Which book got you started on science fiction/fantasy?

Also the Hobbit :) I read it when i was 9, followed quickly by LOTR. And I read the Icewind Dale trilogy at about 14, which launched me back into the wonderful world of fantasy!
 
What really boosted my reading ability were stories about a witches? cat and a boy. When the cat was around the boy could see ghosts and was even able to ride on a ghost bus. Reminds me of a scene in one of the Harry Potter Books.

Adult fiction - predictably - The Hobbit later followed by Lord of the Rings, after that it was Terry Brook's original Shannara trilogy and then Fiests Magician....
 
I don't remember a time when I was not facinated by rockets, dinosaurs, ghosts and monsters. Books, movies or any TV. I remember a few early books, but I was drawn to them naturallly rather than something inspiring me. I think it may have had to do with being left on the door step by a mysterious...............
 
Hmm, my first fantasy book was either the Hobbit or LotR. As for sci-fi, I can't really remember, but it might very well have been one of Asimov's books.
 
As an adult: I borrowed Tarnsman of Gor by John Norman. Although I look back at it now and think how tacky the ideas were, it did get me into the fantasy genre.
 
My first fantasy book was The Hobbit, and I was about 7. My first sci-fi was probably Isaac Asimov's The Gods Themselves. I remember I was totally shocked about descriptions of aliens having sex.. :D
 
Sibeling said:
My first fantasy book was The Hobbit, and I was about 7. My first sci-fi was probably Isaac Asimov's The Gods Themselves. I remember I was totally shocked about descriptions of aliens having sex.. :D
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If you were still 7 - I reckon you would be shocked!
 
Sci-fi was "Have Space Suit, Will Travel", by Robert Heinlein (which I'm trying to get round to re-reading).

Fantasy was The Hobbit.

Both via my Star Trek obsessed elder brother...
 
The Redwall books by Brian Jacques. Do they count as fantasy?!
I read the Hobbit when I was little and didn't like it! *ducks flying objects*
His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman got me back into it more recently though.
 
Redwall has been the jump start for many a young reader - great stuff!

As for The Hobbit....what's not to like? :)
-g-
 
For me it was Fiest's Faerie Tale - I was loving horror at the time, and it's kind of horror/fantasy with faeries and everything. Now, I don't read a lot of traditional high fantasy yet, but I do enjoy the movies.
 
I'm thinking the Harry Potter books are going to be the intro for a whole generation
 
The one, the ultimate: Watership Down by Richard Adams, at age 9-10. I think it'll be safe to say it positively changed my life.

GOLLUM said:
Ursula Le Guin's Wizard of Earthsea around 8-9 years of age.
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Lucky you! Earthsea at 8-9... wish I had read them that early...
 
Patrick Mahon said:
Sci-fi was "Have Space Suit, Will Travel", by Robert Heinlein (which I'm trying to get round to re-reading).

Fantasy was The Hobbit.

Both via my Star Trek obsessed elder brother...
Click to expand...

I can't say for sure but the first one that I remember buying was 'The Dueling Machine' by Ben Bova, must have been around '78 or so.

Bought it through a book magazine in school and still have the copy.

I must have been reading before that though as I seem to remember choosing it for the SF relevance.

I remember Have Space Suit very well from around that time as well - it gave me the order of planets that i have never forgotten. Plus the mother thing and space suits that you could put your hand through.

From about 9 or 10 I know I was reading what are now called teenage books - Hardy Boys, Three Investigators etc.

I also remember the Tom Swift novels from my local library so it might have been one of those.
 
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