Fun!

Thanks!

Oh, nice! I've read 58 of these books and a lot more are on my to-read list!

Good idea for a list! I've read 42 of them!

However, I don't really think Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, (but not the sequels - they count) and Artemis Fowl, great books as they are, really fall into the category of alternate England... yes, they're fantasy books set in England, but in my opinion they're not true alternate worlds like Nation, Northern Lights, Temeraire, and Never Let Me Go are.

There seem to be a number of fantasy novels on here that don't even take place in England. Surely everyone knows that The Lord of the Rings takes place in Middle Earth (which may be based somewhat on England, but definitely is NOT England). And while the Narnia books are partially based in England, Narnia itself (and thus the land that contains magic) is a different place.

Kirsten wrote: "There seem to be a number of fantasy novels on here that don't even take place in England. Surely everyone knows that The Lord of the Rings takes place in Middle Earth (which may be based somewhat ..."
I completely agree with you.

I went through this list and I too noticed books set in fantasy worlds instead of the 'real' UK, and therefore fully agree with Cassandra, Kirsten and Paul on this. I have serious doubts about the current #1 (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) as well, for instance.

I don't see how The Great God Pan (#323) should be on this list either. It is set in England alright, but not in an 'alternate' England, yet it has been added. Spooky, gruesome, scary, it can be whatever you like to call it, but an alternate England?

@Lee Anne
I'd be happy to remove titles if you want me to. Unless fantasy worlds should be included in your list of course (which would still exclude The Great God Pan, in my opinion)

Argh I typed a whole reply and lost it.

Shorter version: I didn't define the original category very well--never thought it would get this much attention. My original intent was just to start a list of books that still kept a "feel" of Britain while departing in some fashion (Jonathan Strange, Sorcery and Cecilia, His Majesty's Dragon).

I did mean to include fantasy titles like Sabriel, which start off in what is essentially modern Britain, but with everything north of Hadrian's wall as a separate magical kingdom. So I guess that would sort of include Harry Potter, too.

Book set in modern England but that just happen to have supernatural elements. .. eh. Not originally the plan, though if you push that logic too far they fit. So my inclination is not to include Narnia or Lord of the Rings, but I think modern England/Celtic otherworld (if it is also essentially British) is fair, and HP probably is too.

I don't know that I have the ability to remove titles from the list.

Lee Anne wrote: "I don't know that I have the ability to remove titles from the list. ..."

I have, so if there are titles you'd like removed, just let me know ;-)

Ditto here.