Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

Original poster

Book recommendations for teenage DS

37 replies

FeelingForced · 03/04/2022 18:27

DS is 18 and has always been a keen reader. Some of his favourites are Isaac Asimov, The Lord of the Rings, The Hunt for Red October, Good Omens, the Asterix series, P.G. Wodehouse and Alistair MacLean.

We'd appreciate any suggestions on what he might like next. There are no bookshops or libraries near us, so he can't go and browse.

He's also in a rather intense academic course, so would prefer books that aren't sad, he says.

Thanks in advance.

OP posts:
Outwith · 03/04/2022 20:36

Definitely some Neil Gaiman - I really enjoyed Neverwhere and Stardust.

ElizabethinherGermanGarden · 03/04/2022 20:36

On the Beach = one of the most miserable books ever! Almost on a par with The Road. On the books-that-need-to-go-in-the-freezer pile.

Patrick Ness's Chaos Walking trilogy is great at the YA end of things. The first one, The Knife of Never Letting Go is great.

Sadik · 03/04/2022 20:36

If he likes graphic novels then The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage is fabulous and definitely lighthearted.

I suspect he'd like Adrian Tchaikovsky's SF - Dogs of War and Children of Time are both very good, but they're quite 'thinky' so perhaps not ideal if his course is pretty intense.

I really enjoyed the Fractured Europe series by Dave Hutchinson which starts with Europe in Autumn - SFF/thrillers, and real pacey reads.

Outwith · 03/04/2022 20:32

I'm still scarred from reading it as a young adult 😄.

Original poster
FeelingForced · 03/04/2022 20:28

Yes, probably not The Beach at the moment, judging from what I remember of it.

Any lighter suggestions would also be welcome.

OP posts:
Outwith · 03/04/2022 20:20

Good Lord, don't read The beach at the moment.

Original poster
FeelingForced · 03/04/2022 20:17

I've just been going through the description for Aftershocks and it sounds a little dark. Is it? It might be something he'll like later though.

He's read 1984 and I'll ask him about your other two suggestions.

Thanks!

OP posts:
NdefH81 · 03/04/2022 20:11

Orwell?
The beach Neville Shute
I am legend (the 1950s book)

NdefH81 · 03/04/2022 20:10

Anne fine

NdefH81 · 03/04/2022 20:10

Aftershocks?

Original poster
FeelingForced · 03/04/2022 20:07

Thanks for the suggestions! I forgot to mention that he's read Hitchhiker's Guide and Sherlock Holmes. He's not keen on Stephen King, but American Gods is a really good idea and I'll look for your other recommendations too.

OP posts:
SquirrelFan · 03/04/2022 19:41

Some ideas:

-Stephen King (Carrie, Christine, Firestarter)
-Orphan X series
-Conan Doyle!
-Douglas Adams ( The Hitchhiker's Guide series--very Not Sad)
-Neil Gaiman (American Gods, etc)
-Ready Player One
-Ender's Game

Swipe left for the next trending thread