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Fantasy for Young Adults
By an Amazon.com customer
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Book 1)Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Book 1) by J.K. Rowling
Buy new: $14.61 / Used from: $2.88
More of a kids book than the subsequent titles, but a good story.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Book 2)Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Book 2) by J.K. Rowling
Buy new: $14.61 / Used from: $0.26
A little more mature than the first book.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3)Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3) by J.K. Rowling
Buy new: $14.61 / Used from: $0.25
Many consider this their favorite HP book.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Book 4)Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Book 4) by J.K. Rowling
Buy new: $17.54 / Used from: $0.40
Marks Rowling's transition from writing children's/young adult books that adults will enjoy to writing adult/young adult books that children will enjoy.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5)Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5) by J. K. Rowling
Buy new: $9.35 / Used from: $2.99
The movie did not do this book justice. Left lots of things out.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6)Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6) by J.K. Rowling
Buy new: $9.35 / Used from: $4.21
The series takes a darker turn, but retains the original charm.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7) by J. K. Rowling
Buy new: $20.46 / Used from: $1.91
A worthy conclusion to a wonderful saga.
The Heritage of ShannaraThe Heritage of Shannara by Terry Brooks
Buy new: $23.10 / Used from: $6.52
Brooks writes for adults, but an advanced YA reader will enjoy his work.
The Silver SerpentThe Silver Serpent by David Debord
Buy new: $13.49 / Used from: $6.33
Another book that's geared toward adults, but accessible to the YA market. One of the best new authors I've read.
The Dark Is Rising (The Dark Is Rising Sequence)The Dark Is Rising (The Dark Is Rising Sequence) by Susan Cooper
Buy new: $8.99 / Used from: $0.98
A classic for young adults.
The Black Cauldron (The Chronicles of Prydain)The Black Cauldron (The Chronicles of Prydain) by Lloyd Alexander
Buy new: $6.99 / Used from: $3.00
A good intro to fantasy for the younger YA reader.
The Belgariad, Vol. 1 (Books 1-3): Pawn of Prophecy, Queen of Sorcery, Magician's GambitThe Belgariad, Vol. 1 (Books 1-3): Pawn of Prophecy, Queen of Sorcery, Magician's Gambit by David Eddings
Buy new: $12.21 / Used from: $5.15
Eddings has been eclipsed in the adult epic fantasy market by Jordan, Martin, Erickson and many edgier writers, but his work holds up and is makes an excellent transition for the older YA reader.
The Belgariad, Vol. 2 (Books 4 & 5): Castle of Wizardry, Enchanters' End GameThe Belgariad, Vol. 2 (Books 4 & 5): Castle of Wizardry, Enchanters' End Game by David Eddings
Buy new: $12.24 / Used from: $4.90
From The Two Rivers: The Eye of the World, Book 1 (Wheel of Time (Starscape))From The Two Rivers: The Eye of the World, Book 1 (Wheel of Time (Starscape)) by Robert Jordan
Buy new: $5.99 / Used from: $0.01
Wheel of Time is not for every YA reader, but will be loved by the experienced reader who wants a rich fantasy world with varied plot lines.
To The Blight : Part Two of 'The Eye of the World', The Beginning of 'The Wheel of Time' (Wheel of Time (Starscape))To The Blight : Part Two of 'The Eye of the World', The Beginning of 'The Wheel of Time' (Wheel of Time (Starscape)) by Robert Jordan
Buy new: $5.99 / Used from: $0.01
The Kestrel (Westmark Trilogy)The Kestrel (Westmark Trilogy) by Lloyd Alexander
Buy used from: $241.46
Alexander's work is lighter than most YA fantasy, but worth the read.
Eragon (Inheritance, Book 1)Eragon (Inheritance, Book 1) by Christopher Paolini
Buy new: $6.99 / Used from: $0.01
Despite its length, this isn't a book most adults will enjoy. The prose is a bit juvenile and the subject matter very Tolkienesque.
Eldest (Inheritance, Book 2)Eldest (Inheritance, Book 2) by Christopher Paolini
Buy new: $9.35 / Used from: $0.03
His Dark Materials Omnibus (The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass)His Dark Materials Omnibus (The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass) by Philip Pullman
Buy new: $14.95 / Used from: $1.40
The movie version of Golden Compass is seriously dumbed-down. Great books, but definitely not for the conservative Christian or Muslim.
Alcatraz Versus The Evil LibrariansAlcatraz Versus The Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson
Buy new: $11.55 / Used from: $4.20
Humorous fantasy for the younger YA market.
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1)Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1) by Eoin Colfer
Buy new: $5.99 / Used from: $0.01
Modern fantasy for the YA reader.
The Amulet of Samarkand (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 1)The Amulet of Samarkand (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 1) by Jonathan Stroud
Buy new: $8.99 / Used from: $0.01
It's on my list to read, as it comes highly recommended.
The Merlin Effect (Lost Years of Merlin)The Merlin Effect (Lost Years of Merlin) by T. A. Barron
Buy new: $6.99 / Used from: $0.01
Barron is an oft-overlooked YA fantasy master.
The HobbitThe Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Buy new: $8.00 / Used from: $0.01
The Hobbit was actually written as a book for older children, and is a great intro to Lord of the Rings.
Watership Down: A NovelWatership Down: A Novel by Richard Adams
Buy new: $9.26 / Used from: $3.00
Not what you usually think of in terms of fantasy, but simply one of the best books ever written. Highly recommended for YA and adults alike.
StardustStardust by Neil Gaiman
Buy new: $7.99 / Used from: $0.01
Written in fairy-tale style, this is an engaging book for the older and more mature YA reader.