Hello! It's Dr. FYA, back from a short vacation. Of course, since I'm not a real doctor, I didn't go to the Bahamas or cruise the Mediterranean in a yacht -- I didn't even hit Lake Travis in a rowboat -- but I am refreshed and ready to tackle any and all of your problems, big or small, YA or A.
Today, we have a letter from reader Alix:
Dear Dr. FYA,
I have a coworker who does not appreciate the wonderful world of fiction! He only reads non-fiction, with one exception--he enjoys, as I understand it, fact-based science fiction (is that a genre?). Here's the rub: as a non-native English speaker, he struggles with the technical language in such books, and so only reads such books in Chinese. I was trying to think of YA books he might enjoy where the language isn't so nuanced, with the ultimate goal of converting him into a fiction fan, of course! So far I've only thought of Y the Last Man, which I will test out on him shortly. Any suggestions?
Alix
First, Alix, major props for being such a dedicated YAngelist! Luckily, there's no shortage of sci-fi in YA these days, as long as you don't mind dystopian. And if you're not looking for nuance, there's always I Am Number Four. If you're looking for better candidates to represent the awesomeness that is fiction and YA, and we all know there are better candidates, we have some suggestions:
Harry Potter -- This fantasy series is responsible for millions of people picking up books for the first time since sixth grade. The way the books start simple and gradually increase in complexity (emotional and linguistic) make them perfect for your situation. Besides, how could anyone NOT read Harry Potter?
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card -- A seminal YA sci-fi book, this story follows genius Ender Wiggin's military training and will definitely appeal to a fan of technical sci-fi. Bonus if your coworker is a gamer.
The Compound by S.A. Bodeen -- It's got great classic sci-fi elements, but it's not so technical that it's hard to follow, but pretty believable, insofar as much as imagining what it would be like to live in a bunker for most of your life.
The Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness -- With a totally authentic male protagonist, it's the perfect YA gateway book for boys, and I definitely think it has all the great elements of science fiction-- Brave explorers! New planets! Aliens! Strange phenomena!
Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick -- One of the rare post-apocalyptic novels I've read that is actually believable. Bick's inclusion of plausible medical and scientific explanations for the zombie uprising should fit the bill for fact-based science fiction, and I dare anyone not to get sucked in to the heart-pounding action.
Once you've got him hooked on fiction, and I have no doubt something out there can hook him, here's some sci fi that's all grown up for him to try. I know it's not YA, but these are some of my all-time faves.
Dune by Frank Herbert -- In one of the best science fiction books ever, 15-year-old Paul Atreides' ducal family is betrayed by their ancient enemy, and he must fight for survival -- and his destiny -- among the fierce warrior people on his desert planet. It's so realistically written, tackling ecology, history, politics, and human nature, that he won't even realize he's reading sci fi.
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood -- Atwood's sci fi is the benchmark of what I think of as "fact-based sci fi", also known as "speculative fiction." She takes something that is happening right now, like genetic engineering for capitalist purposes and our society's cult of science, technology and medicine to the detriment of art and the humanities, and pushes it to it's farthest plausible extreme -- then jumps in after it to see what could happen. Scary and thought-provoking and wonderful (and on that note, add Nancy Farmer's House of the Scorpion to your YA list).
The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov -- No self-respecting list of sci fi could fail to include Asimov, and these books about a colony intended to preserve the best of human culture in a declining empire are sure winners.
Any book by Neal Stephenson -- Stephenson's books cover everything from Isaac Newton and pirates in the Baroque era to cryptography, warfare and the digital economy. Ok, so they're ridiculously complicated and probably not the best for your coworker to start with, but one day they just might fit the bill.
Readers, what do you think? Help me out, and don't forget -- if you've got a problem at which you want me to take a crack, send your quandary to foreveryoungadult {at} gmail {dot} com!
