Fantasy

The Changeling

by Sean Williams
Ligature untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult

The Changeling is the first book in internationally bestselling author Sean Williams’ Broken Land trilogy. Set in the same dark fantasy world as his award-winning Books of the Change series, where the deserts are red, the coastlines long and, as young Ros finds, families sacrifice their own children for water. Escape is his only option, and he manages it on a stolen camel—but what next? If he can learn to control the force known as ‘the Change’, he might have a chance…

‘In a smashed and parched land so reminiscent of the back-slopes of the Mt Lofty Ranges in summer, the beautifully grim and driving narrative had me hooked, deeply anxious to learn Ros’ fate. Sean Williams is an acknowledged master of adult stories, and in The Changeling he proves that wonderful and terrible tales for younger folk are well within the ambit of his prodigiously talented and prolific pen.’ — David Cornish

First published in 2008, The Changeling was shortlisted for an Aurealis Award for Excellence in Australian Speculative Fiction that same year.

Sean Williams has been described by Aurealis Magazine as ‘without doubt the premier Australian speculative fiction writer of the age’. He writes fantasy and science fiction and has co-authored Star Wars novelisations with Shane Dix and the EX series with Garth Nix. For more information visit his website at seanwilliams.com.

The City in the Sand

by Jackie French
Ligature untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult

Possum and Mopoke, with the old Collector Desert Wind as their guide, leave the Valley again to brave the world outside, where it’s harsh, dry and so hot you can’t go out during the day. This time they’re in search of the marshes full of birds. It’s only five nights’ walk, but across mountains and desert. It’s hard and dangerous, and who knows what’s out there. Some say there’s a city in the sand, like they used to have in the olden days, before the wild years and everything changed…

Originally published in 1992, The City of the Sand is the second book in internationally bestselling and much loved author Jackie French’s Children of the Valley series, a five-part dystopian series presciently written long before the trend for dystopian children’s and young adult fiction emerged – or climate change was a global concern. 

According to her website, ‘Jackie French AM is an Australian author, historian, ecologist and honorary wombat (part time), 2014–2015 Australian Children’s Laureate and 2015 Senior Australian of the Year.’ She’s written over 200 books, which range from picture books and books for younger readers, to historical fiction for adults, to non-fiction about gardening and ecology. Her books have been won a wide range of prizes both in Australia and internationally. For more visit www.jackiefrench.com.

Night Gate

by Isobelle Carmody
Ligature untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult

Rage undertakes a dangerous journey into the mysterious Valley in search of magick to cure her mother. It’s a world nothing like her own. Streets move, animals talk, and it’s hard to know who to trust—but even harder to find her way home.

First published in 2002, shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Literature, [Billy Thunder and the] Night Gate is the first in a planned trilogy by bestselling and much loved fantasy author Isobelle Carmody. It was followed by Winter Door, also in the Untapped Collection, but the third title has long remained unwritten. Will the inclusion of the first two books in the Untapped Collection inspire the author to complete the trilogy? 

Isobelle Carmody has written numerous works for children and young adults, and won and been shortlisted for many awards. She’s perhaps best known for her long-running, bestselling fantasy series The Obernewtyn Chronicles. For more, visit isobellecarmody.net.au

Cold Iron

by Sophie Masson
Ligature untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult

Tattercoats lives with her cold grandfather and has just two friends: a servant, Malkin, and a gooseherd, Pug. When an invitation arrives to a ball at the queen’s court, Tattercoats is desperate to go—how can Malkin and Pug help her get there?

First published in 1998, Cold Iron is an enticing novel of fantasy and magic inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the Cinderella-like fairytale ‘Tattercoats’, set in Elizabethan England.

Sophie Masson AM is an award-winning, bestselling author. She’s written over 70 books, mostly for children and young adults. For more visit www.sophiemasson.org.