Our childrens' book specialist Holly Harper blogs about speculative fiction, the definitions of fantasy and science fiction, and the old I don't like fantasy line'.

I was talking to a friend the other day about books. Well, to be specific, I was raving to her about how fantastic Burn Bright by Marianne de Pierres is.

‘It’s set in this place called Ixion where it’s always night, and there are these creepy but cool guardians called Ripers. It’s such a great book!’

My friend nodded enthusiastically throughout my crazy-eyed rant, but when I asked if she was going to read it, she shrugged.

‘It sounds good, but I don’t really read a lot of fantasy.’

I was confused. The scenario I’d described clearly wasn’t fantasy. It was paranormal. I told her as much. She shrugged again.

‘Eh, anything like that. Magic, vampires, other worlds. I just don’t like fantasy.’

I’ve encountered the ‘I don’t like fantasy’ line quite a bit over the years, and it’s puzzled me every time. For one thing, when people say fantasy they’re usually talking about speculative fiction as a whole. Speculative fiction is an umbrella term used to refer to a wide variety of subgenres such as paranormal, horror, science fiction and fantasy. For some, fantasy conjures up images of books with lengthy quests, unpronounceable names and a dragon thrown in for good measure. I don’t think the non-believers realise what a wealth of stories there are in spec fic, from the action/horror fantasy of a book like Department 19 to the epic Knife of Never Letting Go which is set on a planet where your private thoughts can be heard by all.

(Image: Dark Wizard Revis by Capprotti on Deviant Art)

It can be hard getting into speculative fiction when you haven’t read a lot of it. There’s so much out there, so where do you start? Luckily the Aurealis Awards shortlist has just been announced, and that’s always a good place to begin. The Aurealis Awards recognise the best of Australian speculative fiction, and it also happens to have a young adult category. This year’s lineup looks absolutely fantastic, and you can’t go wrong with any of them, from YA heavyweight Scott Westerfeld’s Behemoth to newcomer Karen Healey with her debut novel Guardian of the Dead. The Arthur C. Clarke award is another shortlist to mine for suggestions, and this year Patrick Ness’s Monsters of Men has been nominated – only the second young adult title to be shortlisted in the history of the awards.

If you’re not a fantasy reader, I urge you to give it another go! There are so many worlds out there to explore that you’re bound to find one that fits. If you don’t know where to start, ask a friend who likes fantasy, or a bookseller, a librarian, or check out the lists at goodreads.com. And if you need any more reasons to read fantasy, here’s a great one from Michael Pryor, author of the brilliant Laws of Magic series:

‘Why is Science Fiction/Fantasy good for young people? Because it exercises the imagination. By reading about and participating in the alternative and the possible, readers are actively extending their thinking, their imagination. In a society where creative and lateral thinking are valued, reading SF and Fantasy is a real work out for the mind.’ From Michael Pryor’s website.

Oh – and for those fantasy fans who do enjoy their dragons, you’ll be pleased to hear that the fourth and final book in Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle has finally got a release date – Inheritance will be published worldwide on 8 November 2011.