books preferably series for teen boys

[Pen]

Want something exciting, fun, adventurous, engaging...

 

 

Like Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Ranger's Apprentice, but for an older teen boy who has read those already.

 

He likes action-adventure, sci fi, dystopias (Divergent, Maze Runner, etc.).  Sometimes he likes John Grisham (for adult) books--but he was bored by the kid lawyer books and The Rooster.  He has liked Carl Hiaasen books for both kids and adults.  He liked the Chet and Bernie mystery series. He has read most of the James Bond (adult) books we could find.

 

Might anything by Tom Clancy be possibly good for a teen boy? And if so what might be a good title to try?

 

Other ideas?

[mytwomonkeys]

Five Kingdoms series

Gregor the Overlander series

The Unwanteds series

Septimus Heap Series

We are Legion series

 

These are series my son listed off the top of his head

[Laura Corin]

Terry Pratchett?https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Pratchett

[goldenecho]

Lord of the Rings (maybe the Hobbit too...but based on his tastes I think that Lord of the Rings may be better...I liked it better than the hobbit, and it's three books, so a series).

 

My sons love the Wings of Fire series.

 

Spy School series...my older boys love this (and they like some of the other same books as your son does). 

 

Spaced (by same author as Spy School)

 

Maybe Madaline Le'Engle Series (hope I'm spelling that right), that starts with A Wrinkle in Time.  It starts slow but if he can get through that the rest is adventure filled.

 

The Hunger Games (read the first one yourself at least before deciding).  Yes, it's violent--but it is violent in a way that doesn't glorify violence, and it thoroughly explores the psychological ramifications of violence, both on victim and perpetrator.   One of the deepest series of books I've read for kids in my lifetime.  Very much adventure.  If you've studied ancient rome at all has a lot of tie ins, even though it's sci-fi.  I had picked it up to read myself when my son was 11.   Would have waited a few more years to give it to my son (because of the violence), but he found it and was half way through it when I realized he had it, and we had such great discussions about that book. 

 

If you like Christian books, I suggest Frank Peretti.  He does have a kids series I haven't tried yet, but his adult books are great.    Does contain some violence (Prophet is pretty tame in that regard though).   All of them are adventure.

 

 

Edited December 8, 2017 by goldenecho

[Bocky]

How about the Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy?

 

Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael series? 

 

David Weber's Honor Harrington books?

[El...]

Ender's Game!  It's the first in a series.  

[Targhee]

Mistborn

 

I second Enders Game

[serendipitous journey]

Around that age, I got a kick out of Edgar Rice Burroughs: the Barsoom and Tarzan series.  Not PC, really, but thoroughly enjoyable. 

 

Ludlum's "Bourne" books were recommended to me by a high school teacher, great fun.  ETA: probably this is the best bet, of all my suggestions, for great holiday reads.  Thoroughly enjoyable for me around the time I loved Grisham too.  

 

Heinlein.  SERIOUSLY not PC, esp. on the feminist front (it is hilarious to me that he seemed at all feminist in his era) but tons of books and some really cool ideas in them.  If you can get your hands on some of the Heinlein for teens (here's a link to the Amazon search results for Heinlein juveniles) try those first, they will be more fun to read before the other Heinleins. 

 

Asimov's Foundation series?  Mystery + sci-fi.  His "I Robot" fits nicely alongside those, I think. 

 

Herbert's Dune books. 

 

Anne McCaffery's Pern series?  I don't remember if I ever read these, but have a nice happy feeling about McCaffrey. 

 

Ursula LeGuin's Earthsea or Hainish cycle. 

 

Not series, but just terrific reads: Shelley's Frankenstein and Stoker's Dracula. 

 

I also loved Atwood's "Handmaid's Tale" in high school but that might be too female. 

 

ETA: thirding, or fourthing, the Ender's Game series. 

 

also Bujold's Vorkosigan series.  with the notable exception of the last book, #15, "Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen" -- if possible, avoid introducing that book, really it is worse than worthless for a Miles Vorkosigan fan.  The Omnibus versions are good here, "Test of Honor" is the best entry (or the two books that comprise it:  "Shards of Honor" & "The Warrior's Apprentice".  I'd be tempted to do Cetaganda after those.)

 

 

Edited December 16, 2017 by serendipitous journey

[Pen]

Already read Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow, and maybe some others in that series.  Also all of Hunger Games. Wrinkle in Time series and Earthsea were read alouds when he was younger--he may have forgotten them enough to read them again.  Liked all of those, so your suggestions are spot on for type of thing he'd like.  He loved the Lord of the Ring movies, but couldn't get into the books in past.  I think we still have them though, so maybe he'd like them better now.

 

I ordered first of 5 Kingdoms, We are Legion, and a Terry Pratchett having gotten those first suggestions before I saw others posted.

 

I'm looking at some of the other suggestions now.