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As the marketplace becomes saturated with young adult fantasy books in the "Harry Potter" mold, how long will it be just before the genre loses its magic?

"If, like me, you have observed that the spell getting cast by the newest crop of young adult fantasy novels is becoming much less potent, it seems a fair query to ask," said R.J. Nimmo, a young adult novelist and specialist on entertainment for youngsters.

Nimmo does not dispute the continued popularity of the sword-and-sorcery retreads out there.

"Nonetheless, assorted witches, djinn and goblins risk succumbing to that well-identified pitfall of each and every profitable celebrity from boy bands to Britney: overexposure," he said.

Nimmo says the genre's rise in recognition was initially due to J.K. Rowling's wildly productive "Harry Potter" series and was further compounded by the success of the "Dark Materials" trilogy by Philip Pullman.

"They are all wonderful books - genuinely entertaining and original," Nimmo mentioned. "The problem is the market is becoming saturated. 1 far more insipid 'Harry Potter' clone could be 1 too numerous."

So how can parents locate worthwhile reading options that their children - whose appetites for fantasy fiction show no sign of abating - will want to open and read?

"The trick is to locate books for youngsters and young adults where the fantasy genre components are infused as element of historical-inspired stories, thus sharpening the emotional, intellectual and educational edge," Nimmo stated.

"The Ancient Egyptian Ennead," Nimmo's most current myth-inspired novel set in Egypt in the time of the pharaohs, promises to do just that.

"The magic in my books is one thing readers can identify with: the magic of studying about ancient civilizations, gods, myths and monsters," he said. "It is the way forward for an increasingly lackluster genre. I want to place the magic back in the hands of the reader." buy comedy book