Recommendations

[nlpnt at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 9324

--- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, "Mike Schubert" <mschub at y...> wrote:
> Just wondering if anyone had any interesting recommendations. I'm 
> pretty well-read in children's lit, but I'm always on the lookout 
for 
> new stuff. Overall, I've never really been into the fantasy/sci-fi 
> thing, but I'm open to suggestions. If anyone has any favorite 
> series, please, let me know.
> -Mike


For the most part, the only juveniles I read anymore are SF/F. (and a 
few old favorites)

The "His Dark Materials" series by Philip Pullman is at least the 
equivalent of Tolkien in terms of reading level, and very close in 
terms of quality (in fact it's one of the few modern high fantasies 
that isn't, to some extent or another, rewriting Tolkien)

I'm a fan of the earlier Pern books by Anne McCaffrey, but she's 
fading of late (anything past "All the Weyrs..."). I can understand 
her hard line against fan fiction; a fanfic writer the caliber of 
Lori or Carole of this list could outdo her easily!

 I've gotten into Garth Nix lately; "Sabriel" is a look at an almost-
modern world that borders on a more typical fantasy world (it's much-
delayed sequel is coming this spring) and the "Seventh Tower" series 
is getting much better after a somewhat slow start; it's really a 
serial novel, and quite funny in parts besides being a good fantasy.

 If you want a laugh, I recommend the "Star Wars; X-Wing" series, 
particularly those by Aaron Allston; they are without a doubt the 
funniest military SF around today. Once more, not really juveniles 
but nothing a reasonably smart 10yo whose seen the original 3 SW 
movies won't understand.

Speaking of SW, there are several young readers' series based on it. 
The "Junior Jedi Knights" are good, too short, and underrated; 
the "Jedi Apprentice" series are better, a bit longer (but still too 
short), and overrrated, at least among SW fans. "Young Jedi Knights" 
is fairly average, was popular pre-prequels, but is getting hard to 
find. I wouldn't give you a plugged nickel for the "Glove of Darth 
Vader" books; avoid those. 
 If you're interested in any of these, the best reveiws of Star Wars 
books are at 
http://www.theforce.net
 Just follow the links to "books" and "book reviews"