Adult fiction suitable for young adults?

[NewbieH]

Hi
Can anyone recommend any SF books that is appropriate for a 9 year old to read? He is a mature reader so I'm not worried about him being able to understand or follow a story, but there are some things I don't want him understanding or following...
E.g. he's just picked up Consider Phlebas by Iain M Banks - I've started a thread on author forum to ask on its suitability. He's loving it so far but I may need to offer him something else if feedback is that too violent!
Any suggestions / comments on Consider's appropriateness v much appreciated.
Many thanks

 

[Extollager]

Good evening, NewbieH! My way of answering this is to think of sf from the adult section of the library that I read many years ago when I was in my early teens and enjoyed. Your son sounds like he's brighter than I was, so I wouldn't think age 9 is too young.

C. S. Lewis's Out of the Silent Planet
Much by Ray Bradbury, such as The Martian Chronicles
Asimov's The Caves of Steel

 

[NewbieH]

Good evening, NewbieH! My way of answering this is to think of sf from the adult section of the library that I read many years ago when I was in my early teens and enjoyed. Your son sounds like he's brighter than I was, so I wouldn't think age 9 is too young.

C. S. Lewis's Out of the Silent Planet
Much by Ray Bradbury, such as The Martian Chronicles
Asimov's The Caves of Steel

Hi Extollager,
Thank you so much for the suggestions and so quickly!! It is hard for me to vet his reading in advance as he reads so quickly and SF is not my area so I really appreciate the recommendations. Thanks again!!

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Hi
Can anyone recommend any SF books that is appropriate for a 9 year old to read? He is a mature reader so I'm not worried about him being able to understand or follow a story, but there are some things I don't want him understanding or following...
E.g. he's just picked up Consider Phlebas by Iain M Banks - I've started a thread on author forum to ask on its suitability. He's loving it so far but I may need to offer him something else if feedback is that too violent!
Any suggestions / comments on Consider's appropriateness v much appreciated.
Many thanks

Heinlein did some great YA fiction - Starbeast and the like (although it might be a little young.) Also Arthur C Clarke can be very good - Rendezvous with Rama is a great story and could be accessed by a younger reader.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card is definitely one that springs to mind - adults and YAs alike seem to enjoy it and I've been trying to unearth my copy for my own 11 year old, so should be fine.

You don't mention bad language being a rule out - if not, The Martian by Andy Weir is a possible (the odd bit of sex is mentioned but never seen. Some of the jokes might go over his head, though.) Also, a modern one is Hugh Howey's Wool which is for a slightly older YA readership.


Also, if he is advanced and mature, I wouldn't rule Dune out, although Baron Harkonnen has some difficult themes (but you won't avoid the odd one if you go for the more adult end of the spectrum.) i read it when I was about 13, and was a fairly mature reader.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Hi Extollager,
Thank you so much for the suggestions and so quickly!! It is hard for me to vet his reading in advance as he reads so quickly and SF is not my area so I really appreciate the recommendations. Thanks again!!

I always read above my age, unvetted. My mum's take on it was if it was beyond me I wouldn't read on - and I reckon she was right 100% of the time. Just to assuage some of your worry, perhaps.

 

[NewbieH]

Heinlein did some great YA fiction - Starbeast and the like (although it might be a little young.) Also Arthur C Clarke can be very good - Rendezvous with Rama is a great story and could be accessed by a younger reader.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card is definitely one that springs to mind - adults and YAs alike seem to enjoy it and I've been trying to unearth my copy for my own 11 year old, so should be fine.

You don't mention bad language being a rule out - if not, The Martian by Andy Weir is a possible (the odd bit of sex is mentioned but never seen. Some of the jokes might go over his head, though.) Also, a modern one is Hugh Howey's Wool which is for a slightly older YA readership.


Also, if he is advanced and mature, I wouldn't rule Dune out, although Baron Harkonnen has some difficult themes (but you won't avoid the odd one if you go for the more adult end of the spectrum.) i read it when I was about 13, and was a fairly mature reader.

Thank you for the suggestions. Depends on how bad the bad language is...! I don't want to hold him back by restricting his reading to books targeted at 9 year olds but balancing that against need to protect him from anything that is just too much for his age. He's just read a few 'Lost Fleet', which I flicked through the pages of the first one in advance, but I can't keep up with him.

 

[NewbieH]

I always read above my age, unvetted. My mum's take on it was if it was beyond me I wouldn't read on - and I reckon she was right 100% of the time. Just to assuage some of your worry, perhaps.

Me to!! And I think reading is a safe way to be exposed to the world. Bad language etc exists and no point thinking I can protect him from the world until he's 45 . Equally I wouldn't want him reading Irvine Welsh or Wasp Factory etc too young - even though they are brilliant. He understands the difference between Star Wars and real life, and indeed reads a lot of history which is barbaric! It is a good problem to have though.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Me to!! And I think reading is a safe way to be exposed to the world. Bad language etc exists and no point thinking I can protect him from the world until he's 45 . Equally I wouldn't want him reading Irvine Welsh or Wasp Factory etc too young - even though they are brilliant. He understands the difference between Star Wars and real life, and indeed reads a lot of history which is barbaric! It is a good problem to have though.

I agree. I never get too fussed about bad language within reason since it's all over the playground - themes worry me somewhat more.

 

[russ2]

Wow if he's reading Ian M bank I think he's already outpaced any advice I could give. A half dozen books came to mind but I see my esteemed co-members already mentioned them above. I endorse all of them. I understand what you say about violent books, I don't want my nephew Brandon reading anything like the Fog by James Herbert until he's at least 50, (kiddin).
There are so many great books now, does he like dystopian YA, like the Hunger Games, Allegient, or the Maze Runner. Or futuristic sci-fi? I saw someone said Enders Game which has a movie now so he could do both. Or one that's a bit similar is The Infinity Trap about a teenager who goes to Mars and all the other kids are super powered. The hero reminded me of Harry Potter, as he was looking for his dad and lacked confidence. Oh Harry Potter! Has he read them already? Harry is an orphan which Brandon really related to, and he's up against this demonic bad guy. What about YA fantasy such as the Percy Jackson books? They're down with the cool kids.
I know! Here's a tip. Take him to Waterstones and let him lose and let him make his mind up there! Gazillions of books.

 

[NewbieH]

Hi Russ, thanks for reply! He has been let loose in book shops many a time, apart from haemorrhaging my bank account, the issue is what is appropriate - hence picking brains here.... He doesn't bother with age sections, he just picks up whatever interests him, whether it be fiction, history etc. He discovered the Lost Fleet series and couple First World War books that way. Which is great, but he is only 9 so...
A few people mentioned Martian Chronicles - which he is loving! None of my kids have got into reading Harry Potter. Thanks for recommendation on Infinity Trap - I've put it on his Christmas list!
Thanks again, very much appreciated.

 

[AnyaKimlin]

I was somewhat unvetted very early on as well. I was about 10 when I found my first bodice ripper. And by then I'd already read the Clockwork Orange but struggled with Wuthering Heights.

What about the Pern books?

 

[monkeypooper]

Has he tried Larry Niven Ringworld but considering reading consider phlebas at 9 maybe to tame for him has he not got a particular sub-genre