Part of Fantasy Worlds: A Day of Talks

Cartographies of the imagination, with Charles Vess and guests

We always talk about reading maps, and as lines on a page and, as two-dimensional depictions of a three-dimensional world, they can only ever offer us a representation of reality. But what of maps of fictional or even fantastical places? Why are fantasy writers from J.R.R. Tolkien to George R. R. Martin, in particular, so drawn to cartography? What do these fabulous charts add to the story? When did it all begin? How close do they map onto the timeless worlds they illustrate? Where does the line lie between truth and fiction in the weird and wonderful landscapes of gamers, ancient and modern? Our panel will help unravel the mystery of fantastical maps in conversation with the author Travis Elborough.