Fantasy

Winter Door

by Isobelle Carmody
Ligature untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult

Rage’s home life and school life are challenging to say the least, with her mother still unwell, her uncle not wanting her, and the school bully becoming increasingly nasty. And she’s been having strange dreams. What do they mean? Is she in danger? It is just her world or the mysterious Valley as well?

First published in 2002, The Winter Door is the second book in a planned trilogy following [Billy Thunder and the] Night Gate. The third title has long remained unwritten. Will the inclusion of the first two books in the Untapped Collection inspire Carmody to complete the trilogy at last?

Isobelle Carmody has written numerous bestselling and award-winning works for children and young adults, including the much loved, long-running series the Obernewtyn Chronicles. For more, visit isobellecarmody.net.au

Thyla

by Kate Gordon
Ligature untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult

Tasmanian teenager Tessa is found in the bush with scratches on her back and no memory of what happened or how they came to be there. What are they? What do they mean? When students at her school start disappearing, Tessa knows she must find out—whatever the cost.

A gripping paranormal mystery that draws on stories of the Thylacine, or Tasmanian Tiger, a creature believed to be extinct. First published in 2011, it was followed by a sequel, Vulpi.

Kate Gordon is a Tasmanian children’s author. She’s written picture books, books for younger readers, and books for young adults. Her most recent work, The Heartsong of Wonder Quinn (2020), was described as ‘Haunting and beautiful’ by Magpies magazine. For more information visit kate.gordon.com.au.

The Tribe Who Sang to Trees

by Jackie French
Ligature untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult

With Desert Wind as their guide, Possum and Mopoke have once again left the Valley to brave the world outside, where it’s harsh, dry and so hot you can’t go out during the day. It was supposed to be a short journey, following the creek up to the salt pans, but just like all their others, that’s not how it turns out. This time, they hear a strange, eerie noise, like nothing they’ve heard before. Is it a machine? An animal? Or something else? Is it dangerous?

The Tribe Who Sang to the Trees is the final book in internationally bestselling and much loved author Jackie French’s Children of the Valley series, a five-part dystopian series set many years from now and 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.

The Scarecrow

by Sean Williams
Ligature untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult

The third book in internationally bestselling author Sean Williams’ Broken Land trilogy sees Ros, his camel, and Adi at last heading out of the desert—but once again, right into the hands of danger and dark-powered enemies. This time, it’s the half-human, half-material Scarecrow and he’ll stopped at nothing to get what he wants: a crystal Ros intends to bury in the bottom of the ocean, and the Golem Ros has locked inside.

‘This is speculative fiction of the highest quality.’ — West Australian

The Scarecrow was first published in 2008.

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 Music from the Sea

by Jackie French
Ligature untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult

Sea levels have risen, the winds are wild, and the sun is so hot that you can’t go out during the day. So Possum and Mopoke live like wombats, sleeping during the day and venturing out at night. They’re lucky they’re in the Valley, where it’s safe and protected, but they know there’s a world outside – the Collectors go there, scavenging for metal and plant species. And there are stories. When they hear one about mysterious music coming from an island with a gleaming tower, they decide to go in search of it, with Desert Wind, an old Collector, as their guide… 

First published in 1993, The Music from the Sea is the first book in internationally bestselling and much loved author Jackie French’s Children of the Valley series, a five-part dystopian series written long before the trend for dystopian children’s and young adult fiction emerged – and 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’ 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

The House of a Hundred Animals

by Jackie French
Ligature untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult

Possum, Mopoke and Desert Wind have found a wild boy – one with a pet lion – and brought him back to the Valley. But who is he? How can he have tamed a lion? The only way to find out is to leave the Valley again and brave the world outside, where the climate has made life harsh, hot and dry…

First published in 1993, The House of a Hundred Animals is the third book in internationally bestselling and much loved author Jackie French’s Children of the Valley series, a 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.

The Metal Men

by Jackie French
Ligature untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult

Possum and Mopoke, with Desert Wind as their guide, have left the Valley and braved the world outside, where its harsh, dry and so hot you can’t go out during the day. They’ve gone in search of the metal men. Are they real? Or a myth? Might there be people left who make machines like they had before the wild years? 

First published in 1994, The Metal Men is the fourth book in internationally bestselling and much loved author Jackie French’s Children of the Valley series, a five-part dystopian series written long before the trend for dystopian children’s and young adult fiction emerged – and 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 won a wide range of prizes both in Australia and internationally. For more visit www.jackiefrench.com.

The Firebird

by Sophie Masson
Ligature untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult

‘The Firebird is a spellbinding story set in the splendours and savageries of old Russia.’ — Libraries Australia

On the night of her engagement, Princess Tamara is caught in the palace garden with her fiancé’s brother, Ivan. They claim to have been watching a firebird, a rare and wonderful creature—and it’s true: the bird has left a feather. The Tsar, desperate for the bird, promises half his kingdom to whoever finds it. This might just give Princess Tamara and Ivan the chance to live happily ever after.

First published in 2001, The Firebird was shortlisted for the Aurealis Awards Science Fiction and Fantasy that same year.

Sophie Masson is an award-winning author of over 70 books for children, young adult and adults across a range of genres including fantasy, mystery, history, thrillers, ghost stories and fairy tales. Her most recent books include the YA speculative fiction novel, The Ghost Squad (2021), and Magical Tales from French Camelot (2021). In 2019 she was awarded AM (General Division) in the Order of Australia ‘For significant service to literature as an author, publisher, and through roles in industry organisations’. For more information visit www.sophiemasson.org.

The Green Prince

by Sophie Masson
Ligature untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult

Every year the medieval village of Crundall has a fair. This year there’s a new attraction: a merman. When Jack Fisher sees him, he’s as surprised as everyone else, but unlike the others, Jack doesn’t just see a mythical sea creature—and stranger still, looking back at him, the merman doesn’t just seem to see an ordinary teenager. So begins Jack’s discovery of his real origins and the watery green kingdom where all is not well…

First published in 2000, the following year The Green Prince was adapted for the stage and shortlisted for the Aurealis Awards for Science Fiction and Fantasy.

Sophie Masson AM is an award-winning author of over 70 books for children, young adult and adults across a range of genres including fantasy, mystery, history, thrillers, ghost stories and fairy tales. Her most recent books include the YA speculative fiction novel, The Ghost Squad (2021), and Magical Tales from French Camelot (2021). She was awarded AM (General Division) in the Order of Australia in 2019 ‘For significant service to literature as an author, publisher, and through roles in industry organisations’. For more information visit www.sophiemasson.org

The Dust Devils

by Sean Williams
Ligature untapped
genre Fantasy · Young Adult

The Dust Devils is the second book in internationally bestselling author Sean Williams’ Broken Land trilogy. Ros is alone once again in the desert with his camel. His friend Adi’s spirit is with him—but that isn’t where it should be. And while the desert might seem empty, it’s full of danger. How is he going to survive the Dust Devils, the sand bandits—and get Adi’s spirit back to her body before it’s too late?

‘something special indeed, as readable by adults as it is by younger people. … riveting and one not to be missed.’ — West Australian

‘a master-piece of speculative fiction… [Williams’] skill is as limitless as the universe.’ — Aurealis Magazine

First published in 2008, The Dust Devils was shortlisted in the Aurealis Awards for Excellence in Australian Speculative Fiction the following 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.