Skip to content
HomeVideosBooks
AllTopicsTrends
BlogsPodcasts
HistoryListsWatch laterLiked videosFollowing

The videos, books, blogs and podcasts Hacker News keeps recommending, all in one place.

VideosBooksBlogsPodcastsAboutPrivacySettings

Data from Hacker News, HackerTube, HackerBooks, HackerBlogs and Open Library. Credits · Not affiliated with Y Combinator.

HomeVideosBooksBlogsPodcasts
Ctrl K
    Cover of The Princess and Curdie

    The Princess and Curdie

    George MacDonald · 1832

    With the help of a mysterious fairy queen who provides monstrous but gentle creatures to aid him, a miner's son takes on the dangerous task of helping the king and princess confound their enemies and save the kingdom.

    FantasyFiction & LiteratureScience Fiction
    Open LibraryAmazon
    Stats for nerds
    1recommend
    2mentions
    2people
    2018–2020years
    50% recommend50% critical

    Mentions per year

    201820192020

    What Hacker News says

    1. deckiedanApr 2018
      My parents read to my brother and I up until I left home at 18. By then it was more so that we didn't all (parents included) squabble about who got to read the new books first.

      My dad read the Swallows and Amazons series to us, then a bit later the Hornblower series, also the Redwall series, the Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings, Treasure Island, Kidnapped, a few Dickens, Robinson Crusoe, all Narnia, possibly a couple of Shakespear. A bunch of classic Sci-Fi: Day of the Triffids, the Foundation series, etc.

      My mum read first quite a lot of Enid Blighton (Famous 5, Secret 7, magic faraway tree, etc)(really dated now), a few of the 'Chalet School' books (I got bored of those though my brother read the rest to himself), Agatha Christie, Jane Austin, Jane Eire, Don Camilo, Adrian Plass, Harry Potter, an Abridged Narnia and Abridged Lord of the Rings when we were younger (I think she just skipped the scary parts), Roald Dahl and Dr. Seuss (our 3 year old loves them now), Katie Morag (lovely gentle stories), Dick King Smith, Alexander McCall-Smith has a few great calm fun fiction for kids (The Perfect Hamburger, for instance), Treasures of the Snow, Paddington, E.Nesbit, the Princess and Curdie et al, The Secret Garden, Dogger, the Story of Ping (AFTER you read it, check the amazon reviews), Politically Correct BedTime Stories ...

      My wife and I are now reading (for the second time) through David Eddings' 'The Belgariad' together. I grew up reading those, although my parents never read them out loud, I dunno why. They work great out loud, but are definately for older readers. Teenagers or so. Kind of obvious plot - but the characters are so much fun to read, and it's a predicatable enjoyable journey.

      Other older teenager series to read might include Ted Dekker's the Circle, Tamora Pierce, some of Anne McCaffery (depending how comfortable you are reading stories which include sex - maybe read them yourself first), Eragon (don't watch the movie though), Stephen Lawhead's various serieses, the Empryion one is a good start. Not too long, nor too heavy. Some John Grisham (The Street Lawyer is EXCELLENT.)

      I'd recommend all of the above to get started :-)

      thread
    2. thaumasiotesJun 2020
      > try reading ‘Phantastes’ or ‘The Princess and the Goblin’ to appreciate just how freaking much he is indebted to him

      You know, I did try to read The Princess and the Goblin. I think I got through it. There is a sequel, The Princess and Curdie. I tried, but failed, to read that. They aren't books I would recommend.

      I do like the animated film.

      thread

    Related

    Cover of The Princess and the Goblin
    2020–2024

    The Princess and the Goblin

    George MacDonald
    1 recommend · 3
    Cover of A Song of Ice and Fire
    2008–2026

    A Song of Ice and Fire

    George R. R. Martin
    41 recommend · 215
    Cover of The Wheel of Time
    2007–2026

    The Wheel of Time

    Robert Jordan
    57 recommend · 242
    Cover of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
    2009–2026

    The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

    C. S. Lewis
    9 recommend · 40
    Cover of Little Prince
    2008–2026

    Little Prince

    Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
    57 recommend · 112
    Cover of Phantastes
    2019–2023

    Phantastes

    George MacDonald
    2 recommend · 3
    Cover of The City & The City
    2010–2025

    The City & The City

    China Miéville
    recommend · 69
    32
    Cover of Harry Potter
    2008–2026

    Harry Potter

    J. K. Rowling
    55 recommend · 271