Slight hijack - But there is an interesting discussion on Heinlein going on at General Questions right now.
- Tamerlane
urkkk 
I didn’t get into Sci Fi until I was in high school, but I really enjoyed The Riverworld Series by Philip Jose Farmer. Very alternative after death type stuff. Can’t remember much about the sexual content or otherwise.
Also, has anyone else read the sci fi stuff by Edgar Rice Burroughs (you know, Tarzan guy?). It was the cheesiest stuff but I loved it! The books are hard to find (at least, I never could find them when I was into them). These were books my grandfather had read when he was a young lad in the 20’s. I thought it was cool we were reading the same books.
I love Pratchett. But I think comparing him the the Harry Potter books is unfair. I relly think there’s a distinction.
Pratchett writes for adults (but his books can be enjoyed by bright kids).
Harry Potter is written for kids (but are enyoyable for adults).
I love both series, and there’s much more depth to the Discworld books, but the target ausidience is different (even if there’s a lot of overlap).
Oh, and the sci fi/SF distiction is silly.
I do like the “speculative fiction” label, but it is a mouthful.
I can’t believe no one has mentioned David Eddings–all his book are very suitable to children, but complex enough for young adults. The first series is “The Belgarian”, the second “The Malloreon” and both have 5 books. He has written another series, the name escapes me at the moment, and a few stand alones, but you need to be familar with his work to get all of those. This is fantasy, more like Lloyd Alexander’s work than Orson Scott Card. Alexander is another author that your kids can read all of, and he has some historical stuff. For your son who like WWII, there are some good alternate history series out there, though I’m not sure they are suitable for children.
Rosemary Sutcliff is another writer they might enjoy–she wrote historical fiction/fantasy. Her King Arthur books stress what life was really like in the 4th century, Arthur is more of a war leader than a king, and her other history stuff–Romen legion era, is very good.
Raymond Feist’s "Riftwar’ books are also age appropriate, though they are heavy on character and so somewhat complex–there’s no sex, language, or graphic violence to worry about, but it can be a challenge to keep all the players straight. there’s also companion books written about the enemy in Feist’s books–a very rigid, oriental-like culture. these are written by Feist and Janny Wurts.
Oh, and there’s a series aimed specifically at girls aged 9-12 by Tamora Pierce–young girl want to be a knight, disguises herself, for several years, to achieve this goal. A bit simplistic, but that may be because I read it first as an adult. There are at least two sets of books, maybe 4 in each?
And finally, I’ll second (or third) the recommendation for Heinlein’s young adult books. They are great science fiction. Look for books published either as YA books (several have been listed), or thing published before 1962–his book “Stranger In A Strange Land”, although excellent, was his first foray into exploring alternate sexual arrangements–serial marriages, free love, etc. I think they may be good books to spark discussion with kids about sexuality issues, but then, I don’t have kids, so I’m hardly in a position to comment.
Thanks again for all the suggestions. A little update: I happened to notice Watership Down on the bookshelves in our basement on Sat, and said to my 11 year old, “You should check this out.” Didn’t say anything else. Yesterday I saw he was about 100 pages into it, and he really likes it.
My 13 year-old checked out Ender’s Game and a couple of Card’s Homecoming books from the library on Sat.
Thanks again.
(I on the other hand, took out a bunch of Donald Westlake Dortmunder titles at te recommendation of some folk around these boards. Gotta search out who that was, cause I’m well into the earliest one, Jimmy the Kid, and suffice it to say I am underwhelmed.)
Thanks again. I’ve put all the recommendatons into one list I keep handy for trips to the library.
Oh, there are a lot of us Dortmunder buffs here.
Get your hands on THE HOT ROCK, the first book in the series. It’s classic. BANK SHOT (1972) has a marvelous premise, but IMHO it’s not Westlake’s best writing.
The other 1970s/80s titles (JIMMY THE KID, NOBODY’S PERFECT, WHY ME?, and GOOD BEHAVIOR) are not the best of the group…but I think things pick up in 1990 with DROWNED HOPES, and continue strong with DON’T ASK (1993) and WHAT’S THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN? (1996).
The new Dortmunder novel, the tenth in the series, BAD NEWS, is supposed to be in bookstores by April.
I just read a new YA novel The Truth Out There by Celia Rees. It opens with some mysterious events, which has the main characters thinking about aliens and conspiracies (hence the X-Files ref. in the title) but then the actual explanation ends up being much more interesting.
If they like time travel themes, they might like these YA titles:
A Storm Without Rain, by Jan Adkins. Unfortunately not in print, but try the library. A teenage boy goes back in time and meets his grandfather.
The Viaduct, by Roy Brown. A boy goes back in time to find clues about his great-grandfather, an inventor, and a missing family fortune.
The Sherwood Ring, by Elizabeth Marie Pope. A teenage girl goes back in time to the Revolutionary War.
Jack Finney writes some great books about time travel for adults. I would guess that an ambitous 13 year old might enjoy Time and Again and its sequel, From Time to Time. In the first book, a man returns to the New York of 1822, and in the second book, he voyages on the Titanic. The only slight problem I would have in recommending this to someone else’s children is that they have a rather 1960s outlook on women – most women are secretaries and the main character is usually sizing up their legs. It’s almost worse because it’s so subtle. I’m sure it’s harmless but it’s something I might mention to a child who was reading the book.
Goose wrote:
Particularly if you want your kid to run off and join the military.
Along with everybody else, I must recommend Heinlein’s “juveniles,” which (along with a ton of other SF) got me through my teenage years. Also, Asimov’s Robots stories are extremely good.
If they like books with good action, they might try E.E. “Doc” Smith. His Family d’Alembert series (starting with Imperial Stars), about a family of circus acrobats who double as galactic security agents, would be good for younger teens. His Lensman (starting with Triplanetary) and Skylark (Skylark of Space) series are classics as well.
Harry Harrison’s Stainless Steel Rat series (Adventures of the Stainless Steel Rat), which tell fun tales of a mostly harmless galactic super-criminal, are also a lot of fun.
Some of the best books for young teens that I can recommend are The Borribles and its sequels by Michael De Larrabeiti. They tell the tales of a civilization of young scamps in London living underground. Unfortunately, I think it’s out of print.
It’s not SF, but they might also enjoy C.S. Forester’s Hornblower series (starting with Mr. Midshipman Hornblower). The world of a British Navy Man of War is suficiently alien to modern teens that it might as well be a spaceship. Besides, it’ll get them ready to read Patrick O’Brian when they’re older.
I could give you many more suggestions were I at my parents where my old SF collection remains mouldering.
Enjoy!
Re: The Riverworld Series, I can’t remember anything too bad in the first one, but in one of the later ones in the series there is a very disturbing scene where they are reviewing the memories of a guy who molests his 2 year old niece.