I need Fantasy book suggestions for my 12 year old

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brotherhrolf:
Lloyd Alexander’s “Prince Taran” series would be good - The Black Cauldron is one of them. Written for teens and young adults, the stories are based on Welsh mythology. Great stuff!
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Ah, he beat me to it. This series was my first thought. They are actually called “The Prydain Chronicles” and they start with “The Book of Three”.

I completely disagree with the Conan recommendation. Howard’s stories were very risque and allude to sex frequently. In one, Conan basically rapes a woman. Uggh.
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Isidore_AK:
If what you want to avoid is sexual themes, then the Forgotten Realms books are decent…
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Except for anything written by Ed Greenwood (e.g. Spellfire). He includes gratuitous sex (not graphically described but pointless mentions of sexual situations).
 
I’m near that age and personally I love the Harry Potter books for fantasy. I feel that they do not go against my faith at all.
 
I don’t think anyone has mentioned Edward Eager’s books. Half Magic, Seven Day Magic, Knight’s Castle, Time Garden. They were written in the 50’s and are fun - simple compared with many of the stories listed here and they all follow a certain formula, but they are fun, just like the OZ books are fun. These would still be regarded as children’s books.

The Burroghs Mars series is classic. Written early in the century, it has themes that are still being followed in modern stories.

And don’t overlook all the old Heinlein “juveniles.” Space Cadet, Tunnel in the Sky, etc.

I’d be careful about Piers Anthony, it seems he has written a thousand books and not all of them are appropriate. Doesn’t he have some with Satan as a protagonist? :mad:
 
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usmaedchen:
I’d be careful about Piers Anthony, it seems he has written a thousand books and not all of them are appropriate. Doesn’t he have some with Satan as a protagonist? :mad:
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Yes, you are thinking of the Incarnations of Immortality series. A very interesting series, but one that is more or less ‘adults’ only. Not for someone who doesn’t know their faith very well. God, the devil, and different ‘immortals’ (death, war, time, gaia, fate, etc) are all ‘offices’ held by mortals who take on an immortal aspect to do their new job. A good read…

I would be more skeptic of the Phase Adept series by Anthony. MANY sexual themes and encounters. To be avoided…although I found them in my Jr. High library when I was 12… :whistle:
 
My mother bought the big hardback book of The Secret Garden. Every night she would read me a chapter or two before bed. I loved it and it was a great bonding experience for the two of us.
 
Thanks everyone for your suggestions. My kid has actually read most of your suggestions. Piers Anthony I have all ready decided is a no go. Even his Xanth series seems over sexualized to me. I don’t think he’s read The Earthsea series. So, I’ll try that. I try to at least skim through his books. He’s read the Redwall series at least three times. I will also look into some of the sci-fi suggestions. For some reason, he didn’t like Wrinkle in Time or the Neverending Story–two of my favorites. I’m not sure that he would like the Lewis space trilogy. It seems pretty “out there” for a kid, but I’ll reread them to see.

The David Eddings books-are they the series where the hero marries three women? Or, am I confused? And, I’m not sure about the Crystal Cave–I haven’t read it since I was a teenager. I will have to reread it, too.

I was think of the Shannara series–I haven’t read that in years later. Does anyone know if it has any impurity in it?

I let him read* Ender’s Game*. He really liked it-he read it twice in two days, but the sequel offended my Republican sensibilities.

I have friends that I respect who recommend the Harry Potter series, but I’d rather stay away from them. If they do portray spell casting, I know my kids will play spell casting. They pretend play everything that captures their imagination. I’m sure they are okay for older teens and adults. I’ll let him decide when he is an adult if he wants to read them. And, he’ll have a complete series! Don’t you hate waiting for sequels?

It seems like Stephen King wrote a Fantasy novel with a dragon in it–does anyone remember what it was and if it would be okay for adolescents?

I will definitely be looking into some old Verne and HG Wells. I remember loving Verne when I was in middle school.

In any case, I’d appreciate more suggestions if you have them.
 
As to sci-fi?

Well, there’s a lot of good military Science Fiction. I’d suggest…

David Drake (Especially The “Hammers Slammer’s” series)
baen.com/library/ddrake.htm

David Weber (Honor Harrington is an awesome series)
davidweber.net/
One of my all-time favorites. The last couple books are a little morally ambiguous (think space Mormons & polygamy…)

Lois McMaster Bujold (The Miles Vorkosigan saga)
dendarii.com/

Elizabeth Moon (Some good sci-fi, but better fantasy)
sff.net/people/Elizabeth.Moon/biblio-sf.htm

Moon wrote ‘The Deed of Paksenarrion’ a very good fantasy series. About a peasant girl who runs away from the arranged marriage to a pig farmer and becomes (first) a mercenary, but then has a higher calling to become a holy knight (paladin). Very epic books (5 in the series total). I don’t know why I didn’t think of it earlier. If he likes Lord of the Rings, he ought to love Paks. The series starts with ‘Sheepfarmer’s daughter’.
 
JMJ Theresa:
I let him read* Ender’s Game*. He really liked it-he read it twice in two days, but the sequel offended my Republican sensibilities.
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Orson Scott Card’s books should be sound on the moral front. He’s a well known devout Mormon. However, themes in his books very often reflect LDS theology and worldview. Some of his non-fantasy books, like Stone Tables, about the life of Moses, are expressly LDS in nature.
 
JMJ Theresa:
The David Eddings books-are they the series where the hero marries three women? Or, am I confused? And, I’m not sure about the Crystal Cave–I haven’t read it since I was a teenager. I will have to reread it, too.

I was think of the Shannara series–I haven’t read that in years later. Does anyone know if it has any impurity in it?

I let him read* Ender’s Game*. He really liked it-he read it twice in two days, but the sequel offended my Republican sensibilities.
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Ender’s Game is simply a classic for sci-fi readers. I’ve read all of David Eddings book. The Belgariad, Mallorian and Elenium series are all safe series. I’m also partial to Piers Anthony books, especially to the adept series, but I could understand one’s concerns with the xanth series.
 
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