Fantasy Recommendations for Older Teens

I could write a ten-page review of Mistborn and it wouldn’t do it justice. So, I will say this. If you love Epic fantasy and/or Lord of the Rings, YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK.

I fell in love with Vin and Kelsier, the Mistborns gifted with flying powers, Jedi-like mind tricks, and temporary superhuman abilities. I have been a long-time listener to the podcast Writing Excuses where Brandon Sanderson is a host. His advice greatly helped my writing but for some reason, I never took the time to buy his book. Well, this year I finally bite the bullet and tread the six-hundred-plus page masterpiece.  The hard magic system combined with highly descriptive writing makes this an immersive read.

I sympathized with Vin and her tragic background. Her desire to blend into her surroundings and her fear of abandonment made her very reliable. As a member of the Sca race in a racist society of bureaucrats, she has two choices, be a slave or be a thief. Her brother chose the latter for her and then promptly abandoned her.

Trapped in a life of crime, she wills those around her into submission using a power she can’t explain. That’s when Kelsier walks in saves the day, and also makes her life a lot more complicated. He saves her from her brutal boss and offers her a new job. She must help a team of misfits rebel against the Lord Ruler, a being who claims to be a god and enjoys oppressing Sca.

Vin chooses to join based on Kelsier’s knowledge of her mysterious gift and the promise to teach her how to use it. Her life changes forever as a new war slowly brews and political parties battle for power.

I will give this a mild content warning as there is violence that comes with war but nothing too graphic, most of it is quick and off-camera. There is a little language and a few comments about villains taking advantage of women but nothing explicit.

The originality of this story is incredible. I love how deep Sanderson goes into the magic system and tricks you into believing people could actually harvest power from ingested metals.

I give Mistborn five out of Five glass knives and will recommend it every chance I get!

Here’s the Scoresheet:

Violence: Mild. Most is done behind the scenes but there is mangled bodies described and implied rape mentioned.

Romance: No spice and a brief kiss. Romantic tension well done.

Morals/Worldview: Secular with good morals

Recommended reading age: 17+

Scales of Ash and Smoke:

Kaida, a young seventeen-year-old girl is like every other human in Elysia, a slave to a cruel dragon. Despite her abuse and loneliness, she struggles to survive so her mother’s death won’t be in vain. Navigating the dangers of a dragon-run world she does her best to remain unnoticed.

Tarrin, a half dragon half human hybrid lives solely in his dragon form. Why should he care about the human slave race? He is content to live as the prince of Elysia and first in line for the throne.

His world comes crashing down when his mother informs him she secretly betrothed him to Kaida when he was a boy. He must find her and bring her back. She also tells him Kaida is a shapeshifter, but he will discover she doesn’t know it yet.

Tarrin reluctantly agrees to search for her. He finds her in distress and finds she is not as grateful as he would like. The prince’s proud and arrogant attitude collides with Kaida’s uncertainty about herself and her hatred for dragons. They both seek a way out of this betrothal when they discover a group known as the Remnant seeks the death of the prince and the fall of the kingdom.

Will the unlikely couple find the dragons behind this plot? Will Kaida come to terms with her dragon half? Will Tarrin get over his distrust of humans and reveal his secrets to Kaida?

I enjoyed this dragon-infused story with its magical twists and romantic tension. The way racism is shown and dealt with throughout the story is well done and adds to the conflict. The perfect balance of real-world problems woven with fantasy world magic makes this an excellent read. Forgiveness is a main theme along with sacrifice which is a wonderful combo in my opinion.

Here’s the scoresheet:

Violence: Mild, most happens behind closed doors but is still present. Abuse and trauma are more prevalent. There is a torture scene but is done in a non-graphic way and (spoilers) the effects do not last.

Romance: No spice. A couple does share a bed and cuddle at one point but nothing sexual. A female character does sit on a male love interest’s lap, but it is done in a classy and tasteful way.

Morals/Worldview: Secular with good morals

Recommended reading age: 17+