john wyndham

[miggy]

For any boys that like fantasy/sci fi books-do try john wyndham. My 11 yr old thinks he is fab-rates him higher than Garth Nix. Easy to get cheaply from ebay and often quite moral stories with choices and dilemnas for the hero but not too "grown up" in other ways. Just thought Id give him a plug as there must be other people out there casting about for new books for this age group.

I love John Wyndham and did as a child/preteen.

Mind you wasn't Day of the Triffids his?
That was scary

I thought it might be but skimmed it to check if it was as remembered and actually much less scary imho than some of the current "childrens" authors eg g p taylor etc.
I loved him too but had sort of forgotten about him and thought others might too.
Loved the tv day of the triffids with john duttine but used to have a bit of a passion for him anyway

It was the TV that scared me......My mum didn't want me to watch it

Oh yes, love it! Great recommendation Miggy. I must try and get hold of them. We've got a wrist-cracking compendium of 6 of his novels, but it's not really ideal for ds1 to curl up with in bed.

I was obsessed with Chocky as an early teen. Do you remember the BBC adaptation?

I love Wyndham, the way he changes something very small, and then carries that through with all the logical implications. Oohhh... I want to go and re-read them all now

I like John Wyndham too. Miggy, have you ever seen any of his short stories? Some of them are very chilling, in fact more scary than the full-length stories.

Miggy, I agree completely about G P Taylor - Shadowmancer is really very creepy. Which Garth Nix ones has your ds read? the Lirael, Sabriel, Abhorsen; or the Mister Monday, etc.?

Shadowmancer is distinctly on my 'not yet' pile for ds1, along with Lirael, etc. But he is only 7 atm.

The Chrysalids was my favourite.

Me too turquoise - but it was so long ago I couldn't remember the name of it

Yes, the Chrysalids is my favourite too. Haven't read any of them for years...feel the urge now.

and Midwich Cuckoos - that was scary too - god its years since I read Wyndham!

Chocky was my favorite and is ds's fav so far.
Agree re short stories being more scarey, ds is reading "the seeds of time" and found one about cannibalism in space quite scarey when reading it in bed alone last night!
Roisin-he has read all of the garth Nix books and preferred Lirael etc. If you are buying the wyndham ones-do try ebay and also abebooks-much cheaper than new ones on amazon. Also be careful on Amazon as there are some "condensed" versions available, I bought one accidentally as not very clearly labelled.

Oooh, love John Wyndham! I read the Chrysalids at school, and was fascinated, so went out and bought piles more.

Have any of you tried The Spook's Apprentice (I forget who its by)... its kind of like Sabriel, but easier and younger.