HP readalikes - for the young and young at heart (long)

[Neri]

Neri:
Below are my comments about some of the books:

> MacDonald, George. 
> The Princess and the Goblin
> The Princess and Curdie
> 

Read the first, and read it to your children! But better avoid the second.

>
> Patricia Wrede.
> The Enchanted Forest Chronicles
>    1. Dealing with Dragons
>    2. Searching for Dragons
>    3. Calling on Dragons
>    4. Talking to Dragons
> 

Have read the first. Managed to finish it but it didn't gave me enough
motivation to read the others. Generally light and entertaining but
not much more than that.


> Philip Pullman.
> His Dark Materials
>    1. The Golden Compass
>    2. The Subtle Knife
>    3. The Amber Spyglass

I actually liked Pullman's "anti-religious" ideas, and the books are
certainly gripping. However, I found the third book disappointing (not
only the ending but the whole book) and I sincerely hope JKR will do
better in her last book. 


> Madeleine L'Engle.
> The Time Fantasy series
>    1. A Wrinkle in Time
>    2. A Wind in the Door
>    3. A Swiftly Tilting Planet
>    4. Many Waters

I've read the first two. They'd be good for "young adults", I think,
but for a real adult I thought them too superficial and not especially
well written.


> Colfer, Eoin. 
> Artemis Fowl Series 
>     * Artemis Fowl
>     * Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident
>     * Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code
> 

Just managed to finish the first, didn't even try the second. I found
it rather disappointing.


> Jones, Diana Wynne. 
> Howl's Moving Castle 

Quite entertaining, but the plot is waaay too complicated.


And to my own recommendations: 


Midnight Folk by John Masefield.

Americans will probably have to order it from Amazon.co.uk, but it
will be worth it! A true classic, HP caliber and in some way better
(but unfortunately also much shorter). There's also a sequel "The Box
of Delight" which IMO isn't as good. 


Michael Ende:
Jim Button and Luke The Engine Driver
Jim Button and the Wild 13.

"The Never Ending Story" is *not* Ende's best book. Jim Button is much
better! Especially the first one. Unfortunately also difficult to find
in the US (what do you Americans have against great books, anyway?)
but most definitely worth the effort.  


Neri