Scott Westerfeld Rocks My Non-Sci-Fi Socks Off
I’ve decided that I like youth sci-fi books. It’s only taken Stephen 12 years to get me to the level of a 15 year-old sci-fi reader. Except Scott Westerfeld’s stories read like grown-up novels. I’ve read the Uglies series. I’ve just today finished the two Peeps books. And there are three series of his I’ve yet to even check out. Between him and John Scalzi, I’ve got whole new worlds are opening up to me. Ha!
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Comment by Camron
Oh, honey.
What an amazing place the world is going to become. Gracias, Stephen, for bringing another lady into the fold. Even if it took 12 years.
Can I offer you some light introductions to the spec.fic. world that will probably not frighten you away? Especially if Westerfield is doing it for you:
Ender’s Game (et. al.): at least get the first two under your belt. Amazingly realized characters that will pull every bit of empathy out of you, and make you think you are a real part of their world. Changed my life, many years ago. Stephen would probably tear them apart in terms of realism, but we don’t have to tell him right away, right?
Alvin Maker series: another Card offering, but very different than the previous group. Gentle alternate history (easier to swallow than Turtledove), and again with the strong empathetic characters. Good stuff.
Patternmaster: Or really anything by Butler, but I liked this series the best. I especially twigged to the idea that people with ESP can’t raise their own children, as the kids’ needs constantly inside their heads would make them insane. And this from a woman who never had kids.
Let us know how it goes, ‘k?
Posted on August 1, 2007 at 8:30 pm
Comment by Misty
Thanks for the recommendations. We have Ender’s Game and Ender’s Shadow here in the house. I don’t even have to go to the bookstore for my next fix!
Posted on August 1, 2007 at 9:39 pm
Comment by duchess
Misty,
I am on the same path as you, right now. I still have trouble plowing through the ones John reads, but some are definitely worth the effort. I wanted to second Ender’s Game and Ender’s Shadow - I really enjoyed the two. Just try not to have *too much* time elapse between the two, or you will end up going back and re-reading Ender’s Game, and then you will re-read Ender’s Shadow, and there will be a cycle of re-reads!
Posted on August 2, 2007 at 9:54 am
Comment by Camron
Actually, ‘Ender’s Shadow’ is a spinoff series, though a good one. The one to read after ‘Ender’s Game’ is ‘Speaker for the Dead’. In fact, I believe Card was the first person to win a Hugo for a sequel with ‘Speaker’.
Posted on August 2, 2007 at 10:37 am
Comment by kat
Yeah! Another woman in the group! I think my coworkers still think I’m freakish for being a woman and really enjoying reading sci-fi.
Posted on August 2, 2007 at 10:03 pm