I found these books by chance at my local library and have really been enjoying them. Is anyone else on the board familiar with this series? I was also wondering if this author has published anything else. I know that Tomorrow is followed by The Ellie Chronicles, but has Marsden authored any boks that aren’t about these same characters?
I haven’t read any of his works, but this interview states that he’s written more than 30 books.
He’s definitely written other books - one that I read for a YA lit class is [url="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0440219515/qid=1136855335/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-7582917-8973551?n=507846&s=books&v=glance"Letters from the Inside. It’s been a couple of years since I read it, and there are still moments where it haunts me.
I’ve never finished the Tomorrow series - it’s one that I keep meaning to finish and then other books get in the way. I think I was down to the last one or two before the end of that series.
As mentioned, John Marsden has written loads of other books. He’s a well known young adults’ writer here in Australia, and the Tomorrow series was hugely popular. Its certainly one of the most thrilling, visceral stories I’ve ever read, and I read it as an adult. In particular, the fifth book Burning For Revenge had me almost overwhelmed by excitement (and fear and affection) all the way through.
I haven’t ventured into The Ellie Chronicles yet, and despite my love for the original series, I’m not sure I will. I was happy for the ride to be over by the seventh book and don’t really feel like I need to go on with those characters.
Nick
I loved the books when I read them as a teenager, and I listened to him speak at a writers’ festival and he was quite entertaining. I like(d) his other novels too. I haven’t read any since high school, though.
He’s very popular over here too, although many of his earlier books are difficult to get hold of. He writes angsty teen nihilism incredibly well - I read and reread Letters form the Inside and Checkers so many times during third/fourth form! Rereading them almost ten years later, they don’t hold up as well as the Tomorrow series - too bleak, too angsty for me now. The Tomorrow series is brilliant, but I was a bit older by when I read the last two books, so they didn’t have quite the same impact on me as the earlier. I prefer to treat them as a trilogy - the Third Day, the Frost is still one of my favourite YA books, and, IMHO, the strongest of the series.
His earliest books are quite different to what he’s writing now, being mostly light-hearted school stories, and then they get darker - Dear Miffy, for example, is aimed at older teens, and was definitely the bleakest book I’d read by age fourteen.
He’s also a very active author in Australia, kind of like Margaret Mahy is in NZ. I know he does school tours, and runs writing programmes. He’s also written about encouraging a love of books in children, especially boys. Australian Dopers may be able to enlighten you further though- I’m just remembering author bios and interviews.
John Marsden is actually in the process of starting his own school here in Victoria.
God, I wish I was a kid again. That would be an amazing environment (both physically and intellectually) to be doing some serious learning about life.
That area looks amazing! Can you imagine how cool that enviroment would be?
Yeah…as I said, I’m now thoroughly pissed-off that I’m past the cut-off point for returning to school. I can’t even send MY kids there, 'cos they’re ancient too.
I might start praying for grandchildren… 
Hah! That’s the best reason to introduce that conversation: *Thought about settling down anytime soon honey? No? How about a baby anyway? I’ve already enrolled **kam Jr.*at this great school… wait, where are you going?
Out of interest, how is John Marsden regarded in Australia? He seems to be the go-to-guy for a quote about literacy, or teen writing in Australia, but that’s as filtered through NZ’s limited media interest, and what I’ve picked up through my job. Is he well regarded across the ditch?
He is pretty well regarded. ‘Letters from the Inside’ and (at least the first book/s) of the ‘Tomorrow’ series were required reading in the English curriculum when my older kids were at secondary school (back in the 90’s). I’d never heard of him before that, but I guess that can be explained by the fact his target audience is adolescent and I had left that particular part of my life many years before. 
But like many other parents, I ‘discovered’ Marsden for myself when the kids would rave about this grouse book they had just finished reading. Of course, I had to find out what the hell had managed to grab their attention, seeing that the only thing they would voluntarily read otherwise is the TV guide!!
As well, Marsden has an immaculate pedigree because he previously taught at Timbertop, a rural Year 10 annexe to Geelong Grammar (one of the more prestigious private schools here in Victoria).
I dunno whether he should be regarded as THE final word on teen literature, but he does carry good credentials. I’m keen to see how his school sets up, and the calibre of teaching staff that he employs. I suspect he might be a mad bugger and might drive people away with his quest for perfection…but who knows?
Huh, I never realised that. Geelong Grammar was my alma mater. He’s certainly had a very diverse career and writes exceedingly “powerful” books for young people. He’s probably one of the few writers who is both well regarded by english teachers and popular with the students.
Although I do admit I was a bit ooged out by “Secret Mens Business” in which he tells 14 year old boys the protocol for how to have sex with a prostitute in a brothel (Condoms are provided but you have to clean your junk).
I’ll have to see if the library has Letters from the Inside. I need to stop in there today anyway and pick up the next book in the series, as well as returning a handful of books I’ve got checked out.
I guess it’s a little weird, but I generally prefer Young Adult fiction to the stuff written for adults, so I’m glad to discover that such a talented author is also so prolific.