Rec me some reading

[lunabee34]

thelastgoodname and I are gonna book club it again. We've been doing YA fantasy lit. Previous discussions include Earthsea, Chronicles of Prydain, the Belgariad and the Mallorean, A Wrinkle in Time, Dark is Rising, and Golden Compass series.

Any suggestions for what we should read next?

Comments

[possibly-thrice.livejournal.com]

YOU SHOULD DO HARRY POTTER

I mean.

Uh.

Naomi Novik's Temeraire series?

[creedcascade.livejournal.com]

The Gargoyle

By Andrew Davidson

[thelastgoodname.livejournal.com]

Wow. We've read a lot.

Actually, this raises a question: we've been doing series. I think I'd like to stay in that vein; what do you think?

I wouldn't actually mind a re-read of Harry Potter, all in a row rather than picking and choosing my favorite sections like I always do (warning: my favorite line of any book, anywhere, is from the first book, and it's just a phrase, not an entire sentence even: "doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending.").

I think we mentioned Inkworld before, although I've heard mixed reviews. I also think I've heard about the Bartimaeus Trilogy, although wikipedia tells me a fourth book is going to be published at some point which makes it no longer a trilogy.

Let me pull up some comments from the last time we solicited books and see what they say.

[friendshipper.livejournal.com]

Anything by Frances Hardinge! Her books rock, there's not a bad one in the bunch, and no one seems to have heard of her. "Fly By Night" is her first and also, IMHO, her best, but like I said, they're all awesome, and all stand-alones. (She only has three books so far, but I eagerly await each new one that she writes!) Fly By Night is vaguely similar to Pullman's books only with a great deal more subtext to the politics of the book -- that is, it's making more or less the same point, but not driving the point home with a sledgehammer -- and an awesome Lyra-like heroine; Well Witched (Verdigris Deep in the UK) is a Harry Potter/Dark Is Rising kid-team-vs.-evil story, but with some serious deeper thematic stuff, and I want more people to read it so I can talk about the final plot twist with them, because it's awesome; and Gullstruck Island is about prejudice and imperialism in a fantasy land.

[jjjean65.livejournal.com]

Eragon series? That is if you like dragons n stuff.

Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy series for a bit of fun. :)

[decynthus.livejournal.com]

I recommend the series "Percy Jackson and the Olympians". I adore Greek mythology, and this series brings the old sagas right up to date. (For instance, one ascends to Mount Olympus via the elevator in the Empire State Building.)
The first of the five, "The Lightning Thief" was just made into a movie opening Feb. 12th. It should be a hoot to see Pierce Brosnan as Chiron. :D

Also, Anansi Boys is wonderful. I wouldn't classify it as YA, but it's a great read.

[crevanfox.livejournal.com]

anything by LJ Smith.

Especially Night World (the series) and the Heart of Valor/Night of the Solstice