Peter Dickinson

[Brys]

Today I was moving a lot my books out of my room because I got a load more and I happened to notice a lot of my older Young Adult fantasy while I was doing it - I came across the obvious, Redwall, His Dark Materials, Harry Potter, etc, but then I also saw Peter Dickinson. I saw one book, "The Kin" and remembered just how good that was, and there was high praise from Philip Pullman on the back. Yet I never here his name mentioned. It isn't reallyfantasy (Africa 200,000 years ago), but as the setting is so different to the modern day it is pretty close in some ways. He also wrote some other fantasy. I was wondering if anyone else has read any of his books, and what they thought of him.

 

[Alia]

I have this book... it's rather thick for normal YA books, but that's were I found it in the book store... I picked it up to have my daughter read it as part of her schooling but we studied other things this last year (I home school her). Therefore, I have the book, but it has sat on the bookshelf... waiting.

Brys... what type of book do you think it is? Does it involve any fantasy at all? Or is it more history-type book? When I read the back cover I was more inclined to think it was historical fiction... your thoughts?


A little more description:
"It is Africa, 200,000 years ago. Six children are cut off from their family group, the Moonhawk Kin, when they are driven from their home - their Good Places- by violent strangers. Now, alone, living by their wits and limited experience, they must find new Good Places. On their quest, they face the parched desert, an active volcano, a canyon flood, man-eating lions, and - perhaps most dangerous- other kinds of humans they have never seen before. Told from four points of view, with tales of the different Kins' creation interspersed throughout, this epic novel humanizes early man and illuminates the beginning of language, the development of skills, and the organization of society. It is a triumphant book from one of the genre's most revered authors." - The Back Cover

 

[rune]

I'm interested too, seen this authors name but dont know anything about his books

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

It sounds a bit like Jean Auel's books doesn't it?
Can't say I've heard of the author though - either 'most revered' is flattering or I'm revealing my ignorance again....

 

[Alia]

It sounds a bit like Jean Auel's books doesn't it?
Can't say I've heard of the author though - either 'most revered' is flattering or I'm revealing my ignorance again....

I tend to agree with you WS about Jean Auel... I took another look at the book's cover and saw that it did indeed say Fantasy on the spine. So, I have to agree that Jean Auel's books come to mind when reading the back cover of this book. My reading list is so long at the moment I don't know when I can get to this one... It may have to wait until school starts up and we start studying the evolution of man...

 

[Brys]

The Kin is probably more like Historical Fiction - but then it's historical fiction of 200,000 years ago. I don't think there was any significant magic in it, but it definitely seemed like a fantasy novel, in part because of the viewpoints of the characters. While it doesn't involve truly fantastical elements, ie made up creatures, the use of other creatures on the primitive characters works in the same way - so while you may have a man eating lion instead of a fire breathing dragon, they both have the same kind of effect in the story. I don't think there was any magic in it, at least not directly and only in the eyes of the characters, but it was a while since I read it.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Dickinson doesn't get much buzz because he's not very prolific and his books don't have a lot of mass appeal. But he does write SF and Fantasy, he's been around forever, and he does command respect among editors, authors, and reviewers. So the "most revered" thing is not a wild exaggeration -- especially not as cover copy goes.

I've tried to read a couple of his books, but could never quite get into them. It wasn't a question of the quality, though.

As a side note, he's married to Robin McKinley. They both seem to be writing more these days, so there may be some sort of synergy going on.

 

[dwndrgn]

Not having heard of Peter Dickinson, I decided to see what my library had. All they had were several mystery titles, no fantasy or juvenile fiction. So, I'll have to search elsewhere to find out more about his works.

Continuing my search (because I enjoy that type of thing ) I looked up Robin McKinley as well just for chuckles. I discovered she has a new (to my library which really doesn't say much) adult vampire fantasy out that has a very flattering blurb from Neil Gaimon attached to it. Might be worth looking into for those of you interested in all things vampiric. In case you are interested, it is called Sunshine.

 

[Alia]

That's interesting Dwndrgn... Robin Mckinley has written several YA books, two of which The Hero and the Crown and the sequel The Blue Sword, are both Newbery award winners. I have read The Blue Sword... and it was very good! I didn't realize that she wrote Adult too... I shall have to start a thread now!

 

[dwndrgn]

Yes, I've read some of her YA titles also. But I'll leave comment on them til you open a new thread. *trying not to derail the Peter Dickinson thread*

 

[Alia]

I won't let the thread be derailed, Dwndrgn... (hey this might be a first for me )


Didn't realize that Peter had written so much...
Peter Dickinson: Bibliography

Series
Changes

1. The Weathermonger (1968)
2. Heartsease (1969)
3. The Devil's Children (1970)


James Pibble

1. Skin Deep (1968)
aka The Glass-Sided Ants' Nest
2. A Pride of Heroes (1969)
aka Old English Peep Show
3. The Seals (1970)
aka The Sinful Stones
4. Sleep and His Brother (1971)
5. Lizard in the Cup (1972)


Princess Louise

King and Joker (1976)
Skeleton in Waiting (1989)


MagicQuest

Tulku (1979)


Kin

The Kin (omnibus) (1998)
Mana's Story (1998)
Noli's Story (1998)
Po's Story (1998)
Suth's Story (1998)

Novels
Emma Tupper's Diary (1970)
The Dancing Bear (1972)
Mandog (1972) (with Lois Lamplugh)
The Iron Lion (1972)
The Green Gene (1973)
The Gift (1973)
The Poison Oracle (1974)
Lively Dead (1975)
The Blue Hawk (1975)
Annerton Pit (1977)
Walking Dead (1977)
Hepzibah (1978)
One Foot in the Grave (1979)
The Flight of Dragons (1979)
The Seventh Raven (1981)
A Summer in the Twenties (1981)
The Last House Party (1982)
Hindsight (1983)
Healer (1983)
Giant Cold (1983)
Death of a Unicorn (1984)
A Box of Nothing (1985)
Tefuga (1986)
Mole Hole (1987)
Perfect Gallows (1987)
Eva (1988)
Merlin Dreams (1988)
AK (1990)
A Bone from a Dry Sea (1992)
Time and the Clockmice, Etcetera (1993)
Shadow of a Hero (1993)
The Yellow Room Conspiracy (1994)
Chuck and Danielle (1996)
The Lion Tamer's Daughter (1997)
Touch and Go (1999)
Some Deaths before Dying (1999)
Marigold: The Music of Billy Mayerl (1999)
The Ropemaker (2001)
The Tears of the Salamander (2003)
Inside Grandad (2004)
The Gift Boat (2005)

Collections
The Changes: A Trilogy (omnibus) (1975)
Chance, Luck, and Destiny (1975)
City of Gold: And Other Stories from the Old Testament (1980)
Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits (2002) (with Robin McKinley)

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Looks like I was dead wrong when I said he wasn't prolific.

I'll change that to say that he hasn't been prolific enough in the genre to win a big following.

 

[Alia]

The Kin is the only book I have ever seen of his, Kelpie... I tend to agree with you, I don't think he has a big following.

 

[GOLLUM]

Seen these books around before but never picked one up to read. This thread just may have been the spark needed to get me interested in this author...

 

[Alia]

We'll get you reading YA books yet.

 

[GOLLUM]

No doubt...

 

[rune]

Perhaps it's worth trying out one of his standalones Sometimes I perfer those for authors I've not read before.

 

[Milena]

The three 'Changes' books are really worth a re-vist. I read them again recently. They deal with a distopian future where some of the population are afriad of machinery, and have reverted to a pre-industrial lifestyle (or are in the process of reverting). they are great adventure stories for Y.A, and have an added layer of thought-provoking ideas about religion, loyalty and race. Another author in this genre is John Christopher (apologies if Im going over old ground here - not sure if he has been discussed recently) who wrote a trilogy about life on earth after it is invaded by aliens, and only adolecents can escpae them. Ideal wish-fulfilment Y.A reading!