SOLVED. Fantasy - teens with powers like empathy, [s]

[Debs]

I read this book over 10 years ago for my highschool lessons (Australia). All i remember was there was a group of teens that had to travel over mountains or across country I think, and they all had specific special powers, including one with particularly strong empathic powers. It was a smallish group - maybe about 4 or 5 kids, and I think two of them were siblings. I might remember more if people throw hints my way, but otherwise is anyone able to think of what book this is?

Thanks.

[bookel]

Any of these?
ESP, psychic powers -- children's/young adult fiction

[Debs]

It seems like it might be similar to Obernewtyn and the other Isobelle Carmody books, but from what I've read on Wikipedia's plots, it's not quite the same.

[bookel]

So isn't it any of those on the list?

[Arlene]

The Chrysalids by John Wyndham?

[Debs]

bkl: unless I accidentally skipped a title, I didn't find anything familiar on the list.

Arlene: the plot (according to Wikipedia) seems too unfamiliar to be the story I'm after, though that one does sound interesting.

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Do you remember the setting? Modern, futuristic, post-apocalyptic? Do you remember why they had their special powers? Nuclear fall-out, genetic experimentation, random chance? And how they got together?

Do you remember where it was set? Australia, U.S., Canada, U.K., Germany?

What about a cover? Do you remember anything about the cover?

[Debs]

It wasn't modern or futuristic. Maybe post-apocalyptic but it seemed more like some nearly fantasy alternate world. So far as I remember they were simply born with their powers.

The thing is, I'm starting to think that maybe it's the Obernewtyn series, but the plot I read in wikipedia didn't seem right. For some reason, the strongest character in the book that I remember was an empath who was quite weak, though I recall it was maybe due to not being able to handle the powers too well herself. Can anyone confirm something along those lines in this story?

[bookel]

Maybe you're thinking of Ashling, which is part of the series. Do you recall Dameon, an empath who's blind?

[bookel]

http://www.librarything.com/work/2611...

Any of these covers ring a bell, especially the girl Elspeth on the horse?If you read an
earlier edition.

[A Yang]

Is it this series? Powers

[Febe]

Arlene wrote: "The Chrysalids by John Wyndham?"

Sounds like "The Chrysalids" to me. Do you remember any of the people having > < five fingers/toes? A little girl who had to run away from home? VERY big horses?

[Debs]

@bkl - a blind empath named Dameon? That definitely sounds more familiar.

After reading the synopsis from Wikipedia, the word "Beforetimers" definitely struck a chord with me. Funny how trying to remember something from years back, one's memory can be severely distorted.

About 95% sure that it is Ashling in the Obernewtyn series - I just never read the first two books so that made things a little more confusing to remember.

Thank you so much to everyone who helped me with my terrible memory! I'll move this one into the Solved category!

[bookel]

Yay! Oh I love the first three books in the Obernewtyn series. Glad it turned out to be Ashling!