this post was submitted on 29 Nov 2023
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If I love “unreliable shifting cities” narratives, like Dark City, Fallen London and the City of Saints and Madmen books, what similar kinds of settings might I like?
I'm not familiar with those, so this might be a bad suggestion, but the short description makes me think this may still fit, have you read The City & the City by China Miéville?
It's set in two overlapping cities, whose inhabitants diligently disregard the other city's until they formally cross the borders, and it's a crime to do otherwise. It's a pretty compelling read imo!
I haven’t but it sounds like I should. Thanks for the rec!
There was an okay-ish TV adaptation, it’s on Britbox or freevee with ads.
I stumbled across this the other week while trying to find the name of the book invisible cities and gave it a watch because the trailer reminded me of Disco Elysium.
Without knowing the original novel, I thought it was really compelling and entertaining, with my only major critique being the pacing of the final episode, but equally 4 episodes is such an easy commitment that I'd absolutely recommend the show if you aren't in the mood to pick up a book.
Dark City is amazing, I recommend that movie whenever I get the chance.
Hell yes. Man, the 90s even into the early 2000s we had some freakin great wierd movies. 1999 might be the best year ever for movies.
I don't think we will ever see an era like that again.
Maybe Palimpsest by Catherynne M. Valente? Her Orphan's Tales have some interesting cities too, but that's a bit of a stretch.
Again, not just one city, but take a look at Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino - it was a direct inspiration for Fallen London.
China Miéville might be worth checking out - go for either the City and the City or for Perdido Street Station.
Neverwhere, the book I think you would like.
Trying to find some other suggestions, maybe the movie Vivarium?
Was sure somewhere in the back of my mind I had something that fit exactly
I had never heard of it before, but I just looked it up and the setting sounds perfect. Thanks!
There was a pilot of a series that was never developed, called Parallels. People travelling in parallel versions of earth through a building. Obviously it ends up on a cliffhanger, but I loved it.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallels_(film)
Maybe Labyrinth or Time Bandits. They both had some 4D changing terrain.
Hazy memory that Clive Barkers NightBreed had similar too.