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#1 |
Zealot
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free/cheap ebooks for 12 year old boy?
Hi, I just bought my nephew a Nook tablet. He's gotten started reading with Hunger Games, Star Wars, Harry Potter. I think he prefers sci fi and comics.
Can you recommend some titles that will keep him happy for a little while? (I know about Cory Doctorow, etc). As a general rule, I'm willing to spend no more than $5 for a title -- more or less. Better yet would be a blog about YA or young sci fi fiction. The problem -- and don't we all know it -- is that many of the "classic" authors have only recently been converted into ebooks, most of whom are selling at 9$ and up... Which is silly, because older paperbacks of these titles still are around for 2 or 3 dollars. I'll throw around some titles which I know would be good: Mortal Ghosts http://www.feedbooks.com/userbook/120 Machine of Death anthology http://machineofdeath.net/about/book (kind of gruesome, but thought-provoking). Thanks for your help. Robert PS. Here's a link to the index of all the ebook recommendation threads. Really useful! https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=135136 Last edited by rjnagle; 05-01-2012 at 05:54 PM. Reason: added link to MR recommendation threads. |
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#2 |
Bookaholic
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How about some public domain stuff? (downloadable from the library here at MobileRead, at Feedbooks, Manybooks, Gutenberg, etc. for free)...
Treasure Island The Swiss Family Robinson Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea Etc... |
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#3 |
Guru
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Try The Books of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau, The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan, and The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan
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#4 | |
Warrior Princess
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Quote:
George Orwell's 1984 was one of my favourites when I was 12 or 13, it's in the public domain outside of the U.S. Here's a link to an MR version: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83996 Brandon Sanderson offers Warbreaker for free on his site: http://www.brandonsanderson.com/library/ Last edited by Latinandgreek; 05-01-2012 at 03:54 PM. |
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#5 |
Bookaholic
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Also, check the library.
Is he in Houston where you are? The Houston area library has about 11,000 ebook titles (didn't check to see what they have) for checkout in Adobe DRM'd ePub which will work with his Nook. http://hadc.lib.overdrive.com If he's not in Houston, check his local library to see if they offer ebooks. |
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#6 |
Wizard
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Just a couple of thoughts.. if he doesn't mind older Science Fiction, a large part of H. Beam Piper's Science Fiction is in the Public Domain. Also, for newer SF, make sure you check out the Baen Free Library and the fifth imperium (not all of the books are appropriate for a 12 year old, so you might want to review them first). Also, Ender's Game seems to be popular with a lot of people who have read the Hunger Games and B&N sell it for $6... so that should be pretty standard.
-- Bill |
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#7 |
It's about the umbrella
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I really enjoyed the Rats, Bats and Vats by Dave Freer and Eric Flint at the Baen free library and The Rats, the Bats and the Ugly. I really don't remember anything about the sex/violence content - sorry.
How about some not as well-known in the general public books? Most of the middle school and high school kids I know are reading the Hunger Games either for school reports or on their own. I've read some of the below a long while ago or saw posts about them on MR. I don't remember what the sex/violence content is (if any) in any of these. Jeffrey Carver is a well-known author also. These books may be at other sites but I listed mostly those that are free at feedbooks and smashwords for you to check them out. Most of the below authors have been on MR. Some may have the freebies on their own sites with updated versions. Since you already mentioned Mortal Ghosts, the author also has Corvus by L. Lee Lowe Feedbooks also has the below: Delver Magic Book I: Sanctum's Breach by Jeff Inlo Living History by Ben Essex Neptune Crossing by Jeffrey A. Carver also at smashwords plus ePub version on MR Also some books at smashwords: Union of Renegades: The Rys Chronicles Book I by Tracy Falbe also free at her site Galaxy of Heroes by Gus Flory Rogue Hunter: Gaia #1: Into the Abyss by Kevis Hendrickson We also have MR authors that post in the Promotions forum about their YA books. |
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#8 |
Omnivorous
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And there's always The Fifth Imperium. Full *legal* CDs from Baen (though it would be nice if you went ahead and purchased a few of these books to help support a great publisher).
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#9 |
Warrior Princess
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The Riyria revelations are a fun series that your nephew might like as well.
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#10 |
Evangelist
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Tarzan? John Carter Mars books? A lot of Edgar Rice Burroughs is public domain.
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#11 |
Connoisseur
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I would suggest 'The Witches of Karres' by James Schmitz at Baen. A lot of his books are free at Baen, and while this one is $5, it is one of my all-time favorite sci-fi novels. It is from the 1960s and in some regards feels dated, but it is still a magical read. The people at Baen love it so much, they have done two sequels using their stable of writer/editors, neither of which hold a candle to the original. And it is entirely appropriate for a 12-year-old, no foul language and no sex. It is simply fun.
Duane |
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#12 |
Are you gonna eat that?
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it all depends on his attention span but i really liked classic horror/sci-fi at that age i.e. frankenstein and most of h.g. wells output.
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#13 |
Zealot
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All excellent titles (and thanks for reminding me about Baen; their compilations look very interesting). Not only did I buy 'The Witches of Karres' ( http://www.baenebooks.com/p-468-the-...of-karres.aspx ) but I've started reading it myself.
I'll throw out two more titles. First, Robert Heinlein's Tunnel in the Sky (which is an expensive 7.99 ebook, drats). (promotion edited). Sorry, I just thought of another amazing title and author. Barry Yourgrau writes these amazing and fantastic short stories, some of which are targeted at teens. All the collections are basically the same, although a few have a bit of sexual content. For young teens I recommend Barry Yourgrau who writes experimental surreal flash fiction, sometimes with a grotesque twist. Some of his stuff is more for adults (Man Jumps out of an airplane, sadness of sex), but his other titles (especially The Nasty Book) are especially for young boys (with lots of Adams Family kind of humor). Last edited by dreams; 05-03-2012 at 12:59 AM. Reason: removed promotion - moderator |
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#14 |
Evangelist
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Does anyone know whether or not the William Campbell Gault and Jim Kjelgaard books are in the public domain or are available as ebooks? Those would be good for a 12 year old. Tunnel in the Sky is certainly one of my favorites
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#15 |
Wizzard
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William Campbell Gault's mystery/crime thrillers have just been brought out by Prologue Books in reprints. A couple of his works are public domain in the US via Project Gutenberg.
There's actually one currently free @ Amazon & B&N as a week-long promo in the Deals forum, and there was a really big sale on some others over the weekend. Only some of Jim Kjelgaard's works are public domain in the US. His entire catalogue is PD in Canada due to Life+50, though. |
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