Fantasy Books for Boys

Here are a selection of some of the best Young Adult fantasy books for boys. They generally have higher appeal for boys and typically have a boy in the lead role but it is a pretty good bet that girls will like these books too. The YA staff has arranged these books in a few easy to find categories.

Some Timeless Classics

Knight's Castle

First published in the 1950's it has been reprinted and found a revival.

Four children experience wonder and adventure with a set of two hundred and fifty-six model soldiers including one that is called the old one that is magical. All kinds of magical adventures await the children and their toy knight's castle. This book is part of a series of wonderful fantasy books by Edward Eager ( Edward Eager books on Amazon.com)

Five Children and It (Puffin Classics - the Essential Collection) (1902)The genre of Child Fantasy is generally credited with being created by Edith Nesbit who wrote about forty books for children in the late 19th early 20th Century. She also collaborated on twenty more. Some of her works have been adapted into movies and Television shows and some of her more popular works include Five Children and It where five children meet a sand fairy who is compelled to grant them one wish every day.

A Princess of Mars (Dover Value Editions)

In this landmark, Civil War veteran John Carter is transported to a dying planet, where he must face giant green barbarians to rescue a Martian princess. Burroughs, best known as the creator of Tarzan , published this novel in 1911 and introduced a new style of writing that combined the genres of fantasy, adventure, and science fiction.

The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien - This is a wonderful introductory work to the genre of childrens fantasy books. And it is also an engrossing novel for adults to read - with the added bonus of being able to move on to the Lord of the Rings books when done.

A Boy Wizard in Children's Fantasy

Ursula K. LeGuin Write a series of books entitled "The Earthsea Trilogy" about a boy with special powers who goes off to wizard school. This sounds very much like the theme of Harry Potter but these books are very different. They take place in another time and land called Earthsea and they are a spectaculary beautiful series of award winning books. If your child likes Harry Potter he or she will surely like these books. They were written in the 60's but are still fresh and wonderful. The First book in the series: A Wizard of Earthsea (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 1)

Contemporary Fantasy books for boys

Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1) Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is the most ingenious criminal mastermind in history. With two trusty sidekicks in tow, he hatches a cunning plot to divest the fairyfolk of their pot of gold. Of course, he isn't foolish enough to believe in all that "gold at the end of the rainbow" nonsense. Rather, he knows that the only way to separate the little people from their stash is to kidnap one of them and wait for the ransom to arrive. But when the time comes to put his plan into action, he doesn't count on the appearance of the extrasmall, pointy-eared Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon (Lower Elements Police Reconnaisance) Unit--and her senior officer, Commander Root, a man (sorry, elf) who will stop at nothing to get her back.

Fantastic stuff from beginning to end, Artemis Fowl is a rip-roaring, 21st-century romp of the highest order. The author has let his imagination run riot by combining folklore, fantasy, and a fistful of high-tech funk in an outrageously devilish book that could well do for fairies what Harry Potter has done for wizardry. But be warned: this is no gentle frolic, so don't be fooled by the fairy subject matter. Instead, what we have here is well-written, sophisticated, rough 'n' tumble storytelling with enough high-octane attitude to make it a seriously cool read for anyone over the age of 10. --Susan Harrison --

The Last Apprentice (Revenge of the Witch)

"I was going to learn how to protect farms and villages from things that go bump in the night. Dealing with ghouls, boggarts, and all manner of wicked beasties would be all in a day's work. That's what the Spook did, and I was going to be his apprentice." Twelve-year-old Thomas Ward, as the seventh son of a seventh son, has no inheritance and is bored with farm work, and even though his new job will mean the superstitious villagers will forever shun him, he is eager to go off to adventure with the tall, hooded man he calls the Spook. His mother, a magical person herself, approves, and the Spook's teaching is strict but kind. But when Tom has only learned enough to be able to control their house-boggart, he is tricked by Alice, the young daughter of a witch family, into inadvertently releasing and then killing Mother Malkin, a witch the Spook has imprisoned in a pit. This is no polite wicca-type witch, but a snuffling, slime-trailing, cannibalistic creature reminiscent of Tolkien's nasgils. The story of Tom's escape from the reincarnated witch's hideous revenge is full of horrible details, as Alice helps, and then once again betrays him. This well-crafted novel marks an auspicious start for an exciting and fast series for young teens. (Ages 10-14)

The Ruins of Gorlan (The Ranger's Apprentice, Book 1)

Grade 4-8-A strong debut in a new fantasy series. Will hopes to become a knight; instead, he winds up as a Ranger's apprentice, joining the secretive corps that uses stealth, woodcraft, and courage to protect the kingdom. His aptitude and bravery gradually earn the respect of his gruff but good-hearted master. When the kingdom is attacked by evil magic forces, Will helps track down and defeat a couple of particularly nasty beasts. This closing episode sets the stage for a good-versus-evil war that will likely be at the heart of future volumes. In this opener, though, most of the story focuses on the learning process that Will goes through as an apprentice. Descriptions of Ranger craft are fascinating. Exciting confrontations with bullies and wild boars help to establish the boy's emerging character. Side stories involving a rival Battleschool apprentice and the identity of Will's father are woven in smoothly. The author occasionally spells things out more than is needed when actions demonstrate them clearly enough. However, the well-paced plot moves effortlessly toward the climax, letting readers get to know the world and the characters gradually as excitement builds. The public adoration Will gains at the end seems slightly overdone given the established distrust people feel for Rangers, but it's still a pleasing finish and should leave readers eager to share the future adventures of the Ranger's apprentice. -

The Lightning Thief (Movie Tie-in Edition) (Percy Jackson and the Olympians)

Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school...again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

With cover art from the major motion picture, this first installment of Rick Riordan's best-selling series is a non-stop thrill-ride and a classic of mythic proportions.

Dragon's Blood: The Pit Dragon Chronicles, Volume One

Dragons are trained to fight to the death, and two determined teens help free them in this spellbinding saga.
Training a dragon to be a fighting champion is the only way to freedom for fifteen-year-old Jakkin.

The Crystal Shard: The Icewind Dale Trilogy, Part 1 (Forgotten Realms: The Legend of Drizzt, Book IV) (Bk. 4)

This new release of the classic R.A. Salvatore novel continues the classic tale of Salvatore's signature dark elf character Drizzt Do'UrdenT. Although this was the first title actually published about Drizzt, it has now been placed in its proper chronological order as fourth in the series. Each title in the Legend of Drizzt series showcases the classic dark elf novels in new, deluxe hardcover editions. Each title will feature all new cover art and new introductions written by those who have become familiar with Salvatore and Drizzt over the years.

Storm Front (The Dresden Files Book 1)

If circumstances surrounding a crime defy the ordinary and evidence points to a suspect who is anything but human, the men and women of the Chicago Police Department call in the one guy who can handle bizarre and often brutal phenomena. Harry Dresden is a wizard who knows firsthand that the everyday world is actually full of strange and magical things-most of which don't play well with humans.

Now the cops have turned to Dresden to investigate a horrifying double murder that was committed with black magic. Never one to turn down a paycheck, Dresden also takes on another case-to find a missing husband who has quite likely been dabbling in sorcery. As Dresden tries to solve the seemingly unrelated cases, he is confronted with all the Windy City can blow at him, from the mob to mages and all creatures in between.

--MORE--

Sir Stalwart (Book One of the King's Daggers)
The Saint of Dragons They prey on human weakness. Feed on human misery. Revel in human pain. Dragons. Masquerading as regular men and women, they walk unnoticed among their victims. But there are those who can see past the serpents' disguises. Simon St. George and his father, Aldric, the last living descendants of the legendary Saint George, drive fear into the hearts of the western dragons whom they hunt.
The Ballad of Sir Dinadan (The Squire's Tales) - A light hearted retelling of the Arthurian tales.

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