Other Authors I Enjoy

[gravitywave]

Merged with an older topic.

Hi Folks of the Faraway Forum,

I'm quite new here - already introduced myself in the appropriate dept.

I've been going through a massive nostalgia phase and after re-purchasing Famous Five books (the 'Knight TV Series' ones that I owned when I was a nipper), I've started seeking out other books that I enjoyed around the same time and after, namely:

The Tomorrow City - Monica Hughes
The Animals of Farthing Wood - Colin Dann
Duncton Wood - William Horwood
Quest for the Faradawn - Richard Ford

Anyone else read these? If not, I heartily recommend them. Of course, me being me, they have to be the same editions I initially owned - yeah, I just had to make it hard for myself! Been quite succesful so far though in reaquiring them.

The was another one I remember reading, which had demon hounds and a witch...and also involved some kind of nuclear power station....although I can't remember for the life of me what it's called! Does that ring any bells with anyone? Probably published around the late 70's, or early 80's.

Which golden oldies in your collection would you recommend, based on the above titles?

[Courtenay]

I loved the Farthing Wood series when I was in late primary school/early high school, Gravitywave! I think I read all of them, although the later titles weren't as good as the first three or four books.

Duncton Wood - enjoyed the first book when I was in my teens, found the second one a bit of a drag by the end, and couldn't get into the third, so I never tried the rest. I did try re-reading the first book a few years ago, but found it didn't really appeal to me any more either. But it could just be that my personal tastes have changed as I've grown up - probably happens to all of us. (I've never truly gone off Enid, I'm happy to say, although I once pretended I had for a while. )

I don't recognise the other titles you mention or the last one you describe, but perhaps others will. You might enjoy taking a look through the Other Authors forum to see if there are already discussions on some other favourites!

[gravitywave]

I loved the Farthing Wood series when I was in late primary school/early high school, Gravitywave! I think I read all of them, although the later titles weren't as good as the first three or four books.

I don't recognise the other titles you mention or the last one you describe, but perhaps others will. You might enjoy taking a look through the Other Authors forum to see if there are already discussions on some other favourites!

Hi Courtenay!

Yep, I agree - the first 3 or 4 Farthing Wood were great, although that was all that was available at the time! Where's the Other Authors forum - could you please send me a link?

Now merged with an older topic. - Anita

[John Pickup]

My favourite other author of children's books is Malcolm Saville. I suppose he is best remembered for his Lone Pine series but I prefer his Jillies books. I also like the Billy Bunter books by Frank Richards.

[Chrissie777]

Just wondering whether EB opened the gates 'to the endless pleasure of adult reading' and which other authors you enjoyed as a child?

Well, I do realize that this is a 10 years old threat, but maybe we can revive it nevertheless?

Please do. I just merged another thread with it, which covers the same ground. - Anita

I read all books from Norman Dale (very blytonesque), "Bill Bergson" trilogy by Astrid Lindgren and "Seacrow Island" aka Saltkrokan,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Bergson" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

B. B. "Brendon Chase", My side of the Mountain (Jean Craighead George), Elinor Lyon (The House in Hiding), Viola Bayley and Mabel Esther Allen. Robert Westall and "Good Night, Mr. Tom" (Michelle Margorian) came years later, but are also very recommendable.
Except of Norman Dale no other author came really close to EB, but I enjoyed them all .

[Inspector Jenks]

Merged with an older topic.

Me:

The Hardy Boys
Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators
Narnia chronicles
Just William series
Jennings
Danny Dunn (the boy scientist)
Professor Branestawm

Later on I moved on to the Doctor Who novelizations (the only way of reliving the stories as there was no video and very few repeats).

[John Pickup]

The Lone Pine and Jillies series by Malcolm Saville.
Billy Bunter series by Frank Richards.

[Eddie Muir]

For me:

Richmal Crompton's Just William series
Anthony Buckeridge's Jennings series
Barbara Euphan Todd's Worzel Gummidge series

[Francis]

Biggles, Worrals, Gimlet, WE Johns space series, Bunter books, St Jims books, William books, Rupert Annuals! I didn't own any of these but they were loaned from various libraries including the one at school.

[Courtenay]

Good idea for a discussion, Inspector!

Some of mine were...

The Chronicles of Narnia (my favourite)
The Chronicles of Prydain (Lloyd Alexander — basis for the Disney animated film The Black Cauldron)
Tintin (do comic strip books count? I reckon so — "graphic novels" are the big new genre now )
Asterix (ditto)
The Animals of Farthing Wood
Several fantasy series by David Eddings (The Belgariad et al)
The Pern series by Anne McCaffrey (when I was a little older)

Most of those haven't stayed with me nearly as much as my Blyton favourites, though!

[Nicko]

I have to be very unoriginal and name Just William and The Chronicles of Narnia as well.

I also loved the sports books of Michael Hardcastle and some of Martin Waddell's books too.

[Spitfire]

The non-Blyton series that I read as a child are

The Chalet School (Elinor M. Brent-Dyer)
Trebizon (Anne Digby)
Biggles (W.E. Johns)
Willard Price's Adventure series featuring Hal and Roger Hunt
Asterix (Goscinny and Urderzo)
Tintin (Hergé)
The Three Investigators (Alfred Hitchcock)
Drina (a ballet series by Jean Estoril)
Sue Barton (Helen Dore Boylston)
L.M. Montgomery's Anne books
Just William (Richmal Crompton)
Kevin & Sadie stories (Joan Lingard)
Sweet Valley High (Francine Pascal)
Mary Jane Staples' lively books on Cockney characters
Georgette Heyer's Regency romances
Jean Plaidy's fictionalised history novels
Mister Men
Ladybird books - mostly the fairy tales series and the historical characters series
Agatha Christie
Commando magazines
Blackberry Farm
Roald Dahl

These authors/series were a large part of my steady reading diet throughout my childhood. I still frequently return to most of them. Books are like food I think... sometimes I feel like a bit of Biggles or Drina or Chalet School - and if there isn't time to read a whole book, it's possible to snack - just a chapter or two here and there. I love being able to go away in books, even just for a few minutes at a time.

[Darrell71]

Asterix and Obelix! Those are great! And Calvin and Hobbes as well. But I like Asterix and Obelix better..... they are in a class of their own.

[Machupicchu14]

That's a nice taste. I also enjoyed reading them when I was small!

[Courtenay]

But I like Asterix and Obelix better..... they are in a class of their own.

Oh definitely. "These Romans are crazy!" is still a catchphrase in our family!!