regentrude Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 My son is a strong reader who loves dystopian literature and some sci fi. He has read and liked: Brave New World, Catch 22, 1984, Farenheit 451, Martian chronicles, War of the World, Ender's Game. Any suggestions what else he might enjoy? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 Gormengast trilogy is one idea that he might like. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a favorite for ds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 Here's what I came up with for your DS. Happy reading! Warmest regards, Lori D. Sci-Fi titles: - A Canticle for Leibowitz (Miller) Post apocalyptic work. VERY well-written; check out this short guide by Paul Brians for help with the Latin phrases and Catholic culture aspects. This may be better understood/appreciated when DS is a bit older. - Anathema (Stephenson) a GREAT one to do after Canticle for Leibowitz -- it has such strong echoes from Leibowitz. But it's great as a stand-alone, and a fun, clean sci-fi story, with each of the 3 sections going in very different directions. (I also read Stephenson's Cryptonomicon, but did not appreciate that he felt he needed to stick a somewhat graphic sex scene in every so often... sigh...) - Out of the Silent Planet (Lewis) First of his space triogy, and can stand on its own. Very traditional, classic, older type of sci-fi. The sequels move much more into exploring Christian themes and the nature of evil, so I don't know if that would be of interest to DS or not... - Something Wicked This Way Comes (Bradbury) More supernatural thriller, but if you like Bradbury, this is a "don't miss"! - The Time Machine (Wells) - The Invisible Man (Wells) - War of the Worlds (Wells) -- and enjoy John Christopher's Tripod series after as light-weight "popcorn" reads - Dune (Herbert) -- political jockeying of various families/factions; sexuality is referred to, not graphic - I, Robot (Asimov) Asimov is not that great of a writer, IMO, BUT... his *ideas* lift his works up a level, and this collection, while kind of goofy and chauvinistic, outline the basic ideas of robot "ethics" that everyone else since has built on, and taken to be the "three basic laws" of robots/artificial intelligence. - The Left Hand of Darkness (LeGuin) DOES contain some questions/ideas of gender and sexuality. Nothing graphic, but being as conservative as I am, I probably wouldn't have handed this to my DSs until they were over 16yo. - Jurassic Park (Crichton) -- a "ripping good yarn"; man realizing he is NOT in control of nature - Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; Restaurant at the End of the Universe (Douglas Adams) The original and the first sequel, which really go together; a few crudities. The first two are very clever and create a whole world, but #3, 4, 5 in the series became derivative and included a lot of unnecessary sex and 4-letter words -- can easily be skipped - Cosmi-Comics (Calvino) Short story collection. Very existential in theme and mood, but each story brings up interesting ideas about meaning, communication, etc. Calvino's works usually contain a heavy amount of male sexual longing for women they can never obtain or who they do have sex with but the women are clearly not emotionally or even mentally there are aware -- but this collection keeps that all to a minimum, with nothing graphic or overt. The first story of the collection ("The Distance of the Moon") was clearly the triggering idea for Pixar's charming, latest short film, La Luna. These stories are subtle, and may be more appreciated by an older teen/adult. Dystopian works: - House of Stairs (Slater) Teens trapped in a strange environment suddenly realize they are part of a dreadful behavioral modification experiment. - The Hunger Games series (Collins) - The Giver (Lowry) -- and the sequels - Watership Down (Richard Adams) Fantasy (due to it following talking rabbits rather than humans), but a bit of a search for utopia, and encountering a few dystopias along the way. - Below the Root, Until the Celebration, And All Between (Snyder) Can read just the first one as a stand-alone; #2 and #3 rely on having read the series; wrestles with some utopian/dystopian ideas. Some mature dystopian works - Clockwork Orange (Burgess) - Lord of the Flies (Golding) Past threads with more ideas: (note: I am not familiar with all of the works recommended, and some titles in these threads I would consider to be for older teens/adults -- JMO!) Classic Science Fiction Recommendations Science Fiction What is your favorite political Sci-Fi type of book? Nan, what Sci-Fi did you all read Utopian and Dystopian Literature Dystopian Novels? What is your favorite Dystopian literature? Recommend some dystopian stuff for me to read! And a "best" sci-fi list: (note: I am not familiar with all of the works recommended, and some titles I would consider to be for older teens/adults -- JMO!) Top 100 Sci-Fi Books Top 100 Sci-Fi Short Stories Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 Jules Verne - The Mysterious Island Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 DD is a teen fan of science fiction and suggests the Leviathan series by Scott Westerfield. Possibly also the Hungry City Chronicles by Philip Reeve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted April 27, 2013 Author Share Posted April 27, 2013 Thanks a lot for all your suggestions! He read Lord of the Flies and the Hunger Games. He read part of Canticle for Leibowitz, but did not ever get into it. (I remember it as extremely depressing) I don't know most of the others, but have some of them. Thanks SO much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 My son is a strong reader who loves dystopian literature and some sci fi. He has read and liked: Brave New World, Catch 22, 1984, Farenheit 451, Martian chronicles, War of the World, Ender's Game. Any suggestions what else he might enjoy? Thanks My 15 yo has been enjoying Beowulf. What about some of Michael Chreighton? Not as classic as what you've listed above, but often sampling the edges of dystopia from technological breakthroughs. Oh, Neal Stephenson is also a favorite here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 My son is a strong reader who loves dystopian literature and some sci fi. He has read and liked: Brave New World, Catch 22, 1984, Farenheit 451, Martian chronicles, War of the World, Ender's Game. Any suggestions what else he might enjoy? Thanks I always encourage younger science fiction readers to make sure they go back and read early science fiction. The first on the list is Lovecraft. This title has a terrible cover but the stories were solid (some Lovecraft collections they aren't): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1453875107/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1 This volume gives him science fiction in its early form, pulp short stories, albeit these are the creme: http://www.amazon.com/Science-Fiction-Hall-Fame-Vol/dp/0765305372/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367099106&sr=1-1&keywords=science+fiction+collection From it he can expand his choices. Finally Asimov's Foundation series is quite good (better I think than his robots). Follow up Ender's Game with Speaker for the Dead, I think it is the best of that series much better than Ender's Game, but totally different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenda in MA Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 I'd suggest Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank. It's about the US during the Cold War era, and it focuses on a Florida town that is one of a few that survives a nationwide nuclear holocaust. Despite the fact that you might think it depressing due to the subject matter, it is actually an uplifting book. Both of my son and several friends enjoyed it (as did I). Brenda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Mote in God's Eye The Moon is a Harsh Mistress Insurgent and Divergent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Little Brother by Cory Doctorow is a very modern homage to 1984, featuring a 17 year old protagonist. I'm about halfway through it right now and really enjoying it. I'd second Dune, Speaker for the Dead from the Ender series. I'd also recommend Orson Scott Card's book of short stories - Maps in a Mirror. Some of those stories are so haunting that I remember them vividly after 20 years. We by Yevgeny Zamyatin is along similar lines to Anthem and Brave New World, but I liked it better than either of those. Has he read the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman? I think that's a pretty remarkable series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted April 28, 2013 Author Share Posted April 28, 2013 Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions! I went to the library yesterday and got Gormenghast, The Giver, and The compound. He actually owns Speaker for the Dead; I'll tell him that it has been recommended. DH owns Dune, and DD Lovecraft - so, looks as if we are set for a while. @Chrysalis Academy: yes, he read Pullman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom@shiloh Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Not sure if it quite fits in this category, but my oldest dd and ds enjoyed many of the books that you listed and are big fans of the Robert Jordan books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 We have not read these but a good friend gave this series to my dc. They do appear on this type of reading list so I will pass it along "The Belgariad" by David Endings. We have a series of 5. Planning to read this summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 How about books by Jules Verne? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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