visit. Arthurian times were pretty brutal and, if you were a woman, pretty boring. The two main females in Arthurian stories are Morgan Le Fay, evil and devious, and Guinevere, who brought about the ruin of Camelot with her relationship with Lancelot. The clothes were cool though.

Next out, Wonderland. I like both the Disney version and the recent Tim Burton version. And the books were pleasantly weird and full of nonsense. But actually visit Wonderland? Could be kind of dangerous.

And then, Westeros. George R. R. Martin’s series is set in what is essentially the medieval era. Except with dangerous and deadly fantastical creatures like dragons and the Others thrown in just for fun. The series is amazing but this is one land I would not want to visit, especially since statistically I would end up as one of the nameless peasants, only entering the story to be raped, beaten, and/or murdered.

So I’m left with three choices now: Hogwarts, Narnia, and Middle-earth.

I’ve written how I feel about Harry Potter before. It’s a hopelessly insulated world and while Hogwarts might be a lovely place to go visit, there are better choices available here.

The next one was a bit of a struggle for me but it would have to be Narnia that’s cut out. The books make it clear that Narnia is a beautiful place with talking animals and a majestic Lion for a King. And the movies are set in New Zealand and eastern Europe with some of the most lovely landscapes I’ve ever seen on film. I think what made me decide ultimately against Narnia is that we have seen the entire history of Narnia already. And given the choice, there’s somewhere I’d rather be.

And the winner is…Middle-earth! Although, if I’m honest, there never was much of a competition here. To visit the Shire, Gondor, Rohan, Rivendell, and Lothlorien? That would be perfection. The movies have become so entwined with the books in my mind too that visiting Middle-earth would be like visiting New Zealand and I’ve been wanting to do that for the past decade.

So what about you? Which door would you go through?