History FantasyCounterpartCulture / Literature

** The gypsies in the kingdom of Weinemaur are clearly based on the Roma, being nomadic people who have many different professions compatible with living constantly on the road, with some engaged with criminality as well.

* The Fremen from ''Literature/{{Dune}}'' are pretty obviously based on the Bedouins (and on a lesser extent, the Bushmen) while Caladan has a strong Greek/Spaniard flavor (the Atreides bloodline is supposedly descended from Agamemnon). The Fremen ''are'' descended from Arabs, but ironically their wanderings before arriving on Arrakis resemble the Jewish Diaspora (of course, the same could be said about the Palestinians, so it's not too far off...). The political system of the Galactic Empire itself is pretty strongly modeled on that of the Holy Roman Empire, with Persian, Byzantine and Ottoman influences mixed in. The {{backstory}} for the novels makes it clear that many core elements of these cultures have been preserved across dozens of centuries, and even justifies this by attributing it to GeneticMemory.

** On the other hand, the Rohirrim -- as noted under Film above -- ''are'' a sort-of Fantasy Counterpart Culture of Goths (or Gothic realm on Black Sea steppes to be specific), except perhaps with the Goths swapped for another Germanic group, the Anglo-Saxons.

** Eriador and Avon also seem to follow a counterpart Christianity, though with no Jesus figure.

* ''Literature/EmpireOfTheVampire'': TheEmpire seems to largely consist of several reasons of Old World cultures in late medieval or early modern period. The centre of the empire, Elidaen, has a heavy French and Mediterranean vibes and has been the traditional centre of power, culture and innovation on the continent. Nordlund seems a mix of Germanic countries, and is renowned for its [[{{Uberwald}}mountainous geography and hardy people]], though still culturally and ethnically unremarkable. Ossway is a mix of Ireland and Scotland, with highland clans brimming with [[ViolentGlaswegian red-haired warriors with heavy accents]]. Finally, Sudhaem appears to be a [[{{Orientalism}} mix of Arabic and African cultures]], with it's people dark-skinned and naming conventions taken after the Muslim world. All realms of the Empire are united by the [[Fantastic Catholicism One Faith]].

* ''Literature/EmpireOfTheVampire'': TheEmpire seems to largely consist of several reasons of Old World cultures in late medieval or early modern period. The centre of the empire, Elidaen, has a heavy French and Mediterranean vibes and has been the traditional centre of power, culture and innovation on the continent. Nordlund seems a mix of Germanic countries, and is renowned for its [[{{Uberwald}}mountainous geography and hardy people]], though still culturally and ethnically unremarkable. Ossway is a mix of Ireland and Scotland, with highland clans brimming with [[ViolentGlaswegian red-haired warriors with heavy accents]]. Finally, Sudhaem appears to be a [[{{Orientalism}} mix of Arabic and African cultures]], with it's people dark-skinned and naming conventions taken after the Muslim world. All realms of the Empire are united by the One Faith.

* Many of the nations in ''Literature/KyoKaraMaoh'' are vague approximations of RealLife nations, with Makoku being Medieval Europe and Konanshia-Subererea being the Middle East, among others. One of the most obvious is the Shildkraut nation. We are originally led to believe it's a parallel to Japanese hot spring towns, but then it's then used for a VivaLasVegas episode, right down to the lights being recreated with magical stones.

* In the ''Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian'', the countries of the Hyborian Age are transparent stand-ins for real-world nations or peoples. Examples include Stygia as a stand-in for Egypt, Shem as Israel, Aquilonia as Medieval France, and Iranistan as... well, guess. (Note, however, that these are supposedly nations that existed in the history of our own Earth, [[ScienceMarchesOn pre-continental drift theory and pre-mass migrational theory]], so the similarities to the civilizations that they would eventually evolve into is doubtlessly intentional.) His favorite grey-eyed morose heroes are all supposed to be ancestors of modern Celts. A folk etymology for ''Cymru'' (Wales) is attributed to the Cimmerians (Conan's people) while the name ''Conan'' is Irish. If you look at the [[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b9/Chrysagon_Hyboria_1024.jpg map of the Hyborian Age]], this becomes even more obvious. Aquilonia is about where France is, Cimmeria is where Scotland will someday be etc. Howard in fact wrote a history in which the beginning of modern European and Middle Eastern races are set out. So:

* ''Literature/AlexisCarew'': {{Justified}} by the second-wave Earth colonies having been settled by individual nations, instead of trying for melting pots as happened in the first-wave colonies only for them to instead fall apart in sectarian warfare.

* In Patrick Tilley's ''Amtrak Wars'' the Mutes are clearly First Nations while the Iron Masters are basically SteamPunk {{Samurai}}.

* In ''Literature/TheBelgariad'' by Creator/DavidEddings and his wife, Leigh Eddings, there are a number of separate races who came under the influence of particular gods who moulded them one way or another (and, it is implied, not just culturally, going by the physical influence Aldur's patronage has on his disciples). Each has a number of subdivisions.

* ''Bio of a Space Tyrant'': The Earth nations have colonized the Solar System -- North and South Jupiter were colonised by N/S America respectively; Mars by Arab nations; Saturn by Asia; Uranus by Europe etc. They develop [[SubspaceOrHyperspace Hyperspace]] travel and plan to [[ConstellationsAsLocations colonize the Galaxy by constellations]]: USA get the Eagle, Russia gets the Bear, China gets the Dragon.

* ''Literature/TheBookOfDragons'': "Literature/{{Habitat}}" straddles the line between this and a fantasized version of the real Middle Ages. The protagonist's home country is based on medieval England, while Outremer is split between a nation very like the Byzantine Empire and its distinctly Arabic foes.

* Literature/TheBrightestShadow: Heavily downplayed. Though many of the cultures have clear Asian inspiration, they rarely match any real culture for more than a few elements.

* In Creator/TerryPratchett's ''Literature/TheCarpetPeople'' the Dumii are clearly the Roman Empire.
* Creator/TheaBeckman's ''Literature/ChildrenOfMotherEarth'' has the attacking nation of "Baden" which is creepily similar to UsefulNotes/NaziGermany.
* Creator/RogerZelazny's ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfAmber'' claims that every world in existence exists in Shadow, as a reflection of the True World, Amber. Hence, several cultures of Earth are pointed out to be reflections of some part of Amber (and several famous historical figures are said to have been trained by the long-lived Amberites).

* The titular culture of P.C. Hodgell's ''Literature/ChroniclesOfTheKencyrath'' has a LOT of Jewish parallels, being the Chosen People of a very strict God who have Temples and Books of Law; furthermore, they're exiles and nomads. Their religion emphasizes obedience to the Law over faith, and their God isn't all that nice. A number of Kencyr have Hebrew-influenced names, the protagonist among them (Jamethiel, with the Hebrew -el "of God" ending). Aspects of their culture, though, have other influences; their honor code and ritual suicide traditions, and martial arts have some Japanese parallels, while the segregation and hiding behind masks of Highborn women draws comparison to Islam.
* ''Literature/ChroniclesOfMagic'' has the Falians, or "people of Fa" -- a country a lot like ancient Japan whose inhabitants are beautiful, dark-skinned people with snow-white hair and ruby-red eyes.
* Calormen, in Creator/CSLewis' ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'', is Middle Eastern with Ottoman/Turkish influences, with a specific takeoff on the ancient Carthaginian religion as a plot point. Notably, the Calormenes are explicitly pagan, not monotheists -- their religion is ''not'' a fantasy counterpart of Islam. The Calormen, like the Archenlanders, are descendants of of the original King and Queen of Narnia.

* In ''Literature/TheCinderSpires'' by Creator/JimButcher, humanity lives in towering arcologies called "spires". The main setting is Spire Albion, a constitutional monarchy and major naval power where all the characters have distinctly British names and are fond of tea. Spire Albion's archrival, Spire Aurora, appears to be based on the Spanish Empire.

* Much of the work of Creator/CJCherryh is powered by this trope.

* Robert E. Howard's stories about Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian, where the countries of the Hyborian Age are transparent stand-ins for real-world nations or peoples. Examples include Stygia as a stand-in for Egypt, Shem as Israel, Aquilonia as Medieval France, and Iranistan as... well, guess. (Note, however, that these are supposedly nations that existed in the history of our own Earth, [[ScienceMarchesOn pre-continental drift theory and pre-mass migrational theory]], so the similarities to the civilizations that they would eventually evolve into is doubtlessly intentional.) His favorite grey-eyed morose heroes are all supposed to be ancestors of modern Celts. A folk etymology for ''Cymru'' (Wales) is attributed to the Cimmerians (Conan's people) while the name ''Conan'' is Irish.
** If you look at the [[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b9/Chrysagon_Hyboria_1024.jpg map of the Hyborian Age]], this becomes even more obvious. Aquilonia is about where France is, Cimmeria is where Scotland will someday be etc. Howard in fact wrote a history in which the beginning of modern European and Middle Eastern races are set out.
** So:
*** Nordheimer : Norses.
*** Picts : Amerindians.
*** Cimmerians : Celts.
*** Hyborians : Western Europeans.
*** Zingarans: Spanish.
*** Shemites : Arabs.
*** Stygians : Egyptians.
*** Kushites : Ethiopians.
*** Darfari : Africans.
*** Zamorans : Gypsies.
*** Hyrkanians : Mongols.
*** Himelians : Afghans.
*** Vendhyans : Indians.
*** Khitans : Chinese.
* In ''Literature/TheCourseOfEmpire'' and ''Literature/TheCrucibleOfEmpire'' the author claims to be consciously writing an analogue to Rome conquering then being assimilated by Greeks with the Jao as Romans and the Humans as Greeks.

* While The Hundred, the central culture in Kate Eliott's ''Crossroads'' trilogy doesn't seem to be based on any particular culture the Sirniakan Empire is very similar to the Ottoman Empire, and the Qin are very Mongolish with some Japanese samurai added in while the towns of the Golden Road they conquered seems very Chinese and the Silvers are reminiscent of Jews.

* The Dunwych tribals of ''Literature/CthulhuArmageddon'' by Creator/CTPhipps for Native Americans. They are also a subversion in that they are one of the most technologically adept peoples and have access to the most knowledge from before the Rising. It's just that they are also a tribal people, ecologically integrated, worshipers of the Great Old Ones, and take names based upon their deeds as often as not.

* Creator/DavidWeber:
** The ''Literature/HonorHarrington'' series is based on this trope, since its pretty much the Napoleonic Wars [[RecycledInSPACE in space.]] Some are blatantly obvious, while others are little vague. Much fun can be had by history buffs trying to match up the Honorverse star nation with their historical counterpart. A few more obvious examples:
*** The Star Kingdom of Manticore itself is pretty much Britain in the 1800s, minus the empire (although it does become an empire in later books). They have a [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething monarchy and active aristocracy]] coexisting with a democracy. Its three planets, Manticore, Sphinx, and Gryphon, correspond to England, Wales, and Scotland (especially that last one). And it's a mercantile superpower.
*** Ruthlessly exploited with The [[PeoplesRepublicOfTyranny People's Republic of Haven]], which Weber spends eight books making you ''think'' is pre-Revolutionary France in the late 1700s with a veneer of democracy. Then it undergoes its own revolution, run by a Committee of Public Safety, which is led by a man named Rob S. Pierre. And its capital city is named Nouveau Paris. This is all so he can distract readers with ''those'' parallels right up until [[OffTheRails he blows up Napoleon]]. Eventually, [[spoiler:it becomes a genuine democracy modeled on the modern United States, and drops the "People's" part from its name]].
*** The Andermani Empire is explicitly based on Prussia - its founder, Gustav Anderman, believed he was the reincarnation of Frederick the Great. The Empire's official language is German, although most of its population is ethnically Chinese, so you got names like Chien-lu Anderman.
*** Grayson admits that it's Meiji-era Japan, complete with katanas. However, its actual cultural background is the DeepSouth.
*** Subverted in the case of Masada, which has a lot in common with Taliban-run Afghanistan (veiled women, strict religious laws, and a government composed entirely of religious fanatics)... except that the Masadans first appeared in ''Honor of the Queen'', published in 1993, and the Taliban only came to power in 1996.
*** Weber himself compared the Kingdom of Torch to 19th-century Haiti following the slave uprising there, only more stable and backed by several major powers.
*** The one surefire aversion is the Solarian League, which is far too big for any historical parallel. Weber once said "If the Solarian League is the United States, then Haven and Manticore might as well be individual counties in California".
** Weber's later work the ''Literature/{{Safehold}}'' series is set nearly 1000 years after humanity started a Lost Colony and had the project heads disagree about how deep the SpaceAmish needed to go. The winners implemented a religion designed to prevent technology that would attract the ScaryDogmaticAliens that destroyed the rest of humanity. The conflict over this results in a religion [[CrystalDragonJesus very similar to Medieval Catholic Christianity]]. In addition, the main setting is TheGoodKingdom of Charis, a (relatively) progressive and free-thinking island nation, with a powerful navy; it is visited by the protagonist, a cyborg copy of the executive officer of the colonists' escort fleet, who [[GenderBender disguises herself as a man]] named Merlin, and greatly strengthens and enriches it, including establishing something very similar to Anglicanism. There is also the Republic of Siddarmark, comparable to the Austrian Empire in function and culture, Charis is England, Emerald is Ireland, Chisholm is Sweden, Corisande is France, and Harchong is comparable to China. (It is a large feudal empire, famous for fine silk, and gunpowder was (re)-invented there.) At one point in the first book Charis is explicitly compared to late-Renaissance/early Industrial Revolution England or Holland.
* Creator/KatherineKurtz's Literature/{{Deryni}} works:

** The Empire (of the Counterweight Continent) keeps out foreigners by building a huge wall across the border. (It doesn't work, but then it's ''really'' there to keep the people in, so they don't notice outsiders ''aren't'' invisible vampire ghosts [i.e. Gwai Lo].) By and large, the Agatean Empire's approach to foreign policy was to pretend the rest of the Disc didn't exist. This is pretty close to Imperial China (as well as pre-modern Japan; the Empire is both).

** The dwarfs of Discworld are a partially-unintentional neutral-to-positive version of SpaceJews (see that page for a more detailed exploration of how some Jewish fans may have realized it before Pratchett himself).

* In the ''Literature/DrakeMaijstral'' series by Creator/WalterJonWilliams, the Khosali, one-time conquerors of Earth, are modeled on the British Empire. Very proper, very strict, very formal, very prudish (in their alien way)--very Victorian.

* ''Literature/{{Drenai}}'' saga:
** The Nadir, especially their portrayal in ''Literature/{{Legend|1984}}'', are basically Mongols and their leader a Genghis Khan {{Expy}}.

** The Fremen religion is a cross between Islam and Buddhism. The name "Zensunni" is used a lot. Also, the Orange Catholic Bible -- clearly, radical Protestantism and Catholicism have merged.
*** And the tidbit about their crysknives [[DrawSwordDrawBlood needing to draw blood before being sheathed]] used to be said of Nepalese kukris (though Gurkhas probably didn't take it as seriously as the Fremen), maybe explaining the "Zen" part.
** The prequel Butlerian Jihad books make it clear that the Agamemnon from whom the Atreides line descends was NOT the historic Agamemnon, but rather a fictional future-cyborg-warlord of the same name. Don't think it's explicitly stated anywhere that this Agamemnon is himself descended from the historic one. Of course, as the prequels were written by Frank Herbert's son, this interpretation may diverge from what the original author intended.
*** The implication is in the name. Agamemnon and Menelaos are collectively referred to in Literature/TheIliad as the "sons of Atreus" or, for short ''the Atreids''. Then again, Herbert indulges so heavily in FutureImperfect (according to the history of the setting the first Padishah-Emperor was UsefulNotes/AlexanderTheGreat, and Washington was the name of the first noble house to use atomic weapons in war) the two may very well have gotten conflated somewhere along the line.

* ''Literature/AnExerciseinFutility'' has the Kalharian Empire, with a few similarities to Ancient Rome. They're both the same kind of TheEmpire
* When Fritz Leiber's heroes Literature/FafhrdAndTheGrayMouser get lost in Ningauble's caves and emerge on Earth, their personal histories and memories are altered appropriately. Fafhrd is, not surprisingly, now Scandinavian, and Lankhmar is replaced by Alexandria. The [[WordOfGod real reason]] for this is that "Adept's Gambit" was an early story Leiber had written prior to creating the his world of Nehwon, and he later used the "Ningauble's interdimensional caverns" gimmick to shoehorn it into canon.
* The unnamed kingdom in Delia sherman's ''The Fall of Kings'' is clearly based on late 17th-early 18th century Britain with the North and South standing in for Scotland and England respectively. There doesn't seem to be an analog for Wales. Kyros is meant to be Greece, more specifically Crete.

* Joe Abercrombie's ''Literature/TheFirstLaw'' has a huge country called The Union, which rather resembles the Holy Roman Empire. Much of the action takes place in the province of Angland, where the characters fight against the Celt-based Northmen. The Old Empire, a ruined former powerful empire, resembles the Roman Empire down to names and architecture. Styria, being a collection of warring mercantile city-states, resembles Renaissance Italy, also down to the names. Gurkhul is loosely based on the Ottoman Empire, having also absorbed a number of Middle Eastern and African influences from its conquered territories.

* ''Literature/TheGodEaters'': Set in a version of TheWildWest or a generic American Southwest during the UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny period.

* Karen Miller's ''Literature/GodspeakerTrilogy'' has a number of these. Mijak is based on the Hittites and Summerians. Etherea has elements of [[TheMiddleAges Medieval England]]. Thzung-tzhungchai is clearly based on China (Haisun probably too, but we never get to see any of it) and Arbenia and Harbisland have very definite German traits.
* John Norman's ''Literature/{{Gor}}'' series actually explains this in the {{backstory}}: the humans are literally descended from people from various Earth cultures and time periods brought to the eponymous planet by aliens. Specifically the main human culture is based on Greco-Roman and there are analogues of Vikings, Inuit, Plains Native Americans, Sub-Saharan Africans, Arabs, and others around the fringes.
* The shared universe of Leigh Bardugo's ''Literature/TheGrishaTrilogy'' and ''Literature/SixOfCrows'' features several. The most prominent is Ravka, based on Czarist Russia. There's also Shu Han, based on China, Fjerda, based on the Nordic countries, Kerch, based on the Netherlands, and the Wandering Isle, based on Ireland. The Suli people are equivalent to Romani. Novyi Zem is harder to pin down but seems to share aspects of the Americas, Africa, and Australia, and the never-visited Southern Colonies are used only as a generic "exotic" location.
* Creator/JonathanSwift's ''Literature/GulliversTravels'' has multiple, most noticeable the countries of Lilliput and Blefuscu being satirical stand ins for 18th century Great Britain and France respectively.
* Jaida Jones and Danielle Bennett's ''Literature/{{Havemercy}}'' and ''Blood Magic'' are set in the nation of Volstov which is very similar to late 18th-early 19th cent. Russia [[FantasyGunControl minus guns]] and plus {{Magitek}} but with the geography reversed so that it's capital is close to the border of the rival Ke-Han Empire which itself is an amalgam of Manchurian China and Samurai Japan, especially the latter.
* In ''Literature/HicSuntDracones'' there's quite a line up with the following:

*** Also Panem is the capital- Washington D.C./New York; District 12 ls coal-mining Appalachia; District 11 has dark-skinned people and is agricultural like the American South; the lower-numbered districts are more prosperous and closer to the capitol, like Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey.
* Averted and played straight in the ''{{Literature/Inda}}'' books. The Venn are clearly based off the Vikings, but that's because they ''are'' Vikings, or at least are descended from a bunch of Vikings who crossed from our world to Sartorias-Deles. Their distant descendants, the Marlovans, have a completely different culture that presumably developed after they split away from the Venn. Other nations and cultures within the world have no clear Earth equivalent, having been in the world and developed away from Earth for long enough that they no longer resemble whoever their initial progenitors were.
* Nyumbani, the setting for ''Literature/{{Imaro}}'', is full of counterparts to tribes, kingdoms, and empires of ancient Africa. Most notably, the [[ProudWarriorRace Ilyassai]] people that the hero hails from is based on the Maasai.

* In Chris Evans ''Iron Elf'' trilogy the Empire is clearly based on the British Empire of Victoria although the tech level is about a hundred years behind. Likewise the Mashugeb lands are just as clearly northern Africa and Elfkynan is India under the Raj.

* The eponymous nation of Jackals in Creator/StephenHunt's Literature/JackelianSeries is a SteamPunk version of Victorian England, although they have a much less reverent attitude towards their royalty (this is because they went through their version of the English Civil War - complete with "Isambard Kirkhill" and his "New Pattern Army", instead of Oliver Cromwell and the New Model Army - only the democracy stuck), and the old druidic polytheism was also thrown out and replaced with the Circlist Church, which has Christian trappings but explicitly disavows all gods in favour of venerating an abstract cycle of life and reincarnation. Its hostile neighbor, Quatérshift, is a take on Revolutionary France with the Terror turned up to eleven (its former monarch was even known as the Sun King). Cassarabia is an Arabian caliphate, with the worship of an immortal god-king replacing Islam and a love of bio-engineering. Catosia, with its warm climate and warring city-states, suggests a matriarchal Greece (and in particular Sparta), the Lashlites vaguely resemble Native Americans despite living in the equivalent of the Scottish highlands, Mechancia has the location and geography of Switzerland but is a kingdom inhabited by steam-powered robots with a religion that resembles Vodoun, Kikkosico, the vast and cold empire to the east of all those countries, seems to be Russia. The Southern Forests serve as DarkestAfrica, Concorzia and Isla Verde seem to be Latin America, the Polar Barbarians are probably Vikings, and the Black Oil Horde seem like DieselPunk Mongol hordes. [[spoiler: There's also an extinct {{Mayincatec}} civilization that's dominated by a ReligionOfEvil worshiping monsters that turns out not to be not so extinct after all]]

* Most of Creator/GuyGavrielKay's books make heavy use of this trope, and are centered in a counterpart to a specific region of Europe:
** ''Literature/{{Tigana}}'': medieval Italy
** ''Literature/ASongForArbonne'': medieval France, especially Provence
** ''Literature/UnderHeaven'': China during the Tang dynasty.
*** Its sequel ''River of Stars'': China during the Song dynasty.
** Most of his fantasy novels take place in the same world. In rough chronological order:
*** ''Literature/TheSarantineMosaic'': the Byzantine Empire during the reign of Justinian, with some scenes set in an equivalent of the Sassanid Empire just prior to the rise of Islam
*** ''Literature/TheLastLightOfTheSun'': Viking Age Scandinavia, Wales and England, around the reign of Alfred the Great.
*** ''Literature/TheLionsOfAlRassan'': Spain during the ''Reconquista''
*** ''Literature/ABrightnessLongAgo'': Renaissance Italy around the time Constantinople fell.
*** ''Literature/AllTheSeasOfTheWorld'': The Mediterranean a few years after Constantinople's fall.
*** ''Literature/ChildrenOfEarthAndSky'': takes place across the same area as ''The Sarantine Mosaic'', with thinly-veiled versions of the Republic of Venice, Ragusa, the Holy Roman Empire and the Ottoman Empire shortly after the fall of Constantinople.
*** The FantasyWorldMap also points to the outlying nations of "Anglycyn" and "[[GloriousMotherRussia Moskav]]"
* The ''Literature/KingdomsOfThornAndBone'' series by Greg Keyes features this, most obviously the "good guys" countries, Virgenya and Crotheny giving very strong Britain-and-it's-territories vibe, Vitellio as a sort of Spaintaly (complete with the head of the Church based there), a variety of southern countries of Mediterranean-and-western-Europe inspiration (Safnia, Terro Gallé...) and the evil ([[GreyAndGrayMorality well, from most main characters' perspective]]) northern Hansa with a Germanic flavor...
** Indeed, it's implied and/or stated that those countries were mostly founded by the descendants of people from the corresponding regions of Earth.

* ''Literature/KushielsLegacy'' series by Jacqueline Carey:

** Skaldia is an interesting example. It's located where Germany is in RealLife and the culture is Old Germanic with a hefty dose of Norse, but the history is a mix of different German time periods. They're initially Germanic barbarian tribes (Roman period) who are united under a single leader (''a la'' UsefulNotes/OttoVonBismarck) [[spoiler:that is then soundly defeated by an alliance of France and Britain (UsefulNotes/WorldWarII) and afterwards becomes known more for trade than force of arms (modern-day Germany, reputed to have the strongest economy in the [[UsefulNotes/TheEuropeanUnion Euro zone]]).]] Although of course Terre d'Ange is basically France at the height of its power, which makes it easy for them to [[spoiler: defeat Skaldia]], whereas RealLife Germany and France were indeed historical enemies [[labelnote: note]]The mutual enmity only began to subside after WWII, and ironically by now both countries have arguably the strongest ties in the Eurozone and share a lot of mutual strategic interest - it's no coincidence the Franco-German cooperation is referred to as the "dual engine" or "dual heart" of the EU[[/labelnote]] and had several wars, it's France who was usually decisively on the receiving end (apart from [[UsefulNotes/NapoleonBonaparte a few memorable exceptions]]). And specifically in the case of WWII, it can hardly be said that France "won" it by virtue of own merit. [[labelnote: note]]That was still a primarily Soviet/American/British enterprise with France being liberated by the Western allies and contributing mainly in the end phase of the war, with Germany already on the verge of collapse.[[/labelnote]]

* Creator/MercedesLackey's works:
** In the world of the Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar, the Hawkbrothers are just Native Americans with funny names.
** {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d in her ''[=SERRAted=] Edge'' series; most culture in the [[TheFairFolk fairy world of Underhill]] was either transported there by visitors from our world, or copied by the fantastically imitative (but woefully uncreative) [[OurElvesAreDifferent elves]]. In fact, to point out precisely which human-world culture (real or fictional) an [[OurElvesAreDifferent elf]] ripped off is considered a huge insult by many of them.
** The [[Literature/DragonJousters Joust]] novels clearly take place in two-kingdoms Egypt. In an afterword, Creator/MercedesLackey admitted that she was tired of medieval Europe and wanted to try something different, and that she'd planned to just set it in Egypt, but that amateur Egyptologists were so picky that she renamed everything to avoid complaints.

* ''Literature/{{Lyonesse}}'' by Creator/JackVance has several: the aristocracy of Lyonesse seems to be vaguely Germanic, Dahaut is pre-Revolutionary France, and the Ska are based on the Vikings. Troicinet represents Britain. All of these are based not so much on modern images of these cultures as on representations from the 19th century or earlier (Troicinet is a sea power and balances the other nations; the Ska aren't noble warriors but fearsome and heartless raiders, similar to portrayals of Vikings in medieval English sources.)

* In Creator/TadWilliams' ''Literature/MemorySorrowAndThorn'':

* Josefine Ottensen's ''Mira Trilogy'': The Truwa tribe are HighFantasy Jews. Mira's father is Truwa, and while you only become Truwa through the mother(Mira's mother is very middle-class and very white), Mira identifies strongly with the Truwa people. She eventually goes through a ceremony similar to a bat mitzvah, enraging her mother and putting her in grave danger, considering that the monarchy is planning to destroy all Truwa people.
* Creator/GarthNix's ''Literature/OldKingdom'' books have the pseudo-medieval Old Kingdom -- where magic works but most modern technology fails as you approach the border, where Necromancy is a day-to-day hazard -- sharing a border with Ancelstierre -- which is ''remarkably'' like UsefulNotes/WorldWarI England (or possibly UsefulNotes/WorldWarI Australia/New Zealand given the author's antipodean roots) to the extent that the Ancelstierre army are armed with .303 bolt action rifles, .455 revolvers, white phosphorous grenades and Lewis guns and on the Border use both this and their khaki uniform AND sword bayonets, Mail hauberk with khaki surcoats and ''enchanted spears'' because when the wind blows from the south (Ancelstierre proper) magic stops working, but when it blows from the North (Old Kingdom) [[MagicVersusScience technology fails.]]

** Continuing south from Ancelstierre we come across some other vaguely-European nations, a vaguely-Mediterranean sea and then a vaguely-Middle-Eastern region, refugees from which play a role in the third book.
* Jane Yolen's ''[[Literature/PitDragonChronicles The Pit Dragon Trilogy]]'' really goes for the gold on this. The entire series takes place on a planet that was once used as a penal colony. Almost all the main characters are descended from the original criminals, and generally have an inherent distrust of anyone who wasn't (all the criminals' descendants have a double K in their name -- Jakkin, Sarkkhan, Akki, etc., so it's no secret who is who). The world is mostly great big deserts, great big mountains, and slightly uncivilized cities. Other planets keep trying to rule it and use its natural resources. The fact that the planet is named [[MeaningfulName Austar IV]] is really just the icing on the cake.

* Creator/RaymondEFeist's ''Literature/TheRiftwarCycle'' is set in an almost-England kingdom that's conquered and brought civilization to the majority of almost-Europe, although they occasionally have trouble with their almost-African desert-people neighbors to the south, and the Greek/Roman hybrid nation of Queg. (The almost-Africans are ruled by a "master race" caste whose parallels to the Egyptian dynasties are too blatant to miss.) The titular Riftwar involves an invasion across space-time by a warrior race of almost-Oriental people who [[WordOfGod the author says]] are based on the Japanese and Korean cultures, called the Tsurani. Other notable cultures are the somewhat Italian Kingdom of Roldem and the Hillmen, who are basically Scottish Highlanders with a vaguely Buddhist religion. Later books introduce analogues to Chinese and Native American cultures (if Native Americans were Aryan), among others...

* In the ''Saga of the Borderlands'', of the Argentine writer Liliana Bodoc, the inhabitants of the Fertile Lands are the equivalent to the pre-Columbian peoples, this way we have the [[ProudWarriorRace Husihuilkes]], inspired by the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mapuche Mapuche]], the Zitzahay and the Lords of the Sun, clearly {{Mayincatec}}, the Boreos, similar to the Vikings if their colonies in America had prospered, etc. The villains, the Sideresios, led by Misáianes, the Son of Death, are the Spanish conquerors if they had been guided by a {{God of Evil}}. The author herself has made it clear that the whole story can be read as a metaphor for the conquest of America in a universe where magic exists.
* Creator/BrandonSanderson:
** ''Literature/{{Elantris}}'' features several Fantasy Counterpart Cultures, though there's a bit of mix-and-matching going on. The Fjordell Empire occupies a political position similar to Rome, but is culturally and linguistically more Nordic, with a religion that seems equal parts Islamic and Catholic. The nation of Teod (of which one main protagonist is princess) is very obviously England- a small island that is nonetheless regarded as a great power due to its very impressive navy and canny leadership. The nation of Jindo, mentioned often but never seen, seems to be a stand in for medieval China. The nations of Duladel and Arelon, on the other hand, don't really seem to have any real-life counterparts.
** ''Literature/TheAlloyOfLaw'' has the Roughs, which are an equivalent of 19th century TheWildWest. There are small towns inhabited by people who've had enough of city life (and laws of civilized societies), lawkeepers who hunt bandits for bounties, and savage koloss as a fantasy equivalent of Native American tribes. Even fashion is very Wild West-like, with long dusters and hats. Elendel itself is more like London at the height of British imperialism.
** Per WordOfGod, Scadrial (where all the ''Franchise/{{Mistborn}}'' books are set) is intended as this as a whole. Everything is as close to Earth-like as possible. Gravity, environment, and time are all the same. Technology mostly matches up with real-world progression (though the Final Empire caused more than a little SchizoTech), and cultural attitudes are the same. There's lots of people with names that wouldn't sound too out of place in our world - for example, Hammond, Wayne, Jon, or Miles. The Survivorist religion parallels Christianity very closely, the primary difference being that they believe their martyr became divine after death rather than before.
** ''Literature/{{Warbreaker}}'': Hallandren has a number of similarities to India, most obvious in their dye exports and religion that other countries find weird at best and heresy at worst. Per WordOfGod, the setting originally came about in order to write a book set in one of those "far-off lands" in most fantasy books where the exotic goods come from.
** ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'':
*** Most of Eastern Roshar in general is inspired by Asian cultures, but only in general terms. Fashions are similar, and their strong caste system brings to mind the old Asian cultures, but little more than that. Interestingly, all eastern Rosharans have Asian epicanthic folds (the "narrow eyes"), though other than that their races don't resemble Asians at all.
*** Funnily enough, the people of Shinovar look mostly European (since they lack the epicanthic folds and generally have lighter skin tones) and live in the only area of the continent with [[BizarreAlienBiology normal plants and animals]], but their culture resembles Buddhism crossed with Shinto animism.
*** The Herdazians resemble Hispanic cultures, as they are a minority everywhere, have their own neighborhoods and slang, and are generally ignored by everyone else. Some readers also associated them with Jews, since a number of the above stereotypes apply there as well, and fit the JewishMother stereotype (which many people could say fits with Hispanic Stereyotpes as well), although they aren't known for any association with money. Word of God seems to indicate the former was intended.

** Kinto, however, does not appear to have a counterpart, though it has vague similarities with some East Asian nations (e.g. the Palace of Heaven evokes China perhaps, plus it's language terms seem distantly Japanese).
* The Ununited Kingdoms in Creator/JasperFforde's ''Song of the Quarkbeast'' is clearly meant to be a parody of the UK.
* In ''Literature/TheSovereignStone'' trilogy there are Japanese Elves, Mongol Nomadic Dwarves and Viking Orcs. The Humans in this setting are divided into multiple cultures resembling Medieval England (Vinnengael), Arabia (Dunkarga), Persia (Karnua) Africa (Nimran and Nimorean) and Celtic (Trevenici).

* Fiona Patton's medieval ''Literature/TalesOfTheBranionRealm'' are set in an alternate Britain down to the map and the [[IstanbulNotConstantinople place names]], with two opposing CrystalDragonJesus faiths -- one is basically Continental Catholicism with a dragon thrown in, and the other has similarities to Celtic Christianity but is based around [[SentientCosmicForce the four classical elements]]. The conflicts are inspired by the English conquest of Wales, the Scottish Risings, and the Hundred Years' War.
* ''Literature/TalesOfMU'' is set in the Imperial Republic of Magisteria, which is America mixed with the Roman Empire in a DungeonPunk world. The island of Yokan is a version of Japan populated by LittleBitBeastly [[OurDemonsAreDifferent yokai]]. Members of [[AlternateCompanyEquivalent a totally original race of little people who live in cozy holes in shires]] have a rural English-type culture. The forest-dwelling elves have Ancient Greek names and culture. The dwarves are basically German.

* ''Literature/TalesOfTheMagicLand'': the culture of the Miners/Ore-Diggers is based on (the Soviet idea of) Renaissance Europe, seen in their overly-elaborate monarchical system and half-Hispanic, half-Italian names. The "canon" illustrations, developed with the author's help, reflect that in their outfits.

* Creator/TamoraPierce's ''Literature/TortallUniverse'' contains numerous examples.

* Creator/DianaWynneJones's own compendium of {{fantasy}} tropes and skewering thereof, ''Literature/TheToughGuideToFantasyland,'' makes this point.

* Creator/HarryTurtledove has a few:
** The ''Literature/DarknessSeries'' has an interesting take on this trope. The series is essentially a {{fantasy}} version of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII. So, every nation taking part in the series fills the role of a power from the war. However, physically, culturally, and linguistically, these nations are also something of a mix-and-match of various world cultures. Algarve plays the role of [[ThoseWackyNazis Nazi Germany]], but its people are Scots-Irish in appearance, and their language is based on Italian. Another good example is Kuusamo, which fills the role of the United States, but is populated by Finnish-speaking East Asians.
** In the [[Literature/{{Videssos}} Videssos Cycle]], Videssos is closely modeled on the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Empire Byzantine Empire]], and neighboring states are likewise based on the Byzantine Empire's neighbors.
** The political situation in the ''Literature/TalesOfTheFox'' series is inspired by post-Roman Britain, with Elabon as Rome, the Trokmoi as the Celts, and so on.
** The ''Literature/WarBetweenTheProvinces'' is a FantasyConflictCounterpart of the American Civil War, with geography flipped like in the ''Darkness'' series: the gray-clad Southron army fights to reunify Detina and free the serfs, while the blue-clad Northrons want to secede and keep serfdom around. The Mother Kingdom is Britain, which also controls the Sapphire Isle (Ireland), and there's a Russia-equivalent called Sorb.
* Creator/JoWalton:
** The world of the Literature/{{Sulien}} novels features fantasy parallels of a whole bunch of Myth/ArthurianLegend, with the island of Tir Tanager standing in for England and going on from there, down to Saint Patrick, Jesus and Arthur himself. Figuring out what the real world equivalents are is a great deal of the fun.
** ''Literature/ToothAndClaw'' features a dragon society that matches very closely to Victorian England. Except, of course, that they're ''dragons''.

* in ''Literature/TheWardedMan'' and sequels, the Krasian culture is medieval Arabia with a healthy dose of [[TheSpartanWay Sparta]] thrown in. The Thesan duchies are generic medieval European.

* Creator/GeneWolfe:
** The Commonwealth in ''Literature/BookOfTheNewSun'' is modeled on the Byzantine empire, but very obviously set in South America, with references to mate and pampas, as well as a stand-in for Lake Titicaca.
** Viron, in ''Literature/BookOfTheLongSun,'' is also vaguely "Latin," with the city's ruler being called "Calde" and the state religion being a parody of Catholicism (with some minor details changed: it's a ''polytheist'' Catholicism that practices animal [[spoiler: and occasionally {{human|Sacrifice}}]] sacrifice.) The rival city of Trivigaunt is a [[GenderSwap gender-swapped]] fundamentalist Arabia. Both of these are justified in the story [[spoiler: the builders of the GenerationShip wanted to send a range of human cultures into the universe, all of which would worship the Monarch and his family as gods]]
* Creator/LoisMcMasterBujold's ''Literature/WorldOfTheFiveGods'' stories are set in a north-to-south inverted version of Europe.

** Bujold even manages to have religious schisms despite this being a world with {{Physical God}}s. The ancient shamans of the Weald take the part of the Saxon pagans defeated by Charlemagne; the Quintarian religion that dominates the series takes on a cultural role similar to Christianity, while the Quadrene Roknari take on a role akin to the Islamic Moors. All of these acknowledge the same gods, but worship them in different ways; for example, the Quadrenes treat one of the Five Gods as a Satan analogue.