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Original poster

Grown-up science fiction for almost 11 year old

38 replies

MabelSideswipe · 03/12/2013 10:34

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?

OP posts:
volestair · 03/12/2013 16:03

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bruffin · 03/12/2013 16:02

Oops
Tripods not Tropods and Spirits not Spirots

bruffin · 03/12/2013 16:01

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

ValentineWiggins · 03/12/2013 15:57

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

volestair · 03/12/2013 15:52

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SoupDragon · 03/12/2013 15:33

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

SoupDragon · 03/12/2013 15:33

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

Takver · 03/12/2013 15:30

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.

Original poster
MabelSideswipe · 03/12/2013 12:36

Thanks everyone. Lots of great ideas.

OP posts:
volestair · 03/12/2013 10:45

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AnAdventureInCakeAndWine · 03/12/2013 10:43

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

Of Time And Stars (Arthur C. Clarke) (get second-hand if you can't find it in print)

I, Robot (Isaac Asimov)

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

volestair · 03/12/2013 10:42

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Enb76 · 03/12/2013 10:40

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.