Young Adult Fantasy

[rune]

I tend to prefer a gritty dark fantasy story. Until recently I've only read Harry Potter from the YA's fantasy section.

However after reading a book by Jonathan Stroud, I began to wonder if there were other YA's fantasy books that were mature enough in style and subject to catch my interest

Has anyone good any good tips?

 

[Oponn]

The "His Dark Materials" trilogy is the best work of Young Adult fiction I've read.
You might also want to look for Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn and Eragon by... umm... someone

 

[Richard Rahl]

i definitely enjoyed garth nix's "sabriel, lirael, abhorsen trilogy" as well as his seventh tower, and keys of the kingdom books. also, ta barron, SL farrel (cept thats a bit more of an adult fantasy...)

 

[rune]

Thanks for those tips I've read His Dark Material and found it a bit lacking.

However, I have heard good things about Garth Nix and Lian Hearn so will be trying those

 

[Oponn]

Just out of interest, what did you dislike about His Dark Materials. I found it far more accomplished than many "adult" releases in fantasy today.

 

[rune]

Just out of interest, what did you dislike about His Dark Materials. I found it far more accomplished than many "adult" releases in fantasy today.

I found the first book pretty good It had a mature feel to it and I liked the characters and the world that seemed so similar but very different.

However the next two books disappointed me. I felt they lacked the originality of the first book and lost a lot of their spark.. The story, for me, became quite child like and the characters didn't have the depth I had felt in the first book

 

[Halo]

As well as Garth Nix and Lian Hearn, I would recommend Exodus by Julie Bertagna, set in the future when global warming has caused catastrophic flooding, and a trilogy by Stephen Bowkett called Ice, Storm and Thaw. I thought all these were excellent.

 

[Stalky]

I read The Amulet of Samarkand as well and really enjoyed it, mostly because Bartimaeus had such a great sense of humor. It was really well done the way Jonathan Stroud alternated between third and first person, because that way the reader gets both the comic relief of Bartimaeus's sarcastic thoughts, and the perspective of Nathaniel's past and motives, without which he would have seemed like a monster.

Eragon was written by Christopher Paolini, I believe. And as for recomendations, I really enjoyed Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, Tithe by Holly Black, and most of Tamora Pierce's books. But sometimes my taste in reading tends to lean towards the jouvenile ...

 

[Jessalyn]

I really like 'His dark materials' it's so descriptive and well writen. I also like Lisa Jane's Smith's works of 'Night world' and dark visions.