Arthur Schopenhauer said, “Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision for the limits of the world,” but that’s not true for fiction writers and especially science fiction and fantasy writers who create worlds in which to set their stories. Some are an imagined future for our own world, some our world altered, and others totally new worlds. The best ones, however, convince me completely of their world no matter where or when it is.
Downsiders by Neal Shusterman (Simon & Schuster, 1999) is one of those. I only just discovered the book, which means I won’t have to wait long for the sequel coming out in 2007. It’s a story of Downsiders, who live below New York City, and what happens when their world collides with Topsiders. I found it fascinating, believable, and despite the gravity of the topic, with moments of humor. Definitely a good read that will find its place on my ever-crowded shelves.
Read more about Neal and his writing at http://www.storyman.com/
