dystopian
Thunder City by Philip Reeves
By Janie Cheaney |
Thunder City supplements Philip Reeve’s Mortal Engines quartet with different characters but similar formula. Thunder City by Philip Reeve. Scholastic, 2024, 322 pages. Reading Level: ...
Read More 
Evan Miller Is Waking Down by Jerel Law
By Betsy Farquhar |
Evan Miller Is Waking Down ... and dreamwalking in this inventive dystopian series opener for middle schoolers. Evan Miller Is Waking Down by Jerel Law. ...
Read More 
Arc of a Scythe Trilogy by Neal Shusterman
By Betsy Farquhar |
The Arc of a Scythe Trilogy is a thought-provoking dystopian series for mature teens; it has problematic elements but raises good questions about the essential ...
Read More 
Scythe (Arc of a Scythe #1) by Neal Shusterman
By Betsy Farquhar |
Scythe is the first in a gritty dystopian trilogy about a society in which no one can die... unless a scythe gleans him or her. ...
Read More 
Your Pal Fred by Michael Rex
By Janie Cheaney |
A fun graphic novel for young middle-graders, Your Pal Fred pictures a dystopian world startled by kindness. Your Pal Fred by Michael Rex. Viking, 2022, ...
Read More 
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games Series)
By Betsy Farquhar |
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a disappointing prequel to the thought-provoking Hunger Games series. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins ...
Read More 
The Tripods Series by John Christopher (Retro Reads)
By Betsy Farquhar |
The Tripods: classic science fiction from the 1960s that's still enjoyable for today's young teens. The Tripods Series by John Christopher: The White Mountains, The ...
Read More 
Feed by M. T. Anderson
By Betsy Farquhar |
M. T. Anderson's Feed imagines what the world would look like if we all had "feeds" (like today's smart phones) implanted in our brains. Feed ...
Read More 
Eventown by Corey Ann Haydn
By Janie Cheaney |
Eventown is a place of forgetting, but how much forgetting does that take before you forget yourself? Eventown by Corey Ann Haydn. HarperCollins, 2019, 326 ...
Read More 
The Hungry Cities Chronicles by Philip Reeve
By Janie Cheaney |
The movie version of Mortal Engines opens this weekend. Here's our original review of the series, originally published in January 2011. The Hungry Cities ...
Read More 
Edge of Extinction Series by Laura Martin
By Betsy Farquhar |
Living on the edge of extinction: Cloned dinosaurs plus dystopian autocratic society plus a renegade band of treetop dwellers equals a fast-paced middle grades sci-fi ...
Read More 
Landscape with Invisible Hand by M. T. Anderson
By Janie Cheaney |
The always-interesting M. T. Anderson serves up another intriguing science-fiction concept that touches on economics, art, and religion. Landscape with Invisible Hand by M.T. Anderson. ...
Read More 
Fires of Invention by Scott Savage
By Janie Cheaney |
This dystopian fantasy series (with steampunk overtones) kicks off with a fabulous mechanical flying beast and two intrepid teens. Fires of Invention (Mysteries of Cove ...
Read More 
Allegiant: It Was a Book First!
By Hayley Morell |
The Divergent series by Veronica Roth, a self-avowed Christian, lives on as Allegiant hits theaters this week. Below, Hayley reflects Allegiant in book form. Allegiant, by Veronica Roth. Katherine ...
Read More 
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
By Janie Cheaney |
In most science fiction, technological advances are not shown to advance humanity. However, it would be tough to find a more negative view of ...
Read More Red Rising by Pierce Brown
By Hayley Morell |
This review is brought to us by Ann Rees Berry, who has now finished an internship with Redeemed Reader. Thank you, Ann! Red Rising by ...
Read More 
Illusionarium by Heather Dixon
By Hayley Morell |
Illusionarium by Heather Dixon. Greenwillow Books, 2015. 368 pages. Reading Level: Young Adults, ages 12-15 Recommended for: Ages 15 and up Bottom Line: A darker steam-punk fantasy, Illusionarium ...
Read More The Fog Diver by Joel Ross
By Janie Cheaney |
The Fog Diver by Joel Ross. Harper, 2015. 323 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-16 Bottom Line: The Fog Diver ...
Read More Avalon by Mindee Arnett
By Hayley Morell |
Avalon by Mindee Arnett, Balzer + Bray, 2014. 415 pages. Reading Level: Young Adults, (ages 12-14) and up Maturity Level: 6 (ages 15-18) and up Readers meet ...
Read More The Scavengers by Michael Perry
By Janie Cheaney |
The Scavengers by Michael Perry. Harper, 2014, 322 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Maturity Level: 4 (ages10-12) and up One-line Summary: The Scavengers ...
Read More The Glass Sentence by S. E. Grove
By Janie Cheaney |
The Glass Sentence (The Mapmakers Trilogy #1) by S. E. Grove. Viking, 2014, 489 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 12-14 Maturity Level: 6 (ages ...
Read More The Finisher by David Baldacci
By Hayley Morell |
The Finisher by David Baldacci. Scholastic, 2014, 497 pages. Reading level: Young Adults, 15-18 Maturity level: 6 What do you get when you blend a ...
Read More Thoughts on The Giver
By Hayley Morell |
During the Summer Reading Challenge, Redeemed Reader interns Amos Peck and Grace Olson, Valen Caldwell, intern at Breakpoint.org, and I --Hayley Schoeppler, Redeemed Reader's executive assistant-- ...
Read More 
America, the Future: Divided We Fall and Sylo
By Janie Cheaney |
This month we're looking at some YA and middle-grade titles that could be described as "high-interest": stories that grab you and don't let go. But ...
Read More 
The Lunar Chronicles, continued
By Hayley Morell |
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer. Feiwel and Friends, 2013. 452 pages. Age/interest level: 14-up. As a sequel, Scarlet picks up right where Cinder ended. Linh Cinder, now ...
Read More 
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
By Hayley Morell |
Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Square Fish, 2012. 387 pages. Reading Level: Young Adults, ages 12 – 15 Recommended For: 6 (ages 15 – 18) and up Bottom ...
Read More
Cyborg Cinderella
By Hayley Morell |
Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Square Fish, 2012. 387 pages. Age/interest level: 14-up. Linh Cinder is a teenage mechanic, the best mechanic in New Beijing. ...
Read More 
Sci-fi Contest Winner and Podcast: From Ender’s Game to Hunger Games
By emily |
To listen to our a read along with real teens or find discussion questions about Ender's Game, please see our Ender's Game Read Along. Also, ...
Read More
Teen Sci-Fi Writing Contest & Discussion: From Ender’s Game to Hunger Games
By emily |
***NOTE: AN ANONYMOUS DONOR HAS JUST UPPED THE 2nd AND 3rd PLACE PRIZES IN THIS CONTEST TO A $30 AMAZON GIFT CARD!*** Introduction It's been ...
Read More
Ender’s Game Read Along, Wk 4: Conclusions
By emily |
Like sci-fi or dystopian stories? Check out our Sci-Fi Writing Contest for teens. You could win feedback from a sci-fi author and Thomas Nelson editor, ...
Read More
Ender’s Game Read Along, Wk 3: The Science of the Story
By emily |
Like sci-fi or dystopian stories? Check out our Sci-Fi Writing Contest for teens. You could win feedback from a sci-fi author and Thomas Nelson editor, ...
Read More
Ender’s Game Read Along, Wk 2: Ender vs. Peter
By emily |
Like sci-fi or dystopian stories? Check out our Sci-Fi Writing Contest for teens. You could win feedback from a sci-fi author and Thomas Nelson editor, ...
Read More
Ender’s Game Read Along, Wk 1: Considering Sci-fi and Orson Scott Card
By emily |
Like sci-fi or dystopian stories? Check out our Sci-Fi Writing Contest for teens. You could win feedback from a sci-fi author and Thomas Nelson editor, ...
Read More 
God in Dystopia: Captives and Aquifer
By Janie Cheaney |
Two weeks ago Hayley, Joseph, and Abby discussed two inaugural titles from Blink, Zondervan’s new YA title. Today they’re back with two more. Both these ...
Read More
Ender’s Game Read Along: A Galactic Giveaway and Contest!
By emily |
***THE GIVEAWAY PART OF THIS POST IS OVER. *** ENDER’S GAME POSTS: Introduction, Week 1: Sci-fi and Orson Scott Card, Week 2: Ender vs Peter, ...
Read More 
City of Bones: Movie Review
By Hayley Morell |
As the cinematic version of City of Bones hits theaters this week,
Read More 
Going to the Dogs
By Janie Cheaney |
Of all four-legged mammals, I estimate that dogs get the most exposure in fiction, with horses and mice tying for second and cats a distant ...
Read More 
The Giver Concludes
By Janie Cheaney |
Son, by Lois Lowry. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012, 393 pages. Age/interest level: 12-up. Lois Lowry’s The Giver, published in 1993, has become an iconic title ...
Read More 
Dystopia, Junior
By Janie Cheaney |
Dystopian fiction for middle-grades isn't new: Lois Lowry's The Giver is a classic of the genre. The success of The Hunger Games means similar titles ...
Read More 
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson
By Janie Cheaney |
The Adoration of Jenna Fox, by Mary E. Pearson. Holt, 2008, 265 pages. Reading Level: Young Adults, 15-18 Recommended for: ages 15-18 and up Bottom ...
Read More Unwind by Neal Shusterman
By Janie Cheaney |
Unwind by Neal Shusterman. Simon & Shuster, 2007, 352 pages Reading Level: Young Adults, ages 12-15 Recommended for: ages 15-18 Bottom Line: Unwind presents a ...
Read More 
Talking Over the Hunger Games, Part One
By Janie Cheaney |
Since Susanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy (reviewed here) has sparked so much discussion in school cafeterias and dorm rooms (not to mention break rooms and ...
Read More 
Hungry
By Janie Cheaney |
Suzanne Collins: The Hunger Games, Scholastic, 2008, 374 pages. Catching Fire, Scholastic, 2009, 391 pages. Mockingjay, 2010, 387 pages. Age/interest level: 14-up. READER ADVISORY: This ...
Read More Dystopian Download
By emily |
Yesterday on our site, we offered a review of both book and movie, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. But of course, it's not the ...
Read More My Dragon Tattoo: A Book and Movie Review
By emily |
Last Wednesday, I sat down with a friend at the Regal Cinema nearby to watch "the feel bad movie of Christmas." For the uninitiated, that's ...
Read More Lord of Light
By Janie Cheaney |
They had guessed before that this was an island: clambering among the pink rocks, with the sea on either side, and the crystal heights of ...
Read More That Hideous Strength: An Introduction
By Janie Cheaney |
In the summer of 1945, George Orwell wrote a review for the Manchester Evening News, beginning, "On the whole, novels are better when there are ...
Read More 
Divergent by Veronica Roth
By Janie Cheaney |
Divergent, by Veronica Roth. Katherine Tegan Books (HarperCollins), 2011, 487 pages. Reading Level: Young Adult, ages 12-15 Recommended for: Ages 15-18 and up Bottom Line: ...
Read More Dystopia, Part Three
By Janie Cheaney |
Part One. Part Two. What's the problem with a glut of grim, futurist fiction on the YA bookshelves? Maybe nothing. Youth is resilient, and most ...
Read More Dystopia, Part Two
By Janie Cheaney |
(Find Part One here) Besides being uniformly grim, there are other traits the current crop of dystopian novels share: A post-apocalyptic future--the story opens after ...
Read More 
Dystopia: Dead Ahead
By Janie Cheaney |
Part One How's this for a scenario: In the future, the USA has been divided into thirteen districts, and the most prosperous oppresses all the ...
Read More