Need suggestions for books for my kid!

pinemom · Post by **pinemom** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:20 am

Bring him to the playa, tech him to spin Fire.

Keep him involved with Burners year round afterwards.

It will show him that above all there really is HOPE!
Depression in a teen is a very scary thing. Blow his mind in the desert with all the things that are possible, that seem impossible in the real default world.

Perhaps hell go home and write his own series of fantasy books!

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:23 am

yup, Enders game......

"The Dark Tower" ......King
"The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever" Donaldson
"His Dark Materials" Pullman
"The Wheel of Time" Jordan
"The Great Book of Amber" Zelazney
"The Stand" King
"Lucifers Hammer" Niven
"Swan Song" McGammon
"Fahfurd, and the Grey Mouser" Lieber

Those have been some of my favorites.

Lassen Forge · Post by **Lassen Forge** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 9:42 am

John Varley's Gaea Triology (Titan, Wizard, Demon)... I've worn a set of those out at LEAST once, and gave 2 copies away to friends. Don't know why I didn't think of this right off... I like John Varley's stuff anyway, but these 3 were, um, real perception changers. Oh yeah... speaking of Varley - Steel Beach. Another I've worn out a copy of.

More sci-fi alternate reality than pure fantasy, but H. Beam Piper's works - they were out of print for years, and just now starting to show up again... I started reading one I picked up for a dime at a garage sale when I was a kid ("Paratime"), and now have (except for one) his entire works, all in pulp. 2 separate story lines, both followable, plus a couple off genre works.

The first half of the Dune double triology. Good story line, fun to follow. Number 4 was a distinct change in Frank Herbert's style, tho - very dark and foreboding, I understand his wife was dying when he wrote this, and it comes through in his writing... and 5 and 6 try to recover from that, I think. But the first 3 - wow.

Finally - Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars triology (Red mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars) is another I devoured. OK, more sci-fi than fantasy... (you can tell my preferred genre, eh?)... bought the first on a fluke, and followed it up with the other 2. Fun reads.

Elorrum · Post by **Elorrum** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 11:01 am

Sci-fi... for laughs, young adult humor, I liked Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat stories. short episodic stories as opposed to lengthy saga. Anne McCaffrey's The ship who sang. similar episodic stories. (did I already mention that one?)

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 11:33 am

oh, I forgot.

Robin Hobb: "The Farseer trilogy" and "The Tawney Man" trilogy.

Post by **mdmf007** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 9:54 pm

MyDearFriend wrote:
goathead wrote:Ender's Game Orson Scott Card good series

On a Pale Horse Incarnations of Immortality series Piers Anthony

really like the twists in both of these series of books.
Ender's Game

Ender's Game

ENDER'S GAME

Absolutely fantastic book, it's been turning young male brains inside out for years.

Follow with Ender's Shadow.

I was going to suggest the Ender series - I have the entire series you can have in english. Although Card published them in different orders. To make the best sense he must read them in a different order than as published. I loved the series have read them at least 5 times each.

I also have the the entire DUNE series your boy can have. I have been looking for someone to gift them all too - Someone who will read them, or if they cant read them - give them to someone who will.

PM an address your comfortable with and they are yours.

MDMF

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 10:47 pm

Five times!!
Wow!
That's a recommendation.

Isotopia · Post by **Isotopia** » Sun Apr 17, 2011 12:33 am

For a kid it seems kind of restrictive to read trilogies where they're likely to lose interest in spite of their parent's enthusiasm for a long, drawn out read.

Having said that I'm surprised that no one has yet suggested the first book of the Dune series.

delle · Post by **delle** » Sun Apr 17, 2011 5:30 am

I've considered the burnout factor, and have decided to just get one or two (probably used) books of any given series to see how they fly before buying a crateful... the only exception being perhaps the Discworld series which I'd probably snatch up regardless of number knowing full well that my daughter and I would both also enjoy them. They can always be re-released into the universe as per Fishie's instructions after we're done.

BBS mentionned Dune earlier, and an actual forehead slap and loud "Doh!" resulted. I loved the first Dune book, and may even have it here someplace.

Now, to turn this right around.... The two books he's read more than once are Watchmen and Bone. Both graphic novels. After my first quick search I've come up with a short list of books I'm starting to look into.... and again, was wondering if anyone had any insight on them:

Paul Chadwick, Concrete: Strange Armor
Ty Templeton, Stigâ€™s Inferno
Neil Gaiman, Sandman (etc.)
Brian K. Vaughan, Runaways

and of course

Art Spiegelman, Maus (as much for myowndamnedself!)

goathead · Post by **goathead** » Sun Apr 17, 2011 6:27 am

Don't have any input on them

but

+1 on what Piney said.

Bring him out to the playa, art and science, in a magical mix.
might be a big party to some
but for the rest of us it is the human spirit and imagination come alive.

delle · Post by **delle** » Sun Apr 17, 2011 7:07 am

Actually, +100 for what Piney said.

Although I've considered it long and hard from the very start, the decision has come down to "not this year". For several reasons.

The first being purely selfish. I need to not have to oversee him on my first venture out. It may sound harsh, but I'm not willing to sacrifice my own experience on a gamble (and it's really a huge gamble in this case, very heavily loaded against) that he might "get it" and thrive.

The last being that he has no interest whatsoever in seeing his mother, stepfather and "elderly" aunts (sorry, guys, if you're reading -- but if I'm "older than dirt" in his eyes, you two are even worse) buck naked and running around like children.

His current view of the whole idea is "Hell No!!!".

Which (this year, anyway) I'm accepting with a private sigh of relief. It may not win me MotherOfTheYear award, but this is my first real undertaking in about 2 decades that doesn't involve the kids (except for the enormous amount of planning to ensure their wellbeing during our absence).

Any ambivalence I might have had about doing this FOR US ALONE has long since evaporated in light of the certainty that our souls (individual and parental alike) will benefit from the experience to an extent that will undoubtedly shower the kids with its influence throughout the entire rest of the year.

(my story and I'm sticking to it, however contrived it may seem)

I'm still giving it +100, because a huge part of me wishes I could bring him and that he'd lap it up gleefully.

Elorrum · Post by **Elorrum** » Sun Apr 17, 2011 9:13 am

delle wrote:The last being that he has no interest whatsoever in seeing his mother, stepfather and "elderly" aunts ... running around like children.

I have a 21 yr. old nephew who is going to an art college and is around a lot of burners. That in his mind is not the same burning man that I, his aunt, goes to. The world has to be all new for him to gather up. The little pischer. ah anyway... There are Burners all around, people of all ages, who maybe are living in the regular world with that as a secret. When we get together, we can see that quality of spirit we have in common, regardless of our age differences. I am looking at these book lists and seeing a lot of books that I need to read, or read again.

delle · Post by **delle** » Sun Apr 17, 2011 10:37 am

mdmf007 wrote:
I was going to suggest the Ender series - I have the entire series you can have in english. Although Card published them in different orders. To make the best sense he must read them in a different order than as published. I loved the series have read them at least 5 times each.

I also have the the entire DUNE series your boy can have. I have been looking for someone to gift them all too - Someone who will read them, or if they cant read them - give them to someone who will.

PM an address your comfortable with and they are yours.

MDMF

I was just rereading and noting down the suggestions in here when I came across this. I seriously can't explain how I missed the offer the first time 'round, but somehow I did.

I'm sitting here gobsmacked.

PMing you now to work out the logistics. You, sir, have just made a boy's day. (and his mom's too, of course!!!)

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Sun Apr 17, 2011 5:59 pm

You don't mind it creeping well into science fiction territory. (Absolutely not a complaint about them as books...)

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Sun Apr 17, 2011 8:45 pm

How would Dune be science fiction?

The CO · Post by **The CO** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 1:11 am

<Assorted Seconding of various series, OP's take credit>

ANYTHING by Tim Powers.
Wiess/Hickmann as well.
John Varley.
Frank Herbert.

Additionally, despite being outside the fantasy realm, having been a 14-17 year old boy myself, I recomend the following:

Anything by Douglas Adams (Hitchhikers Guide, Last Chance to See, Meaning of Liff, Dirk Gently)
Anything by Neal Stephenson (Cryptonomicon, The Big U, Zodiac, Snow Crash)
Assorted Tom Robbins.
The Phantom Tollbooth (Norton Juster) Written for a younger audience, but worth reading no matter what your age.
Flatland (Edwin Abbott)
The Monkeywrench Gang (Edward Abbey)

VeganChoirGirl · Post by **VeganChoirGirl** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 10:14 am

GAIMAN GAIMAN GAIMAN! His books are a totally new feel to the same old thing.

American Gods is probably NOT a good place to start, so try these:

Neverwhere
Stardust
Anasi Boys

This is a great list.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 10:33 am

The CO wrote: Anything by Neal Stephenson (Cryptonomicon, The Big U, Zodiac, Snow Crash)

Much as I hate to disagree with the CO, do NOT get him involved in the Baroque Cycle. I"m a pretty good reader, who was reading Russian novels in my teens and twenties (well, okay, I've slouched a bit since then), but that killed me part way through volume II. So much so, that I almost didn't pick up Anathem, which I loved, loved, loved.

wedeliver · Post by **wedeliver** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 10:38 am

A Childs Garden of Grass is a book that no child should read, but all adults should. Especially the forward. This book fits in somehow with the Allen Watts book, A Joyous Cosmology with forward by T. Leary, Teo.

delle · Post by **delle** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 10:43 am

VeganChoirGirl wrote:This is a great list.

It really is, isn't it? I swear I've learned more about books in the last 48hours than I have in the entire last year.

I was just about to order the first Sandman book by Gaiman (Preludes and Nocturnes are the first 8 stories, right???) . Off instead to look up the latest 3 before I proceed...................

*skipping merrily off to learn even more*

Post by **Savannah** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 10:44 am

I am so touched by the gift of Dune.

Delle, he can read the Girl Genius graphic novel online for free (the collected books are at Amazon; the softcovers are economical). I don't know if a teenage boy is willing to give something entitled Girl Genius a shot (the fans of it are mostly adults & split pretty evenly 50/50 by gender), but it's a very intelligent story and has great art. Airships, mechanical beasts, etc, in an alternate reality steampunk version of Europe in which mad scientists battle each other for control. It's a drama, but it is frequently funny and you don't have to worry about it being too dark.

Page one is here:
http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20021104

I second the recommendations of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams for their use of language and humor.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 11:00 am

I've avoided series because they are often used a crutch for bad writing and it's often hard to find the whole set.
Most of what I mentioned, stands alone, including the start of the Blue Event Horizon series and Dune.
It's worth noting that the best stories are often not even short novels, but short stories.
It would be advisable to look into collections of short stories, regardless of other reading.
Even the best collections are often very available and cheap.
Sample variety before plodding through any series.

I can't judge what is appropriate for others.
I started reading Kafka before I was a teenager, so what do I know?

I think he might like Delany's Dhalgren.
There is some sexual content, as I recall.
Same for Millennium, which pairs well with the film, which I'd start with.
Excellent book.

Damon Knight, a must read author.
The early original Star Trek novels, wonderful.
Philip K Dick, whose writing I find annoying, though brilliant.
Bladerunner is based on one of his.

A friend of mine, who's dyslexic recommended History of the World.
'He was pretty much self educated, and said he had to choose books very carefully, because he had so much trouble reading.
He was told he was stupid most of his life.
He's actually one of the smartest people I've ever known, notwithstanding his education, and I've known some johnson center whiz kids and used to chart pretty high myself once.

As I understand it, dyslexia often accompanies high intelligence.

I'm sure I'm missing some obvious authors I can't remember right now.

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 11:04 am

It took two pages before Wheel of Time was thrown in here? I only made it through four of them, but I sure do know some fans...I don't know about his maturity level or what you, as the parent, feel is appropiate for him at 16 (my ideas certainly vary from the mainstream norm of acceptibility), but Song of Fire and Ice/Game of Thrones might be the best fantasy series I've ever read.

The HBO series is eye-rollingly too sexual, but otherwise I enjoyed the premiere last night.

Lord of the Rings
Narnia Chronicles
Redwall series by Brian Jacques
most things by Douglas Adams
The House with a Clock in its Walls, brought to mind by the Phantom Tollbooth recommendation (which I heartily second) - and Roald Dahl's books. Not "fantasy," per se, but certainly fantastical.
Anything by H.G. Wells or Jules Verne

Gaiman is hit-or-miss for me, but certainly Neverwhere is a great start.

For the non-16 y.o. boys, Diana Gabaldon's Voyager series is one of my all-time favorites.

wedeliver · Post by **wedeliver** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 11:04 am

gyre wrote: As I understand it, dyslexia often accompanies high intelligence.

I think you got it backwards.

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 11:08 am

delle wrote:I was just about to order the first Sandman book by Gaiman (Preludes and Nocturnes are the first 8 stories, right???) . Off instead to look up the latest 3 before I proceed...................

*skipping merrily off to learn even more*

Presumably you know this, but the Sandman series are graphic novels. The other titles listed are "books."

Oh, and Christopher Moore's books fall under fantastical (not "fantasy"). Never read a Moore I didn't like. The CD of Fluke make me laugh out loud in my car.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 11:20 am

Hey, Metamorphosis qualifies as fantasy.
Give him that.
That will wake him up!

Did anyone mention Vonnegut yet?

These are his own ratings

Player Piano: B
The Sirens of Titan: A
Mother Night: A
Cat's Cradle: A-plus
God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater: A
Slaughterhouse-Five: A-plus
Welcome to the Monkey House: B-minus
Happy Birthday, Wanda June: D
Breakfast of Champions: C
Slapstick: D
Jailbird: A
Palm Sunday: C

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 11:28 am

I'm not sure if I want to saddle a boy with 14? volumes of WoT. And there's the distinct possibility of his coming away from it with weird views of women.
Song of Ice and Fire is spectacular and wonderful, but dark, and possibly "too mature." (Again, I think that's an internal thing, some people read this stuff at that age and get a lot out of it; I find much value at reading above your "grade level" if you're ready for it.) Last year, I discovery The First Law trilogy, but I cannot suggest it in this case. Even though Logan is one of my favorite characters in quite a while.

The good news is that I've had to downsize, because I don't have room for my books. I don't knwo what I have left that could go to him.

delle · Post by **delle** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 11:34 am

gyre wrote:
A friend of mine, who's dyslexic recommended History of the World.
'He was pretty much self educated, and said he had to choose books very carefully, because he had so much trouble reading.
He was told he was stupid most of his life.
He's actually one of the smartest people I've ever known, notwithstanding his education, and I've known some johnson center whiz kids and used to chart pretty high myself once.

As I understand it, dyslexia often accompanies high intelligence.

His problem isn't so much dyslexia as something they're now calling a "non verbal learning disability" tinged with shades of aspergers.

He's been jacked to the top of waiting lists for specialized treatment and (perhaps... I'm not sure about this one yet) a special school, which is actually considered an outpatient "wing" of the hospital system, and psychiatric care for the anxiety and depression. The only important word in that whole paragraph tho is "WAITING". We've been waiting for one step or another in this process since he was about 3.

He's intelligent enough for sure. --- but is missing on average 3 of any 10 blocks necessary to "KNOW" something, which leaves people who meet him in

mode if they talk with him long enough. Especially if he's got comments on the upper levels of an idea but no clue whatsoever to the basic levels.

He loves to read, and will rave about books he likes and re-read them over and over, but can not explain to you what the book is about, even after having read them several times. (neuro-psy says left and right hemispheres aren't communicating properly)

It would all be so very mysterious if it weren't so damned familiar. He's his mother's son, alright!!!

Edit to add EVERYTHING!!! lmao. (went back to get the quote and ended up posting it without my message, dammit!)

delle · Post by **delle** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 11:41 am

C.f.M. wrote:
delle wrote: Presumably you know this, but the Sandman series are graphic novels. The other titles listed are "books."

Graphic novels are what he's done best with so far. I really wanted to add some to the mix so as not to overload him. Kinda like he's finally asking for some meat and potatoes, but I want to make sure there's a little dessert in there for him too....

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 11:47 am

MyLarry has "adult verbal retention disorder" ... sort of like ADHD with dyslexia. But not. High intelligence which cannot be measured on an academic scale, but wildly off the charts when given alternative non-traditional intelligence tests. Yes, there is the WTF factor with MyLarry, but to know him is to love him.

We're lucky in that MyLarry wouldn't know depression if it bit him in the ass.

A little dessert is always a good thing.