From: rgawel at penton.com <rgawel>
Date: Thu, 18 May 2006 17:04:24 -0400

Hi all,

I've been enjoying all the e-mails about kids' fantasy. As an aspiring kids' fanatsy writer, it's encouraging to see how popular and respected the genre is with kids and adults alike. In fact, I think I've read more kids fantasy now that I'm a grownup than I did back then. (I've also been reading more kids' stuff than grownup stuff lately too!) In no particular order, here are some of my favorites...

Harry Potter: Well, duh. Few authors weave multiple plot threads across books spanning years as well as JK does, dropping clues in one that pay off big later. Sorcerers' Stone really recaptured the sense of wonder of entering a magical world, Prisoner of Azkaban's plotting is tight and clever (and driven by character!) without being gimmicky, and Half-Blood Prince takes such incredible dark turns with the world, there's a reason she crosses all markets and boundaries so successfully.

His Dark Materials: Wow, it's like the Chronicles of Narnia written by a bitter agnostic! Pullman crafts very believable, fantastic worlds, and he's not afraid to tackle the Big Issues like good, evil, God, sex, and death. And my inner 10-year-old is in love with the idea of talking, intelligent, armored polar bears! My one beef with the series is the way Lyra's strong personality from the first booktakes a back seat once Will shows up in book 2. Lyra Silvertongue shouldn't depend on her man to save the day...

Artemis Fowl: They're funny. That's the bottom line. Again, great world-building. And I've always loved characters who rely on brains more than brawn, and few characters can play cat and mouse like Artemis can. The Opal Deception was a bit of a step backwards, bringing a villain from a previous book back from the dead. But the setup for book 5 has great potential. And if you haven't already, check out his standalone novel, The Wish List. Again, it's laugh out loud funny, but it's not just about the gags.

The Abhorsen Trilogy: Whenever I go to writing workshops and readers ask about all the loose threads in the novel my wife and I are writing together, I cite Garth Nix's Abhorsen Trilogy as evidence that you don't always have to explain everything in fantasy! Suspend your disbelief at the door, and dive right in. I've read the trilogy and the associated short stories, and I still have no idea why the Old Kingdom is on a different plane from the rest of the world. Anyway, it's a great mix of epic fantasy and post-Victorian atmosphere that bridges the best of both worlds.

On a similar note, Chris Wooding's The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray is one of the spookiest books I've read in years! Imagine a Victorian-era Buffy, only the Hellmouth has opened in London, and demon-hunting is a legitimate profession. And a Jack the Ripper Killer is on the loose too, jealous of the attention the demons are getting. I'm anxious for a sequel, but it seems Mr. Wooding has moved on to other things. Don't read this one alone late at night!

Tamora Pierce does a great job of nailing the Epic Fantasy genre with a strong female point of view, whether it's her Tortall series or Circle of Magic. Johnathan Stroud's Bartimeus Trilogy starts slow, as Nathaniel's POV isn't as interesting as the Jinn's. But books 2 and 3, which add Kitty's perspective to the mix, really take off. And, vampire fans will enjoy Twilight, which is a fresh take on the traditional monsters in a contemporary high school. It's also one of the tastefully raciest books I've read in a while too, so it may not be for younger readers...

Rich Gawel rgawel at penton.com
Received on Thu 18 May 2006 04:04:24 PM CDT