LIST OF FICTIONAL UNIVERSES

This is a 'list of fictional universes', organized by genre and by sub-genre. The term ''universe'' can be misleading, since some of them are supposed to occur in our own world, but in a fictional future (sci-fi) or past (Hyborian Age) timeline. Because one author's universe may produce stories in different genres, it may be listed in more than one place.

Contents

Fictional Earths

Fantastic Earth

Archaic Earth

Alternate history Earth

Future Earth

Dying Earth

Lost Lands

Extraterrestrial

Solar system

Universes including Earth

In print

In film and television

In games

Universes excluding Earth

In film and television

In games

Fantasy

Parallel worlds

In print

In games

Other worlds

In print

In art

In film and television

In games

Multiverses

In print

In film and television

In games

Other dimensions

See also

Fictional Earths

Stories taking place on an Earth that varies from ours in a few details.

Fantastic Earth

An earth much like ours, but with some fantastic twists.

★ universe, by Laurell K. Hamilton

★ Buffyverse by Joss Whedon

★ Cthulhu Mythos by H.P. Lovecraft and others

★ Digimon universe and Digital World within

★ Pokémon universe, by Satoshi Tajiri

★ The canonical universe of the Sonic the Hedgehog games takes place on Earth. In most non-canon, like the shows and comic books, the world is "Mobius."

★ The Wizarding world of the ''Harry Potter'' series

Archaic Earth

A fantasy world that is asserted to be Earth in an imaginary age of the distant past.

★ Hyborian Age in the Conan the Barbarian stories of Robert E. Howard. An earlier (but geographically very different) version of the same world featured in Howard's King Kull stories.

★ Arda in the works of J. R. R. Tolkien

★ Nyumbani in the works of Charles R. Saunders

★ The Earth of and its spin-off .

★ God of War of the God of War series of video games.

Alternate history Earth

The past or present of an Earth where history diverged slightly from our experience.

★ Timeline-191 series written by Turtledove

★ The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill

★ Worldwar series written by Turtledove

★ Wild Cards series edited by George R. R. Martin

★ Glorianna of Quest for Glory (video game)

★ Tarrantry created by Rick Robinson

★ Code Geass universe.

Future Earth

Earth as it may be in the future.

★ The Four Lands by Terry Brooks

★ Matrix movie universe, consisting of "our world in 2199" and a false reality created by machines.

★ 2000 AD (comic) (Judge Dredd ''et al.'')

★ Terminator movie universe.

★ Blade Runner dystopia, based on the book Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick

★ Third Earth from the Thundercats Universe.

Dying Earth

Earth in the distant future, when the shapes of lands have changed.

★ Briah - name of the setting in several novels and short stories by Gene Wolfe

★ The Dying Earth - Jack Vance et al.

★ Sunfall - C. J. Cherryh

★ Viriconium - M. John Harrison

★ Zothique - Clark Ashton Smith

Lost Lands

A land which is asserted to exist somewhere on Earth and which can be reached, usually with difficulty, by travelers. See also Fictional country and List of fictional countries.

★ Oz - L. Frank Baum

★ The lands of Gulliver's Travels - Jonathan Swift

★ Lyonesse - Jack Vance

★ Pellucidar by Edgar Rice Burroughs (inside a hollow Earth)

★ The Plateau in ''The Lost World'' - Arthur Conan Doyle

★ The island of Dinotopia - of author and illustrator James Gurney

★ The ''Lost'' island - from the television series ''Lost''

★ Egon - the futuristic world beneath the ocean in Lionel Davidson's children's novel ''Under Plum Lake''

★ The Country of the Blind - from the short story of the same name by H. G. Wells

★ Narnia - from the story collection of C.S. Lewis

Extraterrestrial

A science fictional universe consists of multiple stars and planets where the fictional action takes place, usually linked by some form of space travel, or in some cases by teleportation. The universe may or may not contain Earth (or some version of it, past, future or alternate).

Solar system

Our solar system in the near future, at a time when interstellar travel is impossible, unknown, or very rare.

★ Buck Rogers universe (comics, radio, television, movies) and Buck Rogers XXVC game setting

★ Captain Future by Edmond Hamilton

★ Cowboy Bebop by Hajime Yatate

★ Eight Worlds by John Varley

★ Solar System of Leigh Brackett

★ Space Trilogy of C. S. Lewis

★ Transhuman Space by Steve Jackson Games

★ Jovian Chronicles by Dream Pod 9

Universes including Earth

These universes usually are set some hundreds or thousands of years in our future, at a time when mankind has spread to the stars. They mention or imply the existence of the Earth, the Sun, or other familiar stars.

In print

★ Alliance-Union universe of C. J. Cherryh

★ Animorphs universe by K. A. Applegate

★ Childe Cycle (Dorsai) series of Gordon R. Dickson

★ The CoDominium/Empire of Man series by Jerry Pournelle

★ Dune universe by Frank Herbert

★ Ekumen by Ursula K. Le Guin in stories of the Hainish Cycle

★ Finisterre universe by C. J. Cherryh

★ Foreigner universe by C. J. Cherryh

★ Foundation/Robot/Spacer universe of Isaac Asimov

★ Gaean Reach (Jack Vance)

★ Hooded Swan universe, by Brian Stableford

★ Honorverse (David Weber)

★ The Humanx Commonwealth by Alan Dean Foster

★ Instrumentality of Mankind by Cordwainer Smith

★ Known Space (Ringworld) by Larry Niven

★ Lensman universe by E. E. Smith

★ Noon Universe of Boris and Arkady Strugatsky

★ Oikumene of Jack Vance's Demon Princes series

★ Pern of Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series

★ Polesotechnic League by Poul Anderson (Nicholas van Rijn)

★ Sector General series by James White

★ Skolianverse (Catherine Asaro)

★ Transformers multiverse

★ Uplift Universe of David Brin

★ Xeeleeverse (Stephen Baxter)

★ DC Comics's ''Legends of the Dead Earth'' which recounts tales of future versions of current DC comics heroes, set on various worlds, after Earth has died under unknown means.

In film and television

★ Andromeda (TV series)

★ Battlestar Galactica

★ Babylon 5 universe by J. Michael Straczynski

★ The Whoniverse of Doctor Who, Torchwood, Sarah Jane and other spin-offs

★ Farscape universe by Rockne O'Bannon and others

★ Firefly 'Verse by Joss Whedon

★ Invader Zim universe

★ Kiddy Grade universe

★ Leijiverse (interconnecting animé/manga works of Leiji Matsumoto)

★ The Lexx "Dark Zone"

★ Stargate universe

★ Star Trek universe by Gene Roddenberry and others

In games

★ Inner Sphere in Battletech and MechWarrior

★ Warhammer 40,000 universe

★ 4D Space in Star Ocean 3

★ Xen of Half-Life

★ Halo

★ Starcraft universe

★ Traveller universe

Universes excluding Earth

These stories describe settings with no connection to our existing chronological framework, in which the Earth, the Sun, and other familiar stars are not mentioned. They tend to be science fantasies.

In film and television

★ Star Wars universe by George Lucas (however, Earth appears in some stories deemed non-canon by Lucasfilm)

In games

★ Aon, in Lone Wolf, including Magnamund

★ Dragonstar

★ The universe of New Eden in EVE Online

Fantasy

Fantasy universes usually exist on single worlds; these worlds are typically earthlike, but differ from Earth at least in geography; they also frequently host animals and intelligent life-forms not found on Earth. They can be found in a variety of fantasy genres, e.g. high fantasy, heroic fantasy, sword and sorcery, etc.

Parallel worlds

A fantasy world resembling our Earth, forming part of a multiverse with Earth and reachable by magic, dreaming, or similar devices.

In print

★ The Dreamlands of H.P. Lovecraft

★ Eternia, from the He-Man universe

★ Everworld by K. A. Applegate

★ Fantastica - Michael Ende's ''The Neverending Story''

★ Fionavar in The Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay

★ Kingdoms of Elfin by Sylvia Townsend Warner

★ The Land and rest of the world in Stephen R. Donaldson's The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever.

★ The Lands of Dream (Perdóndaris, Utnar Véhi, etc.) in the writings of Lord Dunsany

★ Lenfell in the ''Exiles Trilogy'' by Melanie Rawn

★ Narnia by C. S. Lewis

★ Neverland by J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan

★ Neverwhere - Richard Corben's ''Den'' series

★ and, to a lesser extent, ''xxxHolic'' by the manga collective called Clamp. In the former, the main characters travel throughout various worlds, and in the latter Yūko Ichihara is known as the Witch of Dimensions, and people from various worlds visit her for assistance. Since the stories occur in parallel universes, actions in one of them can have effects in the other.

★ Witch World by Andre Norton

★ Wonderland and Looking-Glass Land by Lewis Carroll

★ Xanth by Piers Anthony

In games

★ ZanZarah in the computer game

★ Dark Aether in the video game (in fact it is a planet of a universe parallel to the Metroid Universe, which could be classified as a "future earth universe").

Other worlds

A world that resembles our Earth in a general sense, but exists entirely independently of it, and never includes any humans from Earth. Many, but not all of these worlds allow magic.

In print

★ Aloria, Mallorea, etc. in the Belgariad and Malloreon, and Elenia and Tamul of the Elenium and the Tamuli, written by David Eddings.

★ Alagaësia in the novels of Christopher Paolini

★ Bas-Lag - Setting for China Miéville's ''Perdido Street Station'', ''The Scar'' and ''Iron Council''; major city: New Crobuzon.

★ Beklan Empire by Richard Adams in ''Shardik'' and its sequels.

★ The world of Boxen which was created Clive and Warren Lewis when they were children.

★ Discworld by Terry Pratchett, parodies fantasy clichés

★ Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

★ Emelan and Tortall in the novels of Tamora Pierce

★ Estarcion - the world of Dave Sim's Cerebus comic

★ Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa contains a world similar to ours, which developed alchemy instead of machinery

★ Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake

★ Gwynedd in the Deryni novels of Katherine Kurtz

★ Jaconia - Fantasy world of Finnish graphic artist Petri Hiltunen's comic Praedor

★ Kelewan and Midkemia in Raymond E. Feist's Riftwar Saga

★ Krynn - the setting of the Dragonlance novels

★ Osten Ard by Tad Williams

★ Pegāna in the early writings of Lord Dunsany

★ Prydain by Lloyd Alexander

★ Randland in The Wheel of Time novels by Robert Jordan

★ The Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb

★ Thieves' World by Robert Lynn Asprin and others

★ Tlön by Jorge Luis Borges (note that even in Borges' story Tlön does not actually exist)

★ Velgarth, the world of the Valdemar series by Mercedes Lackey

★ Westeros in A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin

★ World of the Three Moons in the Trillium novels by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Julian May and Andre Norton

In art

★ The country of Iblard and its surrounding universe, as depicted in the paintings of Naohisa Inoue

In film and television

★ Encantadia - world of the Filipino television fantasy (fantaserye) of the same name

★ The Avatarverse - the world of .

★ Code Lyoko (Lyoko & Earth)

★ Koala-walla Land (noozles)

In games

★ Achaea, in the game of the same name by Iron Realms Entertainment

★ Arcadia, of Eternal Arcadia/Skies of Arcadia

★ Athas - Dark Sun setting, Dungeons & Dragons

★ Aventurien in Das Schwarze Auge

★ Azeroth, of Warcraft & World of Warcraft

★ Barsaive in Earthdawn (FASA roleplaying game)

★ Britannia in the Ultima series

★ Dark Aether, a planet from a fictional parallel universe resembling ours, but dark, in the game

★ Drakan in the computer game

★ Final Fantasy worlds - Terra/Gaia (Final Fantasy IX), Spira (Final Fantasy X), Vana'diel

★ Glorantha, world of RuneQuest, Hero Wars and HeroQuest roleplaying games

★ Hârn - world of HârnMaster RPG

★ The Homeworld universe of Homeworld and Homeworld 2

★ Hyrule, of The Legend of Zelda game series

★ Krynn - Dragonlance setting, Dungeons & Dragons

★ MageKnight universe

★ Midgard (Midgard (role-playing game))

★ Mordredica from the RPG Battleaxe

★ Mushroom World of the Super Mario Bros. video games

★ Mystara - Dungeons & Dragons

★ Nirn(Tamriel) in ''The Elder Scrolls''

★ Norrath, of EverQuest

★ Nosgoth of Legacy of Kain

★ Oddworld

★ Oerth - Greyhawk setting, Dungeons & Dragons

★ Orc Magazine - fantasy universe spoof

★ Ravnica in the collectible card game

★ Shadow World - setting for Rolemaster system, produced by Iron Crown Enterprises

★ Talislanta of the roleplaying game of the same name

★ Tékumel of Empire of the Petal Throne

★ Toril - Forgotten Realms setting, Dungeons & Dragons, including Faerun

★ Warhammer Fantasy universe

★ World of Darkness universe for the games , , and others

★ World of Darkness for game

★ Yrth - GURPS Fantasy

★ Zork series by Quendor of Infocom

Multiverses

Some stories take place in a series of connected universes, which may or may not include Earth, including:

In print

★ All-World multiverse By Stephen King

★ Amalgam universe (Marvel & DC crossover)

★ Amber universe by Roger Zelazny.

★ World of Tiers

★ Assiti Shards multiverse by Eric Flint

★ Bleach by Kubo Tite.

★ Chronicles of Narnia worlds by C. S. Lewis (particularly as portrayed in the book The Magician's Nephew).

★ DC Universe of DC Comics.

★ DragonBall Z by Akira Toriyama.

★ Eternal Champion multiverse by Michael Moorcock.

★ The Fionavar Tapestry worlds by Guy Gavriel Kay.

★ His Dark Materials trilogy worlds by Philip Pullman.

★ Kelewan and Midkemia by Raymond E. Feist in his Riftwar Saga

★ Landover universe by Terry Brooks.

★ Marvel Universe of Marvel Comics

★ Pastel (Pastel Defender Heliotrope) and Tryslmaistan (Unicorn Jelly, To Save Her), in the webcomics by Jennifer Diane Reitz. (These universes share a common mythos, and To Save Her adds another layer of complexity with travel between alternate "what might have been" versions of Tryslmaistan.)

★ Sluggyverse by Pete Abrams.

★ Ultimate Marvel universe

★ Valiant/Acclaim universe

★ Image Universe, Wildstorm, Top Cow, and others in Image Comics

★ The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy multiverse By Douglas Adams

In film and television

★ Diniverse - Paul Dini's series of Warner Bros. animated cartoons of characters in the DC Comics universe.

★ Matrix universe, consisting of "our world in 2199" and a false reality created by machines.

★ The Buffyverse from Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel (TV series), consisting of infinite parallel and alternate dimensions and realities. Several mentioned were the demon dimension Pylea, the hell dimension Quartoth, and the 'Wishverse' from the episode of the same name. Dimensions are usually accessed through portals and time often moves differently from place to place.

In games

★ D'ni in the Myst

★ Everway of the role-playing game of the same name

★ The Hero Universe from Hero Games includes superhero, fantasy, historical, and science fiction settings in a single time continuum.

★ Kingdom Hearts (Disney) multiverse: There are "impassable walls between the worlds (universes)" that were broken upon the arrival of the Heartless.

★ The Longest Journey takes place on the twin worlds of Stark and Arcadia.

★ The Palladium Megaverse encompasses all the game worlds that use Palladium's Megaversal system, most notably Rifts Earth.

★ Planescape and Spelljammer both linked the various Dungeons and Dragons worlds. See also List of Spelljammer crystal spheres.

Other dimensions

Literally.

★ Flatland by Edwin A. Abbott (a two-dimensional world inhabited by geometrical figures)

★ Planiverse by Alexander Dewdney

See also

★ List of fictional timelines

★ Planetary romance

★ Sword and planet