Archive for the 'Fantasy' Category
SciFi Sunday: Books for Kids
June 22, 2008 | Books, Fantasy, Science Fiction
We didn’t watch Dr. Who this week. We were watching The Golden Compass on Comcast On Demand. The recording was screwing up the movie so we canceled it and I forgot to set it to record the later reshowing. It will probably be repeated before next week’s episode so we’ll catch it then. I hope David Tennant doesn’t irritate me too much.
Speaking of The Golden Compass. We enjoyed it, though if you’ve read the books, you know the ending of the film is a bit of a cop-out. Far more sunny than the book.
Summer vacation is beginning, so I thought I’d give a few sci fi reading recommendations for kids.
I just finished a new one, a gift to my son from his grandmother: Dragon Rider
Some favorites, for ages 8-12 :
A Wrinkle in Time
The Phantom Tollbooth
The Chronicles of Narnia Boxed Set
A Wizard of Earthsea (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 1)
Dragonsong (Harper Hall Trilogy), Dragonsinger (Harper Hall Trilogy, Volume 2), Dragondrums (Harper Hall Trilogy)
Douglas also recommends the Dragon Slayers Academy books very highly although I admit, I have NOT read them. Dragon Slayer’s Academy Boxed Set # 1- 5
Ages 12 and up
The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien [J.R.R. Tolkien Boxed Set (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings)]
Dragonriders of Pern
Foundation et al, by Isaac Asimov [The Foundation Trilogy]
Kurt Vonnegut. Start with Cat’s Cradle
Harry Potter 1-7, JK Rowling [Harry Potter Paperback Box Set (Books 1-6)]
The Belgariad and The Malloreon by David Eddings [The Belgariad, Vol. 1 (Books 1-3): Pawn of Prophecy, Queen of Sorcery, Magician's Gambit and The Malloreon, Vol. 1 (Books 1-3): Guardians of the West, King of the Murgos, Demon Lord of Karanda
Ages 14-16 and up
The Once & Future King
His Dark Materials Trilogy (The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass)
American Gods: A Novel
SciFi Sunday: Reading List
March 23, 2008 | Books, Fantasy, Science Fiction
My review of the Stargate SG1 movie Ark of Truth is deferred a week or two. Instead, I want to note the passing of one of the masters of the sci fi/fantasy genre, Arthur C. Clarke, and share with you some of my favorite science fiction and fantasy authors and their works.
Let’s start with Clarke, who passed away this past week. He was a prolific author, most well known in the general public for 2001: A Space Odyssey. A classic for sure, but his works that influenced me the most at an early age — junior high — were Childhood’s End and Rendezvous with Rama.
I also devoured the works of Ray Bradbury. Fahrenheit 451 is one of the most eloquent anti-censorship novels of any genre, even if the author says that it was really more about the influence of TV on our culture:
“Do you ever read any of the books you burn?”
He laughed. “That’s against the law!”
“Oh. Of course.”
I also highly recommend The Martian Chronicles.
The science fiction authors that had the most influence on my literary taste, though, were Isaac Asimov and Kurt Vonnegut. My original, from childhood, copies of the Foundation series are so worn — literally falling apart — that a few years ago I had to buy a new set just to reread them. Among the other Asimov works that merit attention is the Robot series, which he eventually ties into the Foundation universe.
Asimov created the Three Laws of Robotics which continue to influence many other works of science fiction:
- A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
- A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
- A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
A key underpinning to the whole Foundation ‘verse is the concept of psychohistory. In my early adult life, in my final year of university, I spent much of my course and research time studying the history of psychology and the junction between history and psychology. I’ve always wondered how the early influence of Asimov’s work impacted this educational choice. Who knows…
And, so it goes. Kurt Vonnegut is one of my favorite authors of all time, and probably contributed, in some small way, to my twisted view of the world. Books you must read: Slaughterhouse Five and Cat’s Cradle. And please, start but don’t stop there. He is one of the great American authors and the literary heir, in my book, to Mark Twain.
Moving from science fiction to fantasy, the two authors that got me started on the sci fi fantasy path were CS Lewis, and The Chronicles of Narnia, which my aunt gave me as a gift in 4th grade, and JRR Tolkien, and The Lord of the Rings, which I have read more times than I can count. Another set of books that needed to be replaced recently as the glue in the bindings gave way.
After you’ve read these classics, where should you go?
Start with Anne McCaffrey and the Dragonriders of Pern series, Neil Gaiman, particularly Neverwhere and American Gods, Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time, and Ursula LeGuin’s Earthsea stories.
What are your favorites? What should I read next?
Links to Books on Amazon
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