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Let me state that Burroughs was not MY idea. Off to the library website. I LOVED the Bunnicula books.
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Didn't see these in a quick scan, but... if he's reading epics, get him started on Homer, maybe the Odyssey. If he likes it, the Iliad. Also, the ARthur Mythologies, probably White's "The Once and Future King" is a good place to start.
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"Eddings is not appropriate for a 7 year old. I read them when I was 12 and I was a bit too young. I was sheltered, too, but that won't make up for a 5 year age difference."
Eddings is much more tame then material he's already read. And, with 12 books in the Belgarion/Belgarath set, can keep him going for a month.
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There isn't any sex in LOTR, there definately is in Eddings. It's not so bad in The Belgariad, but in the Mallorean there are scenes where characters are seducing each other. I'm assuming if "heaving bosom" is out, that will be too. Granted, it's fairly tame compared to a lot of stuff that's out there for adults, but for an eight year old? And I'm really curious as to what on that list is more objectionable. Granted, I haven't read any Burroughs, but I've read all the rest and none of them contain sex at all.
Tamora Pierce's Alana books are far more suitable to an 8 year old, and I'm guessing romanylass wouldn't find those appropriate either.
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I love Once and Future King, but everything past "Sword in the Stone" may be too grown-up for a 7-year old. The plot is kind of impossibly tied to a sexual affair.
Fortunately, SitS is available as a separate volume, with an extra chapter (Madam Mim). It's far, far better than the Disney movie.
In fact, I can't decide if what Disney did to White was worse than what it did to Kipling or not.
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If I remember the Burroughs novels, he was a little risque or could be at times. In some respects, I parallel the genre to Robert Howard's "Conan" books. Certainly not something I would have included for an 8-year old, but apparently Romany didn't sign off on it either.
If Romany signs off on Eddings, there is another series starting with "The Diamond Throne" which has another run of books that will keep him busy.
But Blacwolve's concern is well-founded - if Romany is concerned about "heaving bosoms", she will probably object to some of the content in Eddings' writings.
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"If Romany signs off on Eddings, there is another series starting with "The Diamond Throne" which has another run of books that will keep him busy."
I wouldn't recommend the elenium and the tamuli for an 8 year old. I think its a lot darker and creepier. If he likes horror movies, then sure.
I guess I tend to think the seduction that occurs in Eddings is stuff an 8 year old is already familiar with.
[ September 10, 2004, 11:03 PM: Message edited by: Paul Goldner ]
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I found the elenium almost exactly identical to the Belgariad/Mallorean, only with worse jokes. I only read the first two books, though.
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There's definetely things that go bump in the night in those two series. I don' tknow. I was a jumpy little kid, and those books would have given me nightmares then. A couple years later, I would have been fine with them.
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The Squire's Tale The Squire, His Knight and His Lady Parsifal's Page The Princess, the Dung Cart Knight and the Crone
All by Gerald Morris, very good king arthur stories, and very amusing. I left out The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf, although it's also very good, because it has a scene where the girl walks in on her sister naked, and a knight fighting another knight...not much is told, but if you want to be careful, I'd skip it. These books made me remember why I used to love King Arthur stories so much.
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Anything that has been written by Gordon Korman prior to about 1998. His newer stuff isn't very good, but the older stuff (Bugs Potter; No Coins, Please; I want to Go Home; Bruno & Boots; etc) is very very funny. It isn't fantasy, but it doesn't matter. Everyone should read some Gordon Korman at some point in their lives.
has he read any Bruce Coville? They're short, but I remember really enjoying them when I was younger.
Animorphs? Okay, a bit hokey, but not too bad, I really enjoyed them, and I was older when I picked them up. There's about 55 books, so if he enjoys one, he might be good to go for a while.
The last one I can think of now that hasn't been mentioned would be Lois Lowry's "The Giver." If he can handle LOTR, he can handle The Giver, and it will indeed give him lots to think about.
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Oh, I love Eddings, he writes the best fluff ever. by the time I'd read the Elenium, though, I'd read both the Belgariad and the Mallorean at least 10 times each. I'm just a tad bit biased. Posts: 4655 | Registered: Jan 2002
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I actually think the Elenium is his best series, with by far the best writing of anything else he's written, and the most dynamic characterization.
I've been thinking about it, and even if Romanylass has problems with "heaving bosoms," the Belgariad is probably fine. THere's insinuations about sexuality, but sexuality never really comes to the forefront. Rather, in that series, we see Ce'Nedra and Garion contemplating how they FEEL about each other.
That series may actually be a good "first" exposure to romance and sexuality in literature, because its NOT descriptions of physical seduction or acts.
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I will have to look up some of the Arthurian stuff. I KNOW he will enjoy it. I ahve not let them saee any of the Disney atrocities. What they do to classic stories should be criminal.
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Thanks, blackwolve. I appreciate the insight and further clarification.
My "oh heck, it contains reference to sex" radar is pretty skewed, given what I was reading as a child. That's a whole 'nuther thread, though.
(For context: my father had been a Shakepearean actor, and we recited bits for him as Christmas and birthday presents. Still, that's just part of it. Different parenting styles.)
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Heh. The actual "Little Mermaid" had me in tears. The Disney re-telling, not so much.
And I will point out that Beauty and the Beast by Disney was pretty close to the theme of the original story, although certain nuances were changed.
But I enjoy the Disney films for what they are and enjoy the classics for what they are, the inspiration for other works of fiction.
I read a lot of folklore and mythology as a child - Norse, Greek, Egyptian and so on. That included things about vampires and werewolves and things that go bump in the night. Which might do a lot to explain why I'm so odd.
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Try The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet. It's a fun sci-fi adventure. I also remember reading Time Cat, which is a story about a boy and a cat who visit 9 different historical periods. Heinlein is great for kids as long as you stick to the juvenile novels. Citizen of the Galaxy and Have Spacesuit are fine, and I think Tunnel in the Sky is also quite tame. Starship Troopers has no sex I think, but it's rather violent and preachy. I think Double Star and The Rolling Stones are okay.
Have you tried any of Asimov's nonfiction? The man has written some brilliant essays (and even books) on all sorts of topics. I'm a big fan of his science and math essays. They're entertaining and educational at the same time.
In sort of the same vein, your son might find Flatland amusing.
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Mythology- that is big around here. Right now he is into Greek and Roman mythology.
I got a bunch of books for him today-some Lauwrence Yep and Jane Yolen, mostly about dragons, "Young Witches and Warlocks", ed Asimov et al.. You know, I don't wholey protect them from sexual references. Most of the music I listen to has some (filk) and they certainly see interestingly garbed people at the Ren Faire. But the thing about Xanth, much as I love Piers Anthony, is the whole "dirty old man" vibe with him. The total obsession with nymphly young girls as opposed to sexuality as a part of life. Kinda like the Barbie thing- I don't want my kids to grow up seeing that as the ideal.
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I agree with you about Peirs Anthony, Romany. I used to read his stuff... and then when I realized what was going on, at a deeper level, stopped.
HE started creeping me out... and at the time, I was a horny 18 year old boy.
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Loved the "Little House" books. Practically the only "kids lit" I read after about age 7 (I'd moved on to the adult section of the library by that time). And I feel exactly like...oh, crap, who was it...who said that they hated the series because they loved the books. The thing is, the tv series was so politically correct that it hurt, while the books are so not politically correct that they have been protested by some people. Well, it did always bother me at some level that in the books, Ma had a habit of saying "The only good Indian is a dead Indian". This is not a wonderful sentiment that you'd want your kids picking up. On the other hand, it is realistic in that during the time those books take place, a lot of people felt the way Ma did. And I think it is important that kids realize that those sorts of prejudices were common in the past, as well as why such prejudices are not acceptable.
Oh, and someone else mentioned Ray Bradbury's short story, "The Veldt". Not completely sure, but I think it was one of the stories in "The Illustrated Man". It's a good place to start looking, anyway.
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I love Robin McKinley's Beauty and the Beast retellings, however they are mainly girl books, so I don't know if you're son would like them.
You're right Paul, The Belgariad should be fine. The Mallorean is by far my favorite series so it's the one that comes to mind most easily. I'll have to give the Elenium another try. *exults in public library's that have fiction sections and are a block away from campus*
Is Piers Anthony the one who's a little too obsessed with early and preteen girls? If so I can understand why you're disturbed. I read one book of his and it was enough.
If you don't mind sex then I definately recomend the Alanna series by Tamora Pierce. They remain some of my favorite books today.
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Now, are there any good websites I could send your kids to? Post them on my "Fantasy and the Internet" thread. Thanks.
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