13 Outstanding Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books Teen Boys Will Love
by Dena McMurdie
One of my friends’ most common questions is if I have any book recommendations for their teenage sons. Thankfully, I’ve read many books that teen boys will love, and I’ve compiled this reading list to help parents find a good book for them.
Of course, anyone can read and enjoy these books, so if you don’t fit the label “teenage boy,” don’t let that stop you from diving into one of these fantastic novels! From speculative science fiction to epic fantasy, here are some of the most exciting sci-fi and fantasy books that teenage boys (and everyone else) will love.
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Project Nemesis Series
Available from:This captivating series combines an asteroid heading toward Earth, gruesome murders, and two teens with lives built on lies. But learning the truth puts them in danger, and they must fight for survival as they navigate their new reality.
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The Nyxia Triad Series
Available from:Send your teen into deep space to mine a semi-sentient, volatile substance on a distant planet. Readers will eagerly devour each page of this series with its high-stakes competition, gasp-worthy plot twists, and nail-biting suspense. Once you’ve recovered from the inevitable book hangover this series will give you, check out the author’s other series, Ashlords.
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The Taking of Jake Livingston
Available from:Jake Livingston is a teenage medium that helps ghosts find closure and move on. But Jake meets his match when the vengeful ghost of a school shooter starts haunting him. Soon, Jake fears for his life as he tries to banish the spirit. This novel is the perfect blend of thought-provoking issues and chilling suspense.
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Ready Player One
Available from:Whether or not you’ve seen the movie, the book is an incredible thrill ride that every sci-fi enthusiast should experience. Ernest Cline invites readers into a well-developed futuristic world obsessed with 80s pop culture, video games, and corporate corruption. While this book is technically considered an adult novel, teenagers will also love it.
Related: Books Like Ready Player One: 10 Out-of-This-World Next-Reads
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The Reckoners Series Hardcover Boxed Set
Available from:Brandon Sanderson is the reigning king of science fiction and fantasy novels, so it’s no surprise I included this series. It’s about a teenage boy named David who lost his father and city to the Epics — the oppressive ruling class. He joins forces with a band of outcast rebels to overthrow the Epics and find justice for his father. Readers who enjoy this series will also want to read Sanderson’s sci-fi space adventure, The Skyward Series.
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Nubia: The Awakening
Available from:Teen boys who love the high-tech world in Black Panther will enjoy this action-packed novel. Three teens from Nubia live in poverty in a tech-driven New York City while the wealthy look for ways to increase their power and influence. So, when Zuberi, Uzochi, and Lencho discover that they have supernatural powers, they know they have a ticket out of poverty. They must choose whether to use their newfound abilities to help themselves or help their people.
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Red Rising Series
Available from:YA readers who can’t get enough of post-apocalyptic novels will love this New York Times bestselling series. When Darrow learns his society has intentionally kept him in poverty and the (literal) dark, he sets out to change his fortunes. That requires him to infiltrate the elite and destroy them from the inside. With five books in the completed series, teens will have plenty of reading material to feed their obsession.
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Otherworld
Available from:Actor Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother) teamed up with YA author Kirsten Miller to deliver this fast-paced series about a hyper-addictive virtual reality game. When Simon’s best friend gets trapped inside Otherworld, he dives in after her and uncovers a chilling conspiracy. Now, he must decide how far to go to save his friend and society from the horrors inside the game.
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The Martian: Classroom Edition
Available from:The movie is excellent, but the book is better. The classroom edition of The Martian has been adapted for teens with age-appropriate language and discussion questions but includes the full-length novel. Sci-fi lovers will hang on every word as astronaut Mark Watney fights for survival alone on the surface of Mars.
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Hell Followed with Us
Available from:Sixteen-year-old trans boy Benji, fleeing from a destructive cult that infected him with a bioweapon, is saved by a group of LGBTQ+ teens led by the enigmatic Nick, who knows Benji's dangerous secret. Nick offers shelter, but as Benji becomes part of the group, he uncovers Nick's hidden agenda and secrets within the ALC, leading to a suspenseful struggle for survival.
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Eragon
Available from:This book is the first installment in The Inheritance Cycle series. It’s a fantasy series about a teenage boy who finds a dragon’s egg in his backyard. The discovery pulls him into a quest for magic, freedom, and hope. YA readers who love immersive fantasy books will find this series irresistible.
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Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (Movie Tie-In Edition)
Available from:Teens who love their fantasy novels to come with a helping of chills will love this bestselling series. Jacob discovers the ruins of an orphanage on a remote island and learns it was once home to children with unusual abilities. He gets caught up in the mystery of the island, orphanage, and previous inhabitants while making shocking discoveries that will keep readers glued to the page.
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Chaos Walking Movie Tie-In Edition: The Knife of Never Letting Go
Available from:Teens who loved A Monster Calls will enjoy this book from the same author. It’s a post-apocalyptic novel about a boy living in a male-only world where he can hear everyone’s thoughts. When he runs away, he stumbles across a real-life girl. A dangerous search for truth and edge-of-your-seat action will keep readers cruising through the pages.
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