Ideas of books for a boy age 12+ ... stuck for Christmas presents!

[ASC1951]

I never quite got SciFi.

TBH most of it is absolute tosh, but with the best of it the setting is integral to the story. Some of it has stayed with me all my life - John Wyndham's The Chrysalids, Ray Bradbury's The Illustrated Man and The Martian Chronicles, Olaf Stapledon's Sirius.
Of course some people read nothing but SciFi and Fantasy. That's depressing, especially in an adult.

 

[User169]

"The World's Most Dangerous Places" by Robert Young Pelton

Not really intended for kids I guess, but it's well written and a good introduction to some of the crazier parts of the planet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World's_Most_Dangerous_Places

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Jazz mags aside - science fiction: Wyndham, Wells, the Pengun Short Stories, etc. Also Molesworth and Asterix.

 

[rich p]

Tales of daring-do in WWII hit my buttons, but I'm old.

( rich P prefers WWI stuff )

If you knew anything of the late James Bigglesworth you would know that he served in WW1, WW2 and in the Special Air Police thereafter until he must have been well into his nineties. Pah!
p.s. I think you'll find it's derring-do.

 

[longers]

Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy?

 

[Sandra6]

I bought a couple of books for my boys from The Works recently, factual ones full of "interesting" inventions and bizarre facts, there are plenty of those type about which might hold his interest longer than a story.

 

[Cheddar George]

The Robert Muchamore books are excellent, both the Cherub series and the Henderson boys.

 

[Globalti]

I've just asked my Mum to buy The Man Who Thought Different, Karen Blumenthal's bio of Steve Jobs, for my son aged 13 who is nuts about Apple. I think he's going to enjoy it.

 

[swee'pea99]

I've heard good things about His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, and another series you might introduce him to if you think he might be that way inclined is the Discworld books by Terry Pratchet. I do say again, I pass these suggestions on only based in what I've heard - I've never read either.

 

[tadpole]

EE doc smith
John Norman Gor Books but only up to book 15 (He'll like them, I know I did when I was twelve)
Andre Norton books.

 

[jugglingphil]

Can also add a recommendation for:
Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman
Chronicles of Ancient Darkness by Michelle Paver
Hunger Games, Catching Fire... by Suzanne Collins

Don't think anyone has mentioned
Series of Unfortunate Events (all 13 of them) by Lemony Snicket

(I have 12 yo and 10 yo boys)

 

[gary r]

the spiderwick chronicles & Diary of a wimpy Kid

 

[fossyant]

Wimpy Kid - very funny series.

David Walliam's books, Gangsta Granny, Billionaire Boy etc - again funny !

 

[Doseone]

Percy Jackson series by Rick Rordan.

 

[Andy_R]

another vote for Terry Pratchett's discworld books. Not science fiction per se, just very funny.