YA or adult novels suitable for (not about) teen with autism

[Nineteenseventy]

I hope I’ve picked the right board for this! Looking for recommendations for ds who likes reading, but it’s hard to find books for him.

He is 15 and awaiting autism assessment. He’s probably typical of what would previously have been diagnosed as Aspergers - clever, nerdy, good at maths, no difficulty reading, but baffled by other people, so doesn’t enjoy/can’t see the point of stuff like descriptive language, subtle clues, detailed analysis of emotions.

I’ve tried googling for book lists for autistic teens, but can only finds books about autism. I just want books that other autistic teens have enjoyed. He used to read a lot of Alex Rider & similar action series. He’s also read a few Agatha Christies recently & Tolkein, but I don’t think he has a preference for those genres, possibly it’s more the straightforward plots he likes.

He is easily an adult level reader, but I’ve no idea what books to suggest now & am hoping others might have suggestions.

There’s a series of box that starts with Field 1 by Simon Winstanley or One Word Kill (impossible times series) by Mark Lawrence.

Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, Douglas Adams

Second the Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness. It's fantastic. John Wyndham's novels, like the Chrysalids and Day of the Triffids might appeal too and he might enjoy recent YA like Lauren James' The Quiet at the End of the World and Kate Mascarenhas' The Psychology of Time Travel.

Yes, Pratchett obviously - he might actually be ok starting at the beginning with the Colour of Magic (has he read much fantasy apart from Tolkien?)

Have you tried the Jeeves books? They're light and funny and enjoyably convoluted, and although people get married right left and centre Bertie himself spends his entire time attempting to get out of being engaged and go back to his routine.

If he likes history, Band Of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose is excellent.

It’s very detailed in regards to historical context, but also very good at explaining the interpersonal relationships between the men.

Oh these are all great suggestions. Thank you!

A few of these I've read myself but forgotten about - Chaos Walking, Fingers in the Sparkle Jar, Steven King, Hitchhiker's Guide. I'll give ds a list and get him to look them up.

I think Terry Pratchett might be good as he read Truckers and another related one a couple of years ago and enjoyed them. I've never read any of his, but they sound like something ds would like (& might keep him busy for a while if he decides to read them all!) He's also read Mortal Engines so I'll look at Railhead.

We'll look at all the other suggestions too - thank you all.

Also autistic here. Terry Pratchett for sure- if he has read the Carpet People (Truckers, Diggers, Wings) he will probably enjoy the discworld series too. The Hunger Games series could be good too, depending on his opinion of dystopian fiction. What about classics? Robinson Crusoe, A Tale Of Two Cities, Moby Dick, Sherlock Holmes. All of those would be appropriate age wise from what you have said. Across the Nightingale Floor is the first of a trilogy which is set in old Japan, with their fuedal system etc. Phillip Pullmans Ruby in the Smoke series, or His Dark Materials trilogy (Nothern Lights, Subtle Knife and the Amber Spyglass) sound like they would be good for him too

Thank you pollyhemlock!
I may well read them too, in that case- I loved the Mortal Engines books so much, especially the Fever Crumb prequels.

It's hard, because there are so many new books and I can't read them all ahead of him. He read about eight Skulduggery Pleasant books before casually dropping into conversation that they were based on the chthulu mythos... he was about 8 at the time oh, and they're full of unpleasant deaths...
This from a child too scared to watch Dr Who or even read about the basilisk in Harry Potter.

Times change so much- at 15 I was reading Heinlein, Capote, Norman Mailer, Stephen King etc. Along with Pratchett and Adams of course.

Yes, PhilODox, it can be tricky when their reading ability is well ahead of their actual age. Both my older DDs would read almost anything from age 7 onwards and I very rarely stopped them reading any book. DD1 was totally traumatised by a Robin Jarvis book aged around 8/9. I think she’s recovered now though! Enjoy Railhead.

@pollyhemlock Well he LOVED Railhead, and its sequels!

@PhilODox good!

Thanks BeachCheese. I'm autistic too, but looking back at my post, I think I worded it badly and it does sound like I'm assuming ds won't like 'normal' books.

It's more that he has certain reading preferences which I think come from his autism, for example he says he can't see the point of a book with lots of description or lots of analysis of people's inner thoughts and emotions. I actually quite enjoy books like that, so didn't mean it to sound like an austism stereotype. I guess I could have just not mentioned autism and asked for books with action and not much emotion and description.

I'm fairly new to learning about autism myself, so it's helpful to me to hear things like this as I don't want to fall into the trap of stereotyping or underestimating ds. Thanks for replying.

My teen likes sci-fi/fantasy books and enjoyed the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas, Magician by Raymond E Feist, anything by Rick Riordin and is also really into reading Manga particularly Fullmetal Alchemist, Blue Exorcist and My Hero Academia.

What about Discworld, or is fantasy not his bag? Or Robert Rankin/the Red Dwarf novels?

@Witsend101

My teen likes sci-fi/fantasy books and enjoyed the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas, Magician by Raymond E Feist, anything by Rick Riordin and is also really into reading Manga particularly Fullmetal Alchemist, Blue Exorcist and My Hero Academia.

I'm autistic and I read a fair bit of manga myself. I used to love Naruto and Bleach, although Sailor Moon is my fave. Most manga are online these days as well.

I've not read FMA but it's meant to be pretty good, and I like the art style.

@BeachCheese agreed, I was reading all sorts as a teen. JD Salinger was a fave, as was Ed McBain and Margaret Atwood, and stuff like Catch-22.

A sci-fi book series I recently read was The Long Winter Triology by A. G. Riddle: the sun is getting weaker. Aliens are causing it. Includes expeditions in space, general survival and plenty of geekness. If he likes it, it appears the author has other similar books.

Maybe The Girl with All the Gifts, too? Main character is a zombie, except she doesn't know it. She's also intelligent. The book explores what makes her different from ordinary zombies, and plenty of survival. Involves more feelings, but no sex (though there are descriptions of brain cutting for research!). Very easy to read.

I would suggest things like Tom Clancy, Bernard Cornwell, the Hornblower series. Adult male oriented fiction, lots of technical jargon type thing. Exh loved them whose on the spectrum. That said he also loves Jane Austen.

He might like the Thursday Next books by Jasper Fforde. First is The Eyre Affair. Also the Nursery Crime books by the same author (Big Over Easy is the first of those).

Agree with recommendations for Hitchhiker's Guide, Sherlock Holmes books, H G Wells.

Ben Elton was the author of choice when I was a teen. He has some great pacey page turners.

Happy reading!

I’d recommend the Murderbot series by Martha Wells - the main character (Murderbot) is a cyborg who has become self aware and just wants to be left alone to binge watch TV series. Unfortunately, it’s contracted as security for a group of scientists exploring a planet and keeps having to rescue them. It is often baffled by human emotions so your son (and you!) may empathise. Despite the title, it’s not a violent series!

Also autistic - I loved Sharpe and Hornblower. Lots of plot, a lot of technical jargon, serious history facts and no ambiguous relationships.

I've never seen them in that light before this thread but I had a whole inner life based around Hornblower for years.