Honestly, this enthusiasm for fiction as a travel engine and guides as mere appendices is a bit of typical marketing hype.
In real life, what matters is what changes tomorrow: is the flight affordable, does the hotel have good reviews, and above all, what do my friends think?
Paper guides are mainly useful when WiFi doesn't work, but for the initial decision, they carry little weight.
For example, I don't go to Cape Verde because I read a novel set there; I go because a friend told me that tickets are cheap right now and that it's beautiful.