I am cleaning off my bookshelf. I am doing it by picking out some of my favorite books, and giving them to my friends and family for Christmas. To be sure I remember what I gave away, I am going to list them here, along with a short review. This is the first installment.
Queen's Own, by Mercedes Lackey
This is a compilation of Arrows of the Queen, Arrow's Flight and Arrow's Fall. I think this is now considered YA fiction, although when I first read it twenty years ago, it was shelved in Adult fiction. I loved this story of Talia, who becomes a Herald of Valdemar, and works selflessly for her kingdom and Queen. It is all magical horses and mind powers. I guess it really is perfect for middle school girls, and a welcome change from the current vogue of vampire fiction.
The Harper Hall of Pern by Ann McCaffrey
This compilation of Dragonsong, Dragonsinger and Dragondrums was my first exposure to McCaffrey's world of Pern. I probably read these first in high school. The series has certainly continued much beyond it's interesting lifespan, but these books, as well as the initial trilogy of Dragon Riders of Pern, are certainly good reading. Again, I think that this is a world really suitable for younger girls; much better than the Twilight books. These books, as well as the Mercedes Lackey books, feature strong female protagonists who are striving for something beyond boyfriends and clothes.
Podkayne of Mars and Starman Jones, both by Robert Heinlein
These are just two examples of the excellence that is Robert Heinlein, especially his juvenile novels. These books were originally published in the 50's and 60's, and are dated, but still provide a good story, provided one reads them within an historical SF context. These are the books that made me the SF fan I am today.
The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
My high school sophmore English teacher recommended this book to me. It was probably the first non-YA science fiction I ever read, and the first real hard SF. The story of first contact, and the moral and ethical implications of that event make very good reading. As I was typing this, I picked up the book and started reading again, and almost got sucked in. Maybe I should put this one back on my shelf...