The Bookian » John Christopher

Welcome to a Week of John Christopher Novels

Bookian — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:39:17 +0000

Today we start our Bookian Homage to the great author John Christopher. This exceptionally prolific British author, whose books are unfortunately difficult to come across, and many of which are now out of print, has entranced youngsters since the late 1960s with tales of post apocalyptic worlds and those who live within them. His most well known series, The Tripods, needs no introduction, but if it does, just read it. His adult literature is similarly post apocalyptic, though it is difficult to tell if his adult themed books are scarier than his YA lit. It has often been remarked upon that the roles of women in his novels is fairly undeveloped, although it can be said his stories are of harsh times, dystopic adventures in the realm of pirates and boys, and as such are relatively genre heavy. However, especially with the historically recent arrival of extraordinary women authors such as Andre Norton, Margaret Atwood, Octavia Butler, James Tiptree, Jr (Alice Sheldon), Ursula K. Le Guin and Madeleine LEngle, we are in times of change, and so it must be mentioned. That said, outside of these criticisms, anyone who feels a stirring at the possibilities our world faces, both of the psychological and the scientific, must read at least one of these books in their lifetime. We have compiled some of our staffs picks and they have each written a short review of one of his books. By no means a complete bibliography, as Cristopher has been exceptionally prolific with over 70 novels, it still is a good survey and hopefully a small homage to this outstanding author. The complete list can be found on the John Christopher Bibliography page. – reviewed by bookian john cristopher

Beyond the Burning Lands, The Swords of the Spirits Trilogy

Bookian — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:34:17 +0000

In the second of the Swords of the Spirits trilogy, John Christopher continues the story of an unruly, angry youth who attempts to do right. The burning lands are a vast stretch laid to waste in the future by violent uphevals of the earth. This series is set in a luddite ruled world, where the use of technology must be hidden from the hoardes, who see it as a form of religious evil which must be destroyed.. and any who are tainted by it must also be destroyed. Sounds so contemporary, doesnt it? – reviewed by apocalyptic kids

Bad Dream

Bookian — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:29:17 +0000

An awesome book, one of John Christophers latest from 2003, in which Britain and the European Union are dealing with the strange threats that new technology brings to age old notions of freedom, humanity, et al. Once again Samuel Youd displays his craft at psychology: the characters are incredibly well written. He has a penchant for the real life versions of inner narrative that are amazing. In part this book is interesting because, in comparison with some of his much earlier books such as the Guardian, it shows how, even buried amongst all the technobabble and rapid changes in our tool-making landscape, similar, older, biological stories still seem to be running the show behind the show. A definate library addition. – reviewed by virtual being

Bella on the Roof

Bookian — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:24:17 +0000

This book is almost impossible to find, but well worth it. I will not give anything away, in the hopes of creating enough demand to bring about a reprint. – reviewed by reprint bella

Wild Jack

Bookian — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:19:17 +0000

Along the lines of John Christophers fascination with the everpresent struggle between the status quo and the individual, fertile and important ground for aspiring adults to live through, Wild Jack is one of those unfortunately out of print books which must be brought back into print. Written after the 1960s and in the closing mists of the era of the Chinese Revolution and the Communist Threat, its one of those rare books in no way about the lording of Western Civ over the Eastern Bloc. Bring it back! – reviewed by retraining school headmaster

The White Voyage

Bookian — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:15:17 +0000

An excellent adventure set in earlier times. Along the lines of Jack London, The White Voyage is about a ships crew, with all the psychological suspicion and tension of a submarine crew locked underwater, turns into a shipwreck, and a struggle northward. – reviewed by kreya

No Blade of Grass

Bookian — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:10:17 +0000

In the spirit of the Cosy Catastrophe fiction, we begin an all out tribute to the works of John Christopher. The man of many pseudonyms, Samuel Youd aka John Christopher, Hilary Ford, William Godfrey, Peter Graaf, Peter Nichols, Anthony Rye, Stanley Winchester, is one of the great unpraised authors of the twentieth century. After No Blade of Grass, he wrote a long series of childrens books which must be considered amongst the best of all time. perhaps it was that adult science fiction often does not deal with the emotive psychology of the human organism, but for whatever reason, if you read any of them as a child, you know what im talking about. A master storyteller. No Blade of Grass, also known as The Death of Grass, was made into a movie in the 1970s. Does this sound familiar? A virus sweeps the earth, killing off rice, wheat and other grain staples. Hello, Monsanto calling! But the foresight is not the benefit of the novel: rather, hes just an awfully good writer. Out of this world, one might say. – reviewed by monsanto

The Guardians

Bookian — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:06:17 +0000

An excellent parable, unfortunately almost entirely out of print, that should be read by all modern children: the problem of urban sprawl comes to the planetary island of England, and a young boy crosses the line from city to country. But which is worse? The dystopia and the exposing of two different types of control are utterly contemoprary and becoming more so. An important read. – reviewed by conurbans

The Prince in Waiting, The Sword of the Spirits Trilogy

Bookian — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:02:17 +0000

This starts the trilogy by John Christopher of The Swords of the Spirits. We meet Luke, son of a lower class father who has risen through his own strengths to a position of some power. In the course of this book he deals with the death of family and freinds, divorce and adoption, and all the trickery of adults maneuvering for power. Against this background he takes on his own anger and emotions to navigate the future world, in which technology is seen as devils work and those who touch or think of it are destroyed. Seers, a type of religious shaman power figure, guide the people throughout, and in the end of this first novel end up initiating Luke into some of their secrets. – reviewed by ezzard

The Sword of the Spirits, Sword of the Spirits Trilogy

Bookian — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:58:17 +0000

The Sword of the Spirits trilogy by John Christopher is one of the more intriguing young adult literature series, in part because it holds nothing back. The young hero is allowed to be angry, resentful, make mistakes, cause problems, and suffer the pangs of responsibility that come from growing into a role in society. It is also important because, unlike most early youth literature, it does not hold off from dire consequences. What happened to the days of the Brothers Grimm? Here they show up in some degree, unsanitized by hoardes of modern corporate marketing teams designing whats good for the kids. You know, for children! What, Harry Potter dies? Hey, what about an entire civilization, war and bloodshed, doom and anger, emotions and technology? – reviewed by seer