Anyone read anything recently that would appeal to a 16 year old boy?

[WankersHacksandThieves]

As a clue to his interests, he's enjoyed in recent years:

Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy
Noughts and Crosses
The Tunnels series
Maze Runner

he's not enjoyed:
Percy Jackson
Non-modern fiction

I'm just a bit stumped and I need to add something to my Amazon order to get free delivery :)

Have a look at all Patrick Ness' YA books

And Looking For Alaska by John Green

I came on to say Wasp Factory but I remember struggling wth how dark it is.

Catcher In The Rye maybe? Lord Of The Flies/Rings?

DD is a bit younger (14) but sounds like she has similar tastes. She reads quite a bit of contemporary sci fi - so she enjoyed the Ancillary Justice series, also the Dark Eden books (going to get her bk 3 for xmas), particularly liked the Three Body Problem and it's sequel.

I'd say John Green perhaps aimed rather younger than 16?

Non-fiction - assume he's read Bad Science by Ben Goldacre? DD enjoyed that, also liked The Life Project by Helen Pearson

Just thought of The Circle by Dave Eggers? Disclaimer I haven't read it yet, but it is a modern dystopia about the creep of technology, specifically social media, into normal life. Probably of concern to his generation in particular!

Thanks for even more suggestions :) I'll have a look at these tonight - he has already read some of these - Patrick Ness etc but there are plenty that are new to me.

It's DS2 who is into non fiction, though mainly anything to do with the byzantine empire if anyone has any suggestions? he's 15.

The Three Body triology, by Cixin Liu - superb sci - fi

DS really liked Gregor the Overlander books by Suzanne Collins (author of the hunger games).

The Host by Stephanie Meyer he also liked (its sci fi and loads better than the Twilight series).

Patrick Ness, Jon Robson and John O Farrell are current favourite with 15 year old ds.

And he's looking forward to the new Michelle Paver.

I'd recommend adult action thrillers based on what you have said.
DS2 at 15 + was reading Lee Child's Jack Reacher series - action packed thrillers. Also Stephen Leather's Spider Shepherd series, Linwood Barclay, Harlen Coben
When younger he read all Patrick Ness, Hunger Games, Malorie Blackmore.

Also John Wyndham, Stephen Fry and Ben Elton.

I was reading adult books by that age too to be honest

Time to branch out?

The kids in Ness/Green books tend to be 16 ish though

I was 14 when I first read Dune by Frank Herbet.

It blew me away.

It's not exactly light reading, but once you get into it, it's hugely immersive.

Another couple I've thought of - Europe in Autumn / Europe at Midnight by Dave Hutchinson - thriller/SF crossovers set in a near future Europe fractured into hundreds of tiny statelets.

Ancillary Justice is brilliant, it's a sci fi/space opera style series by Ann Leckie and I really enjoyed it. I'd also recommend Mark Haddon's books? A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time is his most famous, and is very good (one of my favourite books). How about Philip Pullman's work? His Dark Materials trilogy (Golden Compass et al), and I love his Sally Lockheart series.
Also suggest Lexicon by Max Barry. It's another sci fi book about people who are taught to use the power of language to persuade others to do absolutely anything they want them to. It's a really good book, not particularly light but very interesting imo. Barry has written other books set in dystopian worlds/sci fi/fantasy style so he might want to browse through them and see if there's anything there that catches his interest.

I'd also suggest getting him to type "books like [insert book he enjoyed]" into google and selecting the Goodreads list it's on. It'll give him a huge list of books that he might like to look into that are similar to his favourites.

Oh also forgot - how about checking out James Patterson? He has a couple of ya series. Maybe he'd enjoy the Virals series by Kathy Reichs? It's a fantasy about a group of teens who develop supernatural kinda powers and they solve crimes. It's written by the author of the Temperance Brennan series (the books which the tv show Bones is based on) and it's quite a good one. You could also consider The Infernal Devices trilogy, it has good characters and a nice flow, not too taxing to read. Libba Bray has also written a lot of good ya fantasy, maybe check her out?

A throne of Glass - Sarah J.Maas My all time favourite series !

DP has similar tastes and his 'go to' is China Mielville, particularly The City and The City (?)

Thanks guys lots of great suggestions here and I'm looking into all of them. Some seem familiar so I am going to peruse his book shelves when he is next out of his bedroom and I can order some up for Christmas as well. He is very partial to series of books and there are some great ones there to try. :)

Neil Gaiman's stuff could appeal. And I second the suggestions of China Mieville and Philip Pullman.

He doesn't like Philip Pullman for some reason

The philistine.

Has he ever considered the Gone series by Michael Grant? It's a ya actiony series with a few books for him to get his teeth into. Also perhaps The Enemy by Charlie Higson? It's about zombies, I've never read it but friends have and they say it's entertaining. Legend by Marie Lu is another ya fantasy that's very popular. I also read Blood Red Road by Moira Young, it's another dystopian style about a girl who's brother is kidnapped and she goes to find him.

Also agree with someone up thread who suggested him moving onto adult action. Jack Reacher series is very action packed, potentially some of James Patterson's adult crime novels. Alexander McCall Smith's No 1 Ladies Detective Agency? Maybe google private eye/private detective novels, they are often interesting and action packed. I really love the Rebus novels by Ian Rankin, maybe he could give them a try. I don't know whereabouts you live but I love Rebus in part because I live in Edinburgh (where it's set) so I can wander around the streets that are familiar to me and see the places that are in the book. Maybe try googling "books set in [insert your hometown]" and seeing if there's anything there that will catch his fancy. Books can take on an even better quality when you not only recognise the places but walk around them on a daily basis.

It's technically a bit young, but I read them in my 20s & 30s - chronicles of ancient darkness by Michelle Paver is a brilliant series!

Actually another great one by Michelle paver, although for adults this time - Dark Matter. It's seriously creepy but a brilliant read!

Yes, we've done the Gone series and the Enemy series which he enjoyed. I'd be happy for him to move onto Adult fiction. He is quite mature but also very innocent. No girlfriends, no hanging about the streets with the lads type of thing. I don't mind him reading about violence, swearing and adult topics and I don't have an issue with sex either, but I don't want him reading stuff that gives a distorted view of sex and includes violence/rape etc as I would want him to have his own experiences or read about normal passion/love first if that makes sense? That's why I don't think I'll hand him the Darren Shan adult books although I think he'd enjoy them otherwise.

I suppose it's really up to him in a way, he is 16 and effectively an adult in lots of ways. If he went and bought the books himself, I certainly wouldn't stop him reading anything but at the same time I think me handing him books with content that is beyond him at the moment is sort of condoning it? I appreciate though that in general the perpetrators of unpleasant acts tend to not prosper in most books so it's sort of a lesson too. I guess he is still my little boy :)

I'm from Edinburgh too and I've read a few Rebus books and the Alexander McCall ones - they will be on the shelf somewhere. I probably don't really need to buy him any books tbh, I just need to point him in the direction of ones we already have!

You have all however got me googling all sorts of books and my Amazon wish list is a mile long :) So thank you all

Legend sounds really familiar. I should get into his room for a look at his shelves at the weekend so can cut out anything that he already has then.

DS2s rather narrow window of current interest in some ways makes it easier but in others it's a struggle to find things that are accessible to a teenager and not too dry.

DS2s rather narrow window of current interest Don't knock it OP. Very few 16 year olds still enjoy reading for pleasure.
DS1(20) hasn't read fiction since he finished the Harry Potter books aged 8. I think it's a shame that he can never immerse himself in a book.
DS2(18) has thankfully inherited my love of reading although it takes second place to gaming.
I understand your reservations about appropriate portrayal of sex. For all that they target an adult audience the Jack Reacher books only feature a limited amount of romantic and not too detailed sex. Lots of shooting and fighting though.