Parallel Worlds in Fantasy

In one possible conworld I am working on, the "world" is divided into certain "dimensions"/"worlds"/"planes"/(insertpreferredsynonymhere)/"layers", this structure being a major conflict element.

So, I wondering what sort of opinions people might have on such a concept.

And also, any possible reading that anyone could direct me to containing similar ideas. I'll probably have read some of them, but most books I buy on recommendation now, so suggestions would be appreciated.

Danthia- No, there is no group bouncing around. I should maybe rephrase and say that the "layers"(I've edited the original post to add that term) are an integral part of the conflict, not the plot. There is little to no travel from the "layer" where the stories take place to any of the other "layers". There is travel in the other direction, though. The "layers" are continuously interacting, and on a scale much to large for any single person to deal with. The "layers" are discovered (sort of), but only to illuminate the conflict.

It's a little bit complicated...

Tehuti- These are not really alternate dimensions. The "layers" are only related in that they exist in the same overall universe. Maybe "planes" would have been the best term to use, but I liked the implication of "layers". But no, they aren't really common knowledge.

I would say that from your comments, my concept and yours are not all that similar, though of course, not being too familiar with your material, I can't be sure.

Parametric said:

I wrote up some stuff about Anne Bishop's Black Jewels setting, but then I realised her Q&A page explains everything better than I could.

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Not quite what I was going for.

As for Pullman, I've read them. Fun, but not really what I'm looking for.

Okay, I need to be more specific. (Though, I'm certainly adding Black Jewels to my future reads list.)


The geometry presented below is somewhat simplistic; the reality is much more complicated.

There are three main Layers stacked on top of each other. For the moment, the top Layer is made up of a group of sub-Layers called the Realms, stacked vertically(No, I did not get this from Bishop, nor does the name deal with quite the same distinction). The middle Layer, where the humans and such live, is referred to as the Kingdoms. It is only one sub-Layer thick. The bottom Layer is made up of the Planes, stacked vertically. Each layer has its own entire system, mainly independent of the others. They are not alternate realities.

fullbookjacket said:

I would recommend some nonfiction science reading on the concepts of parallel dimensions. Parallel Universes, by Fred Alan Wolf, is the work that I read.

The concept springs from quantum physics. Quantum theory began when various experiments showed weird results in which light seemed to behave both as wave and particle. This baffled the observers and a seemingly impossible explanation was proposed; that a particle could exist in more than one location. This idea helped explain electron orbits around atomic nuclei. Forget the popular image of a nucleus and several electrons speeding around it in orbit. The electrons may be more accurately be described as existing as a "cloud". To do so, they must conceivably exist in more than one location. How does a hydrogen atom, with its single electron, function if that electron is in planet-like orbit? It doesn't. It exists as a "cloud." How does it do that? By being in more than one place at once.

I've probably made a ruin of the theory, because I'm not a physicist. Hopefully, someone here can correct my understanding.

Anyway, if particles can occupy different locations, even an infinite number of locations, one ramification is that whole other "parallel" worlds may occupy the same space. Theoretically, an infinite number of parallel worlds or universes.

Or not. None of this has been proven. But the idea is fascinating.

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I'm aware of the theory. Yes, quite fascinating... but I'm not sure how it relates to my question. It's sci-fi material, not really straight fantasy. As a note, I'm not sure the theory actually suggests that the electron exists in several places at once, but rather it has to do with the probability of the location at any given instance.

Danthia said:

Your layers sound seem fine to me, though it's impossible to be more helpful without knowing more about the story. I'm not sure what you're asking about really. If your conflict is interwoven with your setting and it all meshes, go for it and see what happens. Just be wary of spending all your time building the world and skimping on the story and characters. Your goal should be to tell a compelling story about characters with problems who happen to live in this cool world, not a conlfict that only exists to showcase this cool world.

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The Layers play only a very small role near the end of the particular story I'm working on at the moment. They're really behind the scenes background at the moment.

To give you some more information, the story takes place in the Kingdoms(which is actually just the closest translation I have right now for a con-word). Sometime in the very distant past, there was something analogous to an ecological succession, but relating to the metaphysical side of the environment. It was the first of three, the other two taking place after the portion of the timeline I'm operating in now. Basically, there are now two sub-Layers in the Kingdoms super-Layer, and the story takes place in the second. Because of the time-scale and inter-connectivity of events, I'll probably forget to mention something. So do ask for clarification if necessary.

Basically, certain groups are trying to reverse the split, or "Derivation". The second phase of this plan is in the works, and it involves the invasion of the northern half of a certain continent, where the protag's home country is located. The invaders are unaware that this is the actual goal of their invasion. For them, it is a religious conflict on an "earthly" scale.

Their God is a remnant of the First Empire, "Empire" being the term for each of the four Kingdoms sub-Layers(sort of... the etymology is backwords(bad pun), here). This God has been recruited just recently by the main orchestrators of this plan. In order to return the world to the it's state prior to the First Derivation, the new "Powers/Spirits"(again, a bad translation), must be sent back to where they came from. In the second stage, this means they must be returned to the Planes. In this part of the world, the first stage has already been mostly completed. Unfortunately, due to unforseen circumstances, the group who perpetrated the first stage are gone. So, during the second invasion, their work is undone. The first section of storyline ends somwhere around there; after that, all "hell" breaks loose, and it gets much too complicated to explain.

Basically, this is not your typical dimension-hopping action story. So, to clarify, my two questions are: "What do people think of this construct? Are there any holes, inconsistencies, possible cliches?" and "Are there any stories already published that are similar--so that I can be aware of what has and hasn't been done, and learn from it?"


Wavy- There are no extraneous lectures in the story, but I as the author am aware of how the system operates, and ths information is available in context to the extent that is necessary.

Hmm... maybe I wasn't quite being clear.

I'll try to explain. The geography and ecology of each Layer is fairly independent. They aren't "shadows" or "reflections", to borrow two common terms from other literature. Well, okay, the three main (super-)Layers aren't. In terms of the Kingdoms, yes, at the time of the original split, both sub-Layers would be almost identical in composition. But they change independently, and changes in one do not create or follow changes in the other. Each sub-Layer is concrete in and of itself. Moving between Layers requires actual travel through an area that axts sort of like a fluid between solid worlds. It's not so much that the mechanics are necessarily different from those other works, but that the content and relationships are.

There are "spirits" native to each layer, so in that sense, there are no "spirit worlds" in the shamanistic sense.

The nature of the Layers is clear to the extent that is necessary in the story.

AMCrenshaw said:

The Wizard Knight by Gene Wolfe.

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Yes, I've read it. Not quite what I was going for, but thanks.

Danthia said:

So if I'm getting this...the basic plot is to reunite the fractured layers? That's pretty cool, and I don't think I've seen that before.

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It's very complicated, but... Basically, yes. The antagonists want to re-unite the two Layers, to bring back the world as they knew it. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the second Layer came about after the split(Derivation), meaning much of it would be destroyed in the process. The antagonists are part of the second Layer. Thus the conflict.

Nivarion said:

this is an interesting subject for me, because i use the idea of demensions in the big story im using. (i have been told its too big, but its going to be a series, and a lot of the stuff i use is just sort of glanced over, a back drop if you will.)

the speed of light determines my demesions, the electrons in an atom move at about the speed of light, so a demsions with a different speed of light the matter would not affect the others due to the different frequency. (like radio waves)
it does play a big part, most of the story happens in other demensions.
structure of my universe is a circle. (infinate divisions)


um didn't mean to steal thread. send me some of them suggestions too.

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Well, I don't mind "sharing", I do that a lot; but no stealing, please.


As to your post, the world this thread deals with is huge, but I'm not letting that stop me. A lot of it is background, for each specific story, anyway. People have done it before and well.

I won't argue your science, though I'm not sure that's exactly how it works in our world. We call it "fiction" for a reason. It sounds like a very interesting idea. I can't think of anything off the top of my head that's exactly similar, though I'm sure there's something. Not much else to say without more information. I believe that'd be "infinite" and "dimensions", but otherwise, no real issues yet.

Nivarion said:

pointless post.



read sig, im self taught

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Oh, I missed that; well good for you. But since "dimensions" was mispelled the same way three times, I assumed it wasn't a typo. If I'm wrong, I apologize. I'm not judging you on whether or not you can spell "dimension". It's never too late to fix a mistake. Live and learn.


As to the first comment, I'm not sure what you mean. Basically, I was saying that what you posted didn't seem to have any problems, but it didn't give much information. I was asking for some more details, so I could properly respond to your request for suggestions. Maybe I was too subtle?