Obscure SF and Fantasy Faves from my Childhood
Rediscover the forgotten gems of your youth with this curated list of obscure sci-fi and fantasy favorites. From H.M. Hoover's *This Time of Darkness* to William Sleator's *House of Stairs* and Nicholas Fisk's *A Rag, a Bone and a Hank of Hair*, these nostalgic childhood books and juvenile fiction picks are perfect for fans of vintage speculative fiction and classic reads.
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This Time of Darkness
by H. M. Hoover
Although both know it is forbidden, Amy and Axel hope that by following the countless ramps leading upward they can escape from their filthy subterranean world.
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Invitation to the Game
by Monica Hughes
Unemployed after high school in the highly robotic society of 2154, Lisse and seven friends resign themselves to a boring existence in their "Designated Area" until the government invites them to play The Game.
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House of Stairs
by William Sleator
This chilling, suspenseful indictment of mind control is a classic of science fiction and will haunt readers long after the last page is turned. One by one, five sixteen-year-old orphans are brought to a strange building. It is not a prison, not a hospital; it has no walls, no ceiling, no floor. Nothing but endless flights of stairs leading nowhere--except back to a strange red machine. The five must learn to love the machine and let it rule their lives. But will they let it kill their souls? "An intensely suspenseful page-turner." --School Library Journal "A riveting suspense novel with an anti-behaviorist message that works . . . because it emerges only slowly from the chilling events." --Kirkus Reviews
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Mind-call
by Wilanne Schneider Belden
Following a disastrous earthquake, a group of exceptionally bright, precognitive youngsters must outwit several dangerous relatives, under unusual circumstances, before their future is assured.
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A Rag, a Bone and a Hank of Hair
by Nicholas Fisk
A thrilling futuristic novel set at the end of the 22nd century. The government is cloning new people and has manufactured a 1940s wartime family who are unaware that nothing they know is real. Our hero is sent to monitor these 'Reborns' and gradually becomes aware of a horrible underlying secret. A brilliant plot twist at the end turns the book on its head. An exciting sci-fi novel which will appeal especially to boy readers, with the topical subject of cloning. This extraordinarily prophetic 80's novel, which was published in the Oxford Children's Modern Classics series in 1999, is now reissued in a smaller, mass-market paperback format.
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Spacebread
by Steve Senn
Spacebread, a large white cat known throughout the galaxy as an adventuress and a scoundrel, uncovers a plot to dominate the planet Ralph when she goes in search of her stolen belt buckle.
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Born of Flame
by Steve Senn
In order to save the life of her companion, the alien figlet, Spacebread the wondercat must find the Flame-that-is-not-a-flame on the fabled planet Osghan.
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Brother Jonathan
by Crawford Kilian
In hopes of ruling the world, the Intertel Corporation develops tiny computer implants that enhance intelligence and can provide telepathic links with animals
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Dr. Chill's Project
by Thomas Hoobler
Fifteen-year-old Allie joins a group of young people living in a group house run by the jolly Dr. Chill, who is experimenting with ways to help them develop their varied psychic powers.
