Top 10 Dystopian/Fantasy Teen Reads
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Interview by: Geek Girl Critical Miss
Critical Miss wrote this list of her top 10 dystopian/fantasy teen reads...
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I love reading and teen reads are some of my favourite. If you are looking for stories that jump right into action and character, then the world of teen fiction might be for you. The thing I adore the most about these books is the world building. These authors have to compete with videogames, phones and the internet so they have to capture the attention of their audience right from the start. These are fun and fast reads, usually in trilogy format to give you more of the stories you love. The order I put them in is not an indication of which ones I liked more, I loved them all. And this is only the tip of what is out there in teen fiction. There are a ton of stories out there and more that I have yet to discover.
1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
If you haven't heard about the Hunger Games then you must be from District 13. These books are great. Not only do they have a strong female protagonist that young girls can admire, but also good action and a great bad guy (immortalized by the fabulous Donald Sutherland in the movies). The second book Catching Fire is my fave of the three as it takes what you know and loved in the first book and turns it on its head. I simply cannot wait to see the last two movies.
2. The Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy by Kate Constable (Singer of All Songs Book 1)
This is an older series written in 2005 but worth the read. Tremaris is a world where songs have power. Songs of Ice, songs of the Beasts, songs of Iron, all these songs are in a different part of the world and in a different part of the vocal registry. No one person can sing the high notes to build an ice wall and the low notes of iron. That would be too much power for one person, then one day that person might exist. What does that mean for Tremaris and for Calwyn, the girl from Antaris where all she knows is a cold ice world.
3. Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Book 1 of the Lunar Chronicles)
A cyberpunk retelling of Cinderella. Cinder, a girl who after a terrible accident, now has cybernetic parts to keep her alive, is considered a thing to be owned by her step mother. Even though I know the story of Cinderella, this story still had me guessing. The first of a quartet, this series shows promise. The second of the series Scarlet is also out and retells us the story of Little Red. Can't wait to read the rest of this series.
4. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (Book 1)
This steampunk trilogy is a retelling of World War 1. A world where Darwin figured out how to splice animals to aid the war front and the Austrians and Germans disliked anything to do with these unnatural beings. Machines were what they loved. The story follows Alec, the son of the assassinated Archduke Ferdinand, who is on the run from people trying to kill him as well and of Deryn, the young girl who wanted to join the army and is living life as a boy to do so. An adventure that shows you a different look at this most famous historical event, it's a read that won't disappoint. For an extra fun bonus, listen to the book on audio and you will hear the story narrated by Alan Cumming, famous for Nightcrawler in the X-Men movies as well as many other fantastic roles.
5. Legend by Marie Lu (Book 1)
The Republic of Los Angeles, where the United States is but a myth that never existed. Young people get tested to see where they fit into society. June is the only person to have scored perfect on the exam so they put her in charge of finding the terrorist Day. No one knows who Day is, male, female, old, young. Day has been committing crimes against the Republic and needs to be brought to justice. Or is that the whole truth of it? Read this series to find out.
6. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
In this world, people have the possibility of being born with a Grace. It could be that you are an exceptional baker, or archer, or that you hold your breath for an extremely long time under water. Whatever the case, when it's discovered that you are Graced, you get sent to the King to see if he can use you. If he can't, you get sent back to your town to be feared by the other townfolk. Katsa is graced at fighting, which is useful to the King. This book is an adventure where Katsa is on a mission and discovers something more about herself. This book is followed by the companion book Fire which takes place in another area of the same world with one connecting character, followed by Bitterblue which is the sequel to Graceling. Great strong female protagonist.
7. The Maze Runner by James Dashner (Book 1)
Thomas wakes up in a dark box, which is then let out into a green space and he is surrounded by other teenage boys. And Thomas remembers nothing before the box. This strange and wild series will have you asking questions right up until the end. Who is Thomas, who are these boys and what do they all have in common? The weirdest thing of all? The glade they inhabit is enclosed within a maze that has strange and deadly creatures living there. Do they get out? You will have to read it to find out.
8. The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong (Darkest Powers Trilogy Book 1)
I can't say enough how much I love Kelley Armstrong. I have had the opportunity to meet her a couple of times now and she is lovely. Her books are always well written and leave me wanting more. And she is Canadian. I love to support a home grown girl. Now this series falls into the paranormal/urban fantasy but still works within the list I think. These teen books also fit into the world of her adult series The Women of the Otherworld (which I also HIGHLY recommend) so you will see little crossovers from the adult books into the teen ones. Chloe is a troubled teen and gets sent to a home where those teens get rehabilitated. But things start happening and she starts to realize there may be more to her than even she knew about at first. Be glad the whole trilogy is out cause Kelley likes her cliffhangers. This trilogy is the first of three that Kelley is writing.
9. Divergent by Veronica Roth (Book 1)
Society is divided into factions. Abnegation - the selfless. Amity - those who seek peace above all else. Candor - The truth is black or white, no in between. Erudite - the thirst for Knowledge means everything. And Dauntless - Every fear is but a hurdle to be jumped. Beatrice was born into Abnegation, and when you reach the age of 16, you go a testing to determine if you will stay with your home faction or abandon them for a new one. Beatrice gets an interesting result which leads to a change in everything. Watch for the first movie coming out in March 2014. I can't wait.
10. The Wind Singer by William Nicholson (Book 1 of the Wind on Fire Trilogy)
Kestrel mounts a rebellion in her classroom that changes the lives of her and her family. Soon they are dropped down to the lowest caste in their society. Kestrel and her brother Bowman do the only thing that might save their family. They leave the safety within the walls of their city and go on a quest to find the Key to the Wind Singer. This ancient device might change the lives of everyone if they manage to get it working again. This is an older series so it might be a bit difficult to locate but really worth the read.
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January 24 2014