A New Source for Science Fiction & Fantasy
Recently I discovered a completely new source of science fiction, fantasy, and other genre fiction, particularly fiction by female authors and featuring female protagonists (which is something I prefer). That source is young adult fiction.
It started with Tamora Pierce's Tortall. Twice in this journal I've mentioned that series, along with Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar, as examples of the romantic fantasy genre that inspired the roleplaying game Blue Rose. But while I've read the Valdemar books repeatedly over the years, I'd never heard of Tortall until Blue Rose mentioned it.
Anyhoo, last week I went looking for the first book in the series, Alanna: The First Adventure, and I was startled to find it in the library's Teen Fiction department. I also found some YA urban fantasy and science fiction by following links from the TV Tropes page for the Tortall series.
To date I've read Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce, Hex Hall by Rachael Hawkins, Oh My Gods and its sequel Goddess Boot Camp by Tera Lynn Childs, Heir Apparent by Vivian Vande Velde, and Gamer Girl by Mari Mancusi. That last one was pretty weak, but I'd unhesitantly recommend the others. Most of them are urban fantasy, featuring supernatural beings hiding in the present-day world. When I mentioned this to John, he said, "Duh, after Harry Potter everybody's jumping on that bandwagon". Heir Apparent is science fiction, though, and Allana, as already mentioned, is romantic fantasy.
I haven't been able to get ahold of them yet, but I also discovered Gallagher Girls, a series of YA spy-adventure novels. Just perfect for getting me in a Foundation mood.
PS: be wary of the TV Tropes page for Hex Hall, as it contains massive un-blocked spoilers for the second book in the series. I wish someone had warned me before it was too late.
It started with Tamora Pierce's Tortall. Twice in this journal I've mentioned that series, along with Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar, as examples of the romantic fantasy genre that inspired the roleplaying game Blue Rose. But while I've read the Valdemar books repeatedly over the years, I'd never heard of Tortall until Blue Rose mentioned it.
Anyhoo, last week I went looking for the first book in the series, Alanna: The First Adventure, and I was startled to find it in the library's Teen Fiction department. I also found some YA urban fantasy and science fiction by following links from the TV Tropes page for the Tortall series.
To date I've read Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce, Hex Hall by Rachael Hawkins, Oh My Gods and its sequel Goddess Boot Camp by Tera Lynn Childs, Heir Apparent by Vivian Vande Velde, and Gamer Girl by Mari Mancusi. That last one was pretty weak, but I'd unhesitantly recommend the others. Most of them are urban fantasy, featuring supernatural beings hiding in the present-day world. When I mentioned this to John, he said, "Duh, after Harry Potter everybody's jumping on that bandwagon". Heir Apparent is science fiction, though, and Allana, as already mentioned, is romantic fantasy.
I haven't been able to get ahold of them yet, but I also discovered Gallagher Girls, a series of YA spy-adventure novels. Just perfect for getting me in a Foundation mood.
PS: be wary of the TV Tropes page for Hex Hall, as it contains massive un-blocked spoilers for the second book in the series. I wish someone had warned me before it was too late.