Is YA the same as Dystopian fiction?

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russ2

Science fiction fantasy
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Looking for some new reads I went through a googled list of best selling YA novels. 9 out of 10 had the word 'dystopian' in the blurb. Are YA novels by definition always about terrible near-future dictatorships, like in the excellent Hunger Games. Or is it that publishers are just following a trend and saturating the market.
What do you guys think of YA books today?
 
Just following the trend having bought an awful lot of YA dystopia. About 2 years ago YA sf stopped selling to publishers because of it. I expect the trend will move on soon.
 
I read quite a lot of YA, which I like for the lack of waffle, and for the often excellent writing. There's a certain 'purity' about a lot of the scenarios and plots in YA that you don't get so often in other work.

There is an argument that one of the reasons dystopias are so popular is that comfy, cushioned YAs like that kind of thing - bad, but safe. Not sure if that's 100% right, but I think there's something in the view.

Surely though the new thing is YA steampunk. I hope so anyway! ;)
 
Ooh can you suggest a recent YA steampunk to read? Also what do you mean by purity, not sure I get it. Apols for being dense!
 
YA is okay in my opinion because, its an escape if its well written, same as when i watch tv series or, films, in your head your in the action, a part of it but, all others, makes you pause and, think, sometimes it flows but, not as smoothly as YA, i can go through an whole book like that, it's great escapism.
 
At the minute i'm reading my sons kindle books, he's going through the John Thornton Colony books, he raved about them and, my bag is dystopian book's, he's costing me a bomb but, quite proud he's heavily into reading and, not what stupid lads his age do, had the same with my daughter aswell, one christmas i asked her what she wanted, cost me £800 at waterstones pre-kindle,

The characters are not very well written but i like the storyline

Colony Ship Eschaton 10 books
Colony Ship Vanguard 10 books
Colony Ship Conestoga 10 books
 
To be honest the main reason i read them is to connect with my son and theyre all dystopian as far as i'm concerned Earth other planets systems galaxies what ever the book
 
Aw that's sweet. SFF has boosted my relationship with my nephew, Brandon. How old is your son?
 
He's fourteen now so his reading matter is starting to change, still a heavy reader but, i'm at work alot so, in the short time i have with him, i'd rather not see us like other parents and, kids you see, just short grunts and, responses, we go out and, have some really great conversations, just trying my best to make sure he grows up a nice respectable young man and, not someone people avoid because theyre scared of him, at 14 he's only 2 inches shorter than me and i'm 6ft1.5in, he's starting to lean towards computer programming it's what he wants to do so, he asked me for ideas on books, does anyone have any ideas on possible books with computers gone awry in them, bearing in mind like me he likes dystopian
 
A lot of movies spring to mind. There must be novelisations of of The Forbin Project, Terminator and Transcendence. I'll try to think of a book today. What about the I Robot books by Isaac Asimov. tbh i struggled with them, but a lot of people I know rate them.
 
He's read the caves of steel series of books 2 years ago, my partner says she blames me for all his reading and, choice of books because, bedtime was always science fiction, his face lit up more tham Grimms tales which, I tried and, he lay there bored but, when I read Ender, Homecoming or, Barsoom series, his little eyes and, ears would be riveted in his cot, probably the reason he likes Dystopia now.
 
Stephen Palmer said:
When you write YA you have to focus almost entirely on character and plot. That gives YA a kind of clear-sightedness that you don't get in a lot of adult works, that may be a bit waffly. The exception would be The Amber Spyglass! ;)

I can recommend Cogheart, although it's aimed at slightly younger readers.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip, I haven't heard of Cogheart.

Great observation.
 
monkeypooper said:
He's fourteen now so his reading matter is starting to change, still a heavy reader but, i'm at work alot so, in the short time i have with him, i'd rather not see us like other parents and, kids you see, just short grunts and, responses, we go out and, have some really great conversations, just trying my best to make sure he grows up a nice respectable young man and, not someone people avoid because theyre scared of him, at 14 he's only 2 inches shorter than me and i'm 6ft1.5in, he's starting to lean towards computer programming it's what he wants to do so, he asked me for ideas on books, does anyone have any ideas on possible books with computers gone awry in them, bearing in mind like me he likes dystopian
Click to expand...

Heres one about computers gone awry (just 're found' it on book search)
Kuldesak by Richard Cowper. Note this was penned in the seventies so even though it seems to count as YA, teens against the machine, there are quite adult sex themes in it.
Only one type of humanity can make love 'cos they got no neural implants. They are inordinately smug about this and the males strut about saying things like "yard high and pair proud"
Still a good story.
Have you tried him with the supreme bad computer short story "I have no mouth and I must scream" ?
Again a minor bit of sex in it but only a couple of lines with no cussin'
 
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