late ’90s/early 2000s YA science-fantasy series with a matriarchal city and a spaceship reveal
I’ve been trying to remember a book series I read as a kid (probably late ‘90s or early 2000s), and it’s driving me crazy.
Here’s what I remember with fairly high confidence:
It was a YA (or possibly middle grade) series, probably 3–5 books. The early books are set in a walled city with a matriarchal society. Women hold power inside the city, while men live outside (or boys are forced to leave the city when they reach a certain age—I may be fuzzy on that detail). The protagonist is a boy who has connections to both societies. At first it reads like fantasy or post-apocalyptic fiction, but later it’s revealed to actually be science fiction. An ancient relic turns out to be a spaceship, and the characters discover a working computer/AI aboard. The computer explains humanity’s past and space travel. I vaguely remember a supporting character who was paralyzed and used magnetic implants or magnets in his body to help him move.
Things I’m less certain about:
I think the series makes a major jump in the later books, with humans traveling on the spaceship to another planet (or possibly returning to Earth after a very long time). I remember intelligent owl-like and mouse-like civilizations on that world. I also think the later books may follow descendants of the original characters after a time jump, but I could be misremembering.
Does this ring a bell for anyone? Even if one or two details seem off, I’d love to hear any ideas—it’s been over 20 years, so I’m sure some of my memories have blended together.