Young Adult Fiction

[Fuzzy Necromancer]

Alright, fess up. Who enjoys some of the good young-adult-targeted, or even children-targeted, books out there, aside from harry potter & narnia? Heck, who even enjoys the bad YA fiction out there?



I personally love Clive Barker's Abarat  (and Abarat: Days of Magic, Nights of War). I actually consider it to be his best work, after sampling his adult-age stuff. Abarat is what Weaveworld wants to be when it grows up.



Garth Nix is also "Freakin awesome", as the kids say. His Sabriel Trilogy/Two Books, the latter of which was split in too cuz it was getting too long for the publisher's liking, is in my opinion (and in my mom's opinion) right up there with tolkien & Lewis, for quality, content, and originality. Keys the Kingdom is fun, and if a bit young, the concepts and style is fantastic. I love the opening description in Mister Monday.


What do you think sirs?

[acoletterose]

As soon as I saw the title of this topic, I immediately thought of those two authors.

I'm also a fan of William Nicholson's Wind on Fire trilogy and Gerald Morris' series based on the tales of King Arthur called the Squire's Tales.

[Fuzzy Necromancer]

I have just finished "The Black Tattoo" and found it good. ^^ Interesting cosmology, loveable characters, lots of cool monsters, even if the villain seemed a bit generic, and most of all, a satisfying ending. It has been my personal experience that a good ending is the hardest bit to write, and the one with the least financial incentive behind it.

The Percy and the Olympians series is an enjoyable greek mythos tale in the modern setting, and suitably paratactic. Only thing is I mostly go through audiobooks these days, and the current reader has quite an annoying voice. >.o

[mrbasehart]

The Northern Lights trilogy by Phillip Pullman is excellent.   When I was younger, I loved the Famous Five.  They're a bit dated now (hell, they were dated when I read 'em) but are immensely enjoyable.

[BBQ Platypus]

My favorite young adult novel is...well, Young Adult Novel, by Daniel Pinkwater.  It's a brilliant satire of books targeted at the 10-15 year-old demographic (and of the social lives of said 10-15 year olds), with a great deal of absurdist humor present throughout (for the main characters are actually members of their own in-school Dadaist movement).  It features characters with names like Igor, Charles the Cat, the Indiana Zephyr, and the Honorable Venustiano Carranza (President of Mexico).

I'm pretty sure that a compilation of five Daniel Pinkwater novels was the first chapter book I ever read, and when I read those stories again as a 13-year-old, they were actually FUNNIER.  If I had to describe his style, it would be like a New-Jersey-flavored Douglas Adams (if that makes any sense).  His books are great for social misfits of any age (or just anyone with a zany enough sense of humor), and I recommend them highly.  Seriously - buy some of his books RIGHT NOW.

(And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Borgel, my OTHER favorite Pinkwater story.  They're all great, though).

EDIT:  What the heck, I might as well just link straight to his books on Amazon.  These two are great for starters:

http://www.amazon.com/Novels-Mendelsohn-Spiegel-Snarkout-Avocado/dp/0374423296

http://www.amazon.com/4-Fantastic-Novels-Daniel-Pinkwater/dp/0689834888/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209194099&sr=1-15

[Fuzzy Necromancer]

I imagine Young Adult Novel is rather difficult to locate via an online or library title search.

[Kat Rocha]

Garth Nix is also "Freakin awesome", as the kids say. His Sabriel Trilogy/Two Books, the latter of which was split in too cuz it was getting too long for the publisher's liking, is in my opinion (and in my mom's opinion) right up there with tolkien & Lewis, for quality, content, and originality.

The second I saw this thread I was imediately going to post about Garth Nix. The Abhorsin series is definately in my Top Ten list of book people should read.

Have you read "Shade's Children" yet? This book I'm surprised is even in the "young adult" section with how dark it is.

Another great "young adult" book is The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw. Grave robbing in Ancient Egypt.  Gotta love it.

-Kat

[anais.jude]

I love Tamora Pierce, but she is partially chick lit, so i doubt anyone has heard of her (well fantasy, young adult, chick lit but i digress)
I didn't like Phillip Pullman's books, probably because he is of the school of thought that Milton sided with Satan (ie an idiot)
I know there are more, i love YAF...i will continue when my brain goes back after school is out

[Tripe]

I didn't like Phillip Pullman's books, probably because he is of the school of thought that Milton sided with Satan (ie an idiot)

Really? I mean it's subtle but how can one read Paradise Lost and think that Milton sympathises with the Devil. I mean I do but the author certainly doesn't.

[skenderberg]

I personally love Clive Barker's Abarat  (and Abarat: Days of Magic, Nights of War). I actually consider it to be his best work, after sampling his adult-age stuff. Abarat is what Weaveworld wants to be when it grows up.

I want to know when he's finally going to finish that series.  Both novels were good, but the second one ended on a cliffhanger, and came out in 2004.  He needs to get on the ball before his target audience grows up without him.

If you liked that series, you should check out his first young adult novel, The Thief of Always.

More recommendations:

The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud, a fantasy/alternate history where England is ruled by magician facists.
The Attolia series by Megan Whalen Turner, a vaguely greek mythology-ish series of books.  Some of the best young adult fantasy out there.
The Sea of Trolls, by Nancy Farmer.  About a boy caught between Norse and Celtic cultures and mythologies.  Actually, pretty much anything by Nancy Farmer is good.

[BBQ Platypus]

I imagine Young Adult Novel is rather difficult to locate via an online or library title search.

Heh heh...yeah.  Especially seeing as how it's not available by itself anymore (it's only commercially available in story collections).

[Fuzzy Necromancer]

Garth Nix is also "Freakin awesome", as the kids say. His Sabriel Trilogy/Two Books, the latter of which was split in too cuz it was getting too long for the publisher's liking, is in my opinion (and in my mom's opinion) right up there with tolkien & Lewis, for quality, content, and originality.

The second I saw this thread I was imediately going to post about Garth Nix. The Abhorsin series is definately in my Top Ten list of book people should read.

Have you read "Shade's Children" yet? This book I'm surprised is even in the "young adult" section with how dark it is.

You kidding? Dark is nothing compared to what the force-feed kids these days. I remember in middle school part of the required reading was "A Rose for Emily", and high school we encountered Bananafish, and that story about the couple with the dead baby, and ugh, it just seems like they don't think it's proper Literature unless it makes you want to hang yourself. x.x

[Fortis]

Ender's Game...

but my all time favorite is Alcatraz Vs. The Evil Librarians

[Fuzzy Necromancer]

I love Tamora Pierce, but she is partially chick lit, so i doubt anyone has heard of her (well fantasy, young adult, chick lit but i digress)
I didn't like Phillip Pullman's books, probably because he is of the school of thought that Milton sided with Satan (ie an idiot)
I know there are more, i love YAF...i will continue when my brain goes back after school is out

I've read some of her stuff, such as the "woman who rides like a man" cycle. I thought it was okay, but it got rather preachy at times, and some of the Dues Ex Machinas she used were hard to swallow, like

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

(okay, the evil badguy who tried to frame and/or kill every member of the royal family is back from the dead, so the king instantly forgives him and pardons him from all suspicion).

I tried to enjoy "Wild Magic", but it was just too, I dunno, something, and I couldn't get through it.

[acoletterose]

Ender's Game...

Love the series. Ender's Game was my favorite but I also liked Ender's Shadow.