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Recommendations, Anyone? >
Fantasy with young male protagonist?
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That...must sound oddly specific, aha. Honestly, it's just that I love fantasy, and usually find myself enjoying books with male protagonists more than female, for what ever reason. "Young" simply meaning I don't want a book about a 68 year old, but I'm thinking of a wide range of ages being fine.
Books I've already read:
The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
The Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer
The Sea of Trolls Trilogy by Nancy Farmer
Jumper by Steven Gould
The Inheritance Series by Christopher Paolini
Hero's Song by Edith Pattou
There is the Percy Jackson series starting with The Lightning Thief you should DEFINITELY check out if you like Harry Potter.
And, let me recommend my very favorite book, The Name of the Wind. The main character, Kvothe, is telling his life story in this series of which there will be three books. This is the first (the other two aren't released yet), so he is telling of himself as a young boy and teenager. It is BRILLIANT, you will love it I guarantee! :) (and if you do end up reading it I want to know how you liked it!)
I second The Name of the Wind, great book.
I also have to mention there's a new book coming out I want to read that would also fit your description. I haven't read it yet but it sounds interesting: The Magicians A Novel by Lev Grossman.
It's an easy read, but one of my favorite fantasy books was always The House on Falling Star Hill
I read it so long ago, so I'm not sure if time would alter my opinion...
but it's worth looking into =)
Melissa, you might enjoy The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub. Jack Sawyer is 12 when he "lights out for the Territories" in order to save his dying mother.This is one of my favorite stories by Stephen King... I don't know how many times I've read it, but I love it! *pointed look at Allison who started and never finished because she's evil.*
Also, you might try the Dark Tower series by Stephen King, starting with The Gunslinger, in which three of the four main human characters fall within the "young male" guidelines you've set - the 4th is a woman, but she's awesome. Roland, the main character, starts at around 40, ages 10 years overnight, but really is kind of ageless. I always think of him as around 30 because he's got more of a "wise beyond his years" feel about him (I swear that will make sense if and when you read it, LOL). The first book in the series is a bit dry for a lot of people, but it's short, and the second is where it gets really good. I've read the entire series through several times (there are 7 books), and it's not for everyone, but you might like it! :)
Also, another you might try, and I haven't read these yet, but I've heard really good things about them, is the Bartimaeus Trilogy, starting with The Amulet of Samarkand.
And lastly, another I haven't yet read but heard really good things about is "The Book of Lost Things" by John Connolly. Here's a snippet of the description:
High in his attic bedroom, twelve-year-old David mourns the death of his mother. He is angry and alone, with only the books on his shelf for company. But those books have begun to whisper to him in the darkness, and as he takes refuge in his imagination, he finds that reality and fantasy have begun to meld.
Mortal Engines by Philip ReeveCharmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones
Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn - though by the end of this series he is no longer young.
Airborn by Kenneth Oppel (it has sequels, but I haven't read them yet)and my favourites:
The Thieffollowed by The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner.
Also agree with The Name of the Wind!
Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings -- this is the first of a series of 5 books. The protagonist is a young man. If you like it there is a follow-up series as well when he is a little bit older.
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. This is scifi rather than fantasy, but still a really good book with a young protagonist.
Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus seriesGarth Nix's The Seventh Tower series
Garth Nix's The Keys to the Kingdom series
Angie Sage's Septimus Heape series
Michael Scott's Nicholas Flamel series
Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea series
Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain
T. H. White's The Once and Future King
D.J. Machale's Pendragon series
Diane Duane's Young Wizard series
Thanks so much to everyone who recommended! My to-read list is now substantially longer, but that doesn't mean I don't want any more! ;)
Robin Hobb's The Farseer trilogy comes to mind...so do the first two books of Chronicles of the Necromancer by Gail Z. Martin (I think the third novel in this series is out but I thought the first two books wrapped everything up nicely). There's also The Lighthouse Duet by Carol Berg; the protagonist I believe is in his mid- to late-twenties, but it's a fantastic series worth checking out =)
I also second the recommendation for Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind; it was highly enjoyable =D
There's the Wheel of Time series, too. I nearly would say some Narnia ones, too.
And there's some Valdemar trilogies (Mercedes Lackey) that have a male protagonist!
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. It won a Newbery Medal this year and I thought it was really good. You've gotten a lot of good recommendations already!
I second Lori's recommendation of The Book of Lost Things. Also I've just started Neil Gaiman's Stardust on CD and it sounds like its right up your alley.
JG wrote: "The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. It won a Newbery Medal this year and I thought it was really good. You've gotten a lot of good recommendations already!"
I agree, good book. It also recently won the Hugo Award for Best Novel.
Also, if you don't mind that it's aimed at a younger age group (ie kids), the Rowan of Rin series by Emily Rodda, starting with Rowan of Rin is good...
I would recommend The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott LynchScott Lynch. Someone mention The Name of the Wind (Wonderful book by the way) so I thought since Locke and Kvothe are the same age this will be ok. Anyway, just don't read it with (for example) your 10 year old child because there are A LOT of cussing. But a good read.
The Named by Marianne Curley! My favorite book. But it has switching point of views between a boy and a girl. is that okay? It's an awesome book. I love it.
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury is a wonderful fantasy book by a renowned sci-fi writer. A great read to end the summer!
Fablehaven by Brandon Mull (5 books in this series I think)
Children of the Lamp by Philip Kerr
Both of these feature brother/sister protagonists
I just read all the current books of Naomi Novik's Temeraire series. It starts with His Majesty's Dragon
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Books mentioned in this topic
Hero's Song: The First Song of Eirren (other topics)Artemis Fowl (other topics)
Eragon (other topics)
The Sea of Trolls (other topics)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Edith Pattou (other topics)Christopher Paolini (other topics)
Nancy Farmer (other topics)
Eoin Colfer (other topics)
J.K. Rowling (other topics)
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