Sci Fi for 11 yr old...?

[timetosmile]

DS is a good reader, casting around for what to read next, and I am wondering whether he would like some Sci Fi (in the broadest sense)

Terry Pratchett? If so, where to start?
The CS Lewis sci-fi (or too difficult)
Asimov prob will make his head hurt, no?

He likes fantasy, but not 'magic'/wizardry like Harry Potter.

Any other suggestions? It wasn't really what I read at his age.

Thanks

My boys have just finished the Chaos Walking Trilogy (patrick ness) and thoroughly enjoyed them.

...and what about the good old Lord of the Rings??

I am a sci-fi and fantasy fan and loved anthropomorphic books at that age - Duncton Chronicles, Rats of Nimh, that sort of thing. I also read LoTR around then, but skipped the poetry (probably still would, tbh).

What about Ringworld by Larry Niven? And Dune, by Frank Herbert, which was hard, but worth it. He could start with the prequels which are written by Herbert's son and Kevin J Anderson and are easier. Actually, Kevin J Anderson's Saga of Seven Suns series would probably be suitable in a year or so.

I find some of the 60s and 70s stuff (Arthur C Clarke, Asimov, etc) really sexist now, but it reads like that to me as I'm a 32 year old feminist, it's not overtly so (they have women scientists, don't you know...). It would pass an 11yo boy (or girl, tbh) by completely and like some of the archaic language is simply a product of the time it was written.

Be careful with much modern sci-fi btw, loads of gore and sex and not at all suitable for an 11yr old.

The Skulduggery pleasant books?

I think you need to be quite careful not to frighten him off with anything too heavy at that age - it's an age where a lot of boys give up reading and it's better to keep their interest going rather than trying to necessarily take a big leap into a new genre imo.

amck we are skulduggering at the moment..enjoying it, but not sneaky-torch-under-bedclothes gripping.
Will have a look at Chaos Walking, thanks

Hitchhikers for SciFi (ish)

David Eddings for fantasy - not his last series though as much as I love him that one was a bit pants. (DE is still my favourite author and I first picked up his books at your sons age)

Second whoever said Jasper Ffordes The last Dragon Slayer it's very funny and well written

Ooh how about the Redwall series by Brian Jaques (I think!)

It is Brian Jacques
We're reading it as our bedtime story ATM. DCs are 8 and 10, it's gripping stuff.

I unreservedly second Diana Wynne Jones, and would add Dogsbody to the list above. Also, some Jack Vance is good, e.g. the City of the Chasch stories, and Larry Niven's Tales of Known Space. Some adult themes in both, beware (although I read these about this age and it just went over my head). Hothouse by Brian Aldiss is good too.

Redwall makes me want to bang my head repeatedly against a wall.....irrational I know...but there we are!

lol time to smile - i have to agree, my boys started the first one and then wouldn't read any more- I'd bought a huge box set!

Another thought OP - what about some horror? Any of the Darren Shan series' of books would be good.

Also the Tunnels series by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams are really good.

Susan Cooper's other books apart from The Dark is Rising are good too - The Boggart and the sequel, and Seawards are more fantasy, and Victory and King of Shadows are historical but really gripping and well written, and with an element of fantasy/magic to them.
If you have a Kindle, I read one called The Golden Acorn (which is free) and one called The Serpent in the Glass recently, before I let DD read them, and they were really good - both fantasy and just perfect for the 9-12 age group.

Philip reeve - mortal engines quartet