The ReadDown

So You Want to Read Young Adult Fantasy: Here’s Where to Start

Young adult fantasy — much like the broader fantasy genre — is full of subgenres and wildly imaginative takes on classic tropes. There’s something here for readers of essentially any age, whether you’re looking for a simple escape, a complex tale of fantastical intrigue, or deeply rooted and thought provoking allegories. YA may have been our first introduction fantastical realms, nigh-impossible quests, and epic struggles between good and evil. There really is no better time to take a nostalgia-fueled trip back to the roots of your love of fantasy. The books below feature a few classics — vanguards of the current YA fantasy heavyweights — as well as a few more recent entries worth your attention.

1

Akata Warrior

by Nnedi Okorafor

Much-honored Nnedi Okorafor, winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards, merges today’s Nigeria with a unique world she creates. Akata Warrior blends mythology, fantasy, history and magic into a compelling tale that will keep readers spellbound.

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2

The Hobbit

by J.R.R. Tolkien

Arguably the grandfather of YA fantasy, The Hobbit is most widely known as the prelude to The Lord of the Rings and the 300 page basis for a 462-minute trilogy of films. The tale of Bilbo Baggins and his unexpected stint as a burglar for a band of dwarves is the early forerunner to a host of YA fantasy reads.

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3

His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass (Book 1)

by Philip Pullman

A masterwork of storytelling and suspense, Philip Pullman’s award-winning The Golden Compass is the first in the His Dark Materials series, which continues with The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass.

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4

Reign of the Fallen

by Sarah Glenn Marsh

Perfect for fans of Three Dark Crowns and Red Queen, Reign of the Fallen is a gutsy, unpredictable read with a surprising and breathtaking LGBT romance at its core.

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5

An Ember in the Ashes

by Sabaa Tahir

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear. But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

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6

Tempests and Slaughter

by Tamora Pierce

In the Numair Chronicles, readers will be rewarded with the never-before-told story of how Numair Salmalín came to Tortall. Newcomers will discover a YA fantasy where a kingdom’s future rests on the shoulders of a talented young man with a knack for making vicious enemies.

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7

Ash Princess

by Laura Sebastian

Theodosia was six when her country was invaded and her mother, the Fire Queen, was murdered before her eyes. On that day, the Kaiser took Theodosia’s family, her land, and her name. Theo was crowned Ash Princess–a title of shame to bear in her new life as a prisoner. For ten years, the Ash Princess has seen her land pillaged and her people enslaved. That all ends here.

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8

The Book of Dust: The Secret Commonwealth

by Philip Pullman

Return to the parallel world of His Dark Materials in the second volume of Philip Pullman’s new bestselling masterwork The Book of Dust. Powerful forces are about to throw Lyra and Malcolm together once again. And the dangers they face will challenge everything they thought they knew about the world, and about themselves.

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9

Beasts Made of Night

by Tochi Onyebuchi

Black Panther meets Nnedi Okorafor’s Akata Witch in Beasts Made of Night, the first book in an epic fantasy duology. Tochi Onyebuchi delivers an unforgettable series opener that powerfully explores the true meaning of justice and guilt.

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10

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

by Julie C. Dao

Set in an East Asian-inspired fantasy world filled with both breathtaking pain and beauty, Forest of a Thousand Lanterns possesses all the hallmarks of masterful fantasy: dazzling magic, heartbreaking romance, and a world that hangs in the balance.

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11

Pet

by Akwaeke Emezi

The highly-anticipated, genre-defying new novel by award-winning author Akwaeke Emezi that explores themes of identity and justice. Pet is here to hunt a monster. Are you brave enough to look?

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12

Warcross

by Marie Lu

When a game called Warcross takes the world by storm, one girl hacks her way into its dangerous depths. Marie Lu conjures an immersive, exhilarating world where choosing who to trust may be the biggest gamble of all.

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13

Flame in the Mist

by Renée Ahdieh

En route to the imperial city of Inako, Mariko narrowly escapes a bloody ambush by a dangerous gang of bandits known as the Black Clan, who she learns has been hired to kill her before she reaches the palace. Dressed as a peasant boy, Mariko sets out to infiltrate the Black Clan and track down those responsible for the target on her back. Once she’s within their ranks, though, Mariko finds for the first time she’s appreciated for her intellect and abilities. She even finds herself falling in love—a love that will force her to question everything she’s ever known about her family, her purpose, and her deepest desires.

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14

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein

by Kiersten White

Discover the stunning and dark reimagining of Frankenstein that internationally bestselling author Stephanie Garber raves is “exquisitely disturbing.”

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15

Soundless

by Richelle Mead

For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, and Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom. When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Richelle Mead takes readers on a triumphant journey from the peak of Fei’s jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiguo, where a startling truth and an unlikely romance will change her life forever….

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