Grown-up science fiction for almost 11 year old

[MabelSideswipe]

Hope someone who likes science fiction can help me. My almost 11 year old love science fiction and has been reading some adult books such as 2001 and Hitchhikers Guide. He wants some more for Xmas but I have not much of a clue as it really is not my bag!

I was pondering Chocky by John Wyndham. Can anyone recommend anything else?

[Enb76]

John Wyndham is pretty good but not just Chocky, what about The Chrysalids as well. Also Issac Asimov, Orson Scott Card (Ender's Game), Robert A. Heinlein and Arthur C. Clark. Can't help you with anything more recent.

[AnAdventureInCakeAndWine]

You could do worse than get him some of the classic short story collections. To start with I'd suggest

<a class="break-all" href="//www.amazon.co.uk/Of-Time-Stars-Arthur-Clarke/dp/0140307036?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">Of Time And Stars (Arthur C. Clarke) (get second-hand if you can't find it in print)

<a class="break-all" href="//www.amazon.co.uk/I-Robot-Isaac-Asimov/dp/000753227X?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">I, Robot (Isaac Asimov)

Both very influential, and there's nothing age-inappropriate in them. Chocky also a good option.

[MabelSideswipe]

Thanks everyone. Lots of great ideas.

[Takver]

Things I can think of that dd has enjoyed (she's 11.5)

Anne McCaffrey's Dragonsinger trilogy - excellent, though admittedly on the sci-fi / fantasy borderline
Ursula le Guin - The Eye of the Heron

There's also masses of sci-fi being written for a YA audience, which is worth checking out. Apart from the obvious Hunger Games (which I assume he's read?) a few that come to mind:
The 5th Wave
Insignia by SJ Kincaid (sp?)
Warp by Eoin Colfer (he of Artemis Fowl)

Its worth being aware that John Wyndham is very much of his time in that to a modern ear his books are eye-wateringly sexist (well, the Triffids at least, we had it as an audiobook and I was wincing all through a 7 hour journey . . .). I suspect the same may be true of Asimov, though I haven't read them since I was that age myself.

[SoupDragon]

DS2 (12) had devoured Enders Game by Orson Scott Card.

[SoupDragon]

has devoured. He's onto the second one now.

[ValentineWiggins]

Heinlein is fine as long as you stick to the thinner books!

[bruffin]

John Christopher wrote great teenage SF including The Tropods and the Sword of the Spirots trilogies. Not sure if they are in print but looks like they are available on Kindle.
Also the Marion Zimmer Bradley Darkover novels I think may be suitable

[bruffin]

Oops
Tripods not Tropods and Spirits not Spirots

[Pythonesque]

I loved Heinlein and Andre Norton and read a lot of both from about 10 to 14. Heinlein wrote a whole lot of stuff that is perfect for 11 yr old boys - as well as some stuff that is seriously NOT for children, hence the comment above (stumbled upon one of them at the age of 13 1/2 ...).

[Bluestocking]

I loved Ray Bradbury's short stories at that age.

[EvilRingahBitch]

I think the cut-off date for Heinlein is anything published after 1961 (Stranger In A Strange Land).

Asimov I think is universally age-appropriate, as is Clarke.

What about Bradbury - I haven't read The Martian Chronicles in ages but it should be OK?

James Blish Cities In Flight?

There's just a little bit too much sex in Niven I think.

If he just wants to read a lot of sf then there are enormous numbers of Doctor Who novels, and some of the Star Wars novels are decent enough too.

This is David Brin's list, which is a good starting point, but a few of them are definitely aged 13+, for example the "hero" of The Stars My Destination is a rapist.

[HomeHelpMeGawd]

Heinlein's excellent for the "juvenile" novels. These are:
Rocket Ship Galileo (not so great, this one)
Space Cadet
Red Planet
Farmer in the Sky
Between Planets
The Rolling Stones
Starman Jones
The Star Beast
Tunnel in the Sky
Time for the Stars
Citizen of the Galaxy
Have Space Suit--Will Travel
Podkayne of Mars

These stories are all completely absorbing for young kids. They also teach quite a bit of science. The mores reflect liberal America of the 50s/60s, but in a generally good way, and women characters are often smart and competent (eg Podkayne). It's interesting to see how he introduces ideas that seemed incredibly futuristic at the time of writing in a very naturalistic way, and how some of those ideas now have come true, eg the scene at the start of Space Cadet involving a mobile phone (Space Cadet was written in the 50s).

There are some Heinlein short stories that are really good, too. And while there's odd stuff in many of the later books, a few of them are also very good (I always liked Friday, for example).

[Takver]

I'm sure it would be very educational, volestair

Good point about the Chrisalids vs Triffids - I have to say dd did really liked the Triffids anyway, it was only me who it drove round the bend.

[MabelSideswipe]

Thank you so much for all this. Really great!

[Takver]

Just came across an old copy of HG Wells stories today, might he like the Time Machine? Ditto Jules Verne, still fun - perhaps even more so because of the dated-ness

[duchesse]

The Midwich Cuckoos is rather good and quite scary.

Anything by Terry Pratchett he's sure to like- there's nothing age inappropriate afair.