Books for Teen Boys who like Spy / Secret Agents & gadgets

Gadget_girl · 05-18-2011, 03:17 PM

Looking for suggestions for my son. He started reading secret agent / spy books in elementary with the Zac Power series by H. I. Larry. He's finished the Alex Rider series. He's read all the 39 clues books as well. Any recommendations along those lines for a young fellow with those interests? As more of a fantasy fan, I'm not real familiar with that Genre.

covfam · 05-18-2011, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gadget_girl

Looking for suggestions for my son. He started reading secret agent / spy books in elementary with the Zac Power series by H. I. Larry. He's finished the Alex Rider series. He's read all the 39 clues books as well. Any recommendations along those lines for a young fellow with those interests? As more of a fantasy fan, I'm not real familiar with that Genre.

i know its no exactly spy but all of clive cusslers adventure thriller books (think indiana jones) are pretty good reading and dont have sex or vulgar language in them.

the orgegon files is specificly more espionage & gadgety.
he also has a childrens series The adventures of Vin Fiz.

most of the spy thriller authors put a lil too much violence & vulgarity in thier books and for nearly 40 years clive cussler has continued to write family friendly books (within reason)

adv_dp_fan · 05-18-2011, 06:08 PM

Seems ever Cussler book I've read has had at least one sex scene in it. Though so far I have only read some of the Dirk Pitt and Isaac Bell series so maybe he is different in others.

As a spy fan growing up I read a lot, though I was reading Fleming by the 6th grade. I would recommend the Christopher Cool/TEEN Agent series by Jack Lancer except it is long out of print and there are no ebooks of course. I'm making my own from my copies. You can find copies online though.

By the time I was really into spies as a kid I was reading the Man from UNCLE books (again out of print but available online), I Spy, and a bunch of others based around 60s Spy shows.

There are some James Bond Jr books out there as well, Amazon suggests them to me now and then since I told it I own all the Bond books. You could try checking out those maybe.

Sorry, most of my "kid spy" material was long, long ago so not to current.

Hope that helps some.

poohbear_nc · 05-18-2011, 08:43 PM

Are the Rick Riordan series too fantasy/Sci-Fi for him?

poohbear_nc · 05-18-2011, 08:43 PM

Also ... Encyclopedia Brown? More detective than spy ....

OtterBooks · 05-18-2011, 10:39 PM

The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp, by Rick Yancey. Silly covers (at least the paperback editions), but Yancey is an excellent YA author.

FatDog · 05-19-2011, 04:28 PM

Well Tom Clancy almost defines the "Techno Thriller" genre and the writing is not too complex so try some early Tom Clancy on him.

Go to the bookstore and buy the hard-back copy of "Cryoburn" by Lois McMaster Bujold. It contains a CD of most of her other books. Give him the Miles Vorkosigin books.

Try Isaac Asimov "I Robot" - robots are created with the 3 laws of robotics - and the stories show how despite these hard rules, robots can cause problems.

Vince Flynn has a bunch of military thriller books he may like about a guy (Mitch Rapp) who becomes a leading terrorist-hunter. Not exactly PC but not too bloody. For example: A small terror group trains some people to smuggle a bomb into Washington DC "Memorial Day". The book bounces between the terrorists and the hunt for them.

straygator · 05-19-2011, 04:49 PM

It may be a bit old-school, but would he like any of the old Sherlock Holmes stories? Plenty of Victorian-era gadgets like Professor Moriarty's devilish air rifle, or Tonga's blow gun in The Sign of Four.

GA Russell · 05-19-2011, 05:57 PM

He might enjoy the many Man From UNCLE paperbacks from the 60s. Not great literature, but fun, and nothing X rated.

Amazon has a number of used paperbacks at reasonable prices:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...man+from+uncle

BenG · 05-23-2011, 08:26 AM

Charlie Higson has a young James Bond series starting with Silverfin. I think there are 3 books in the series so far.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/078...ant;%22%20/%3E

WillAdams · 05-23-2011, 09:35 AM

Also heartily recommend the Charlie Higson's Young James Bond series --- listened to them on long trips w/ the kids and everyone enjoyed them, I esp. since they're very true to Ian Fleming's novels (but w/o the racism / sexism --- they were definitely a product of their times which would probably be okay for more mature teenagers). U.S. versions are slightly bowdlerized as well.

If the kid likes science fiction they may enjoy Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat stories --- one or two of which are in public domain (The Missing Battleship I believe).

William

ATDrake · 05-23-2011, 03:41 PM

You might like to pass on Robert Muchamore's "Cherub" series to him. I've only listened to a few on audiobook because they were read by one of my favourite actors, but the stories seemed to hold up pretty well.

They're about teens being recruited for spy missions, but they seem to be geared a bit more towards older mid-teens with slightly more serious plotlines (and maybe a bit more violence).

There's a nice official website here with a few free short stories that you can try out and determine if they're at an appropriate reading level for your son.

Gadget_girl · 06-05-2011, 08:34 PM

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll run some of those by him. He's reading some of the other Anthony Horowitz ones, and his sister recommended the Skullduggery Pleasant series.

jbcohen · 06-07-2011, 11:15 AM

The terror begins with ruthless precision when the clock strikes noon. Gunfire rings out in major cities along the East Coast. Innocent Ammericans fall, each from a direct kill shot. After witnessing a hit in Baltimore, Mack Bolan dives into battle against an unknown but powerful enemy. Acceoss the country, the coordinated strikes continue, but law enforcement is unable to stop the deadly sniper attacks. Bolan goes hard, shouldering the burden of dismatling a plot to turn the US into a police state. At the heart of the conspiracy, sworn enemies have joined for a unified goal: the nuclear devistation of the Middle East. As blood spills and hte cuntry heads toward martial law, Bolan sites his crosshairs on ruthless radicals and their nightmare agenda. http://www.amazon.com/Kill-Shot-Supe...7459649&sr=1-1

Kill Shot by Darwin Holstrom

05-18-2011, 03:17 PM	#1
Gadget_girl Connoisseur Posts: 56 Karma: 126024 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Device: Aura HD Espresso, Sony PRS-650	Books for Teen Boys who like Spy / Secret Agents & gadgets Looking for suggestions for my son. He started reading secret agent / spy books in elementary with the Zac Power series by H. I. Larry. He's finished the Alex Rider series. He's read all the 39 clues books as well. Any recommendations along those lines for a young fellow with those interests? As more of a fantasy fan, I'm not real familiar with that Genre.

05-23-2011, 08:26 AM	#10
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,730 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	Charlie Higson has a young James Bond series starting with Silverfin. I think there are 3 books in the series so far. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/078...ant;%22%20/%3E Last edited by BenG; 05-24-2011 at 12:39 AM.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Free books (MultiFormat) - Secret Santa & Forsaken [LGBT + BSDM + Guardian Angels]	ATDrake	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	3	02-20-2011 05:30 AM
New Teen Drama on Kobo books	lnelson_547	Self-Promotions by Authors and Publishers	0	12-26-2010 09:47 AM
Why Don't Agents Want to Play? Amazon Flies Agents to Seattle to Find Out	taglines	News	23	11-18-2009 12:30 AM
Gadgets Books and Planes = A bad cocktail	Stuart Young	Lounge	7	08-16-2006 03:30 AM

05-18-2011, 06:08 PM	#3
adv_dp_fan Zealot Posts: 103 Karma: 57138 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Sony 505, iPad 1 & 3, Galaxy Note 8.1	Seems ever Cussler book I've read has had at least one sex scene in it. Though so far I have only read some of the Dirk Pitt and Isaac Bell series so maybe he is different in others. As a spy fan growing up I read a lot, though I was reading Fleming by the 6th grade. I would recommend the Christopher Cool/TEEN Agent series by Jack Lancer except it is long out of print and there are no ebooks of course. I'm making my own from my copies. You can find copies online though. By the time I was really into spies as a kid I was reading the Man from UNCLE books (again out of print but available online), I Spy, and a bunch of others based around 60s Spy shows. There are some James Bond Jr books out there as well, Amazon suggests them to me now and then since I told it I own all the Bond books. You could try checking out those maybe. Sorry, most of my "kid spy" material was long, long ago so not to current. Hope that helps some.

05-18-2011, 08:43 PM	#4
poohbear_nc Bah! Humbug! Posts: 62,401 Karma: 135239851 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Durham, NC Device: Every Kindle Ever Made & To Be Made!	Are the Rick Riordan series too fantasy/Sci-Fi for him?

05-18-2011, 10:39 PM	#6
OtterBooks Wizard Posts: 1,262 Karma: 2979086 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kindle 4, iPad Mini/Retina	The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp, by Rick Yancey. Silly covers (at least the paperback editions), but Yancey is an excellent YA author.

05-19-2011, 04:28 PM	#7
FatDog Witless protection Agent Posts: 290 Karma: 1002898 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Los Angeles Device: Kindle	Well Tom Clancy almost defines the "Techno Thriller" genre and the writing is not too complex so try some early Tom Clancy on him. Go to the bookstore and buy the hard-back copy of "Cryoburn" by Lois McMaster Bujold. It contains a CD of most of her other books. Give him the Miles Vorkosigin books. Try Isaac Asimov "I Robot" - robots are created with the 3 laws of robotics - and the stories show how despite these hard rules, robots can cause problems. Vince Flynn has a bunch of military thriller books he may like about a guy (Mitch Rapp) who becomes a leading terrorist-hunter. Not exactly PC but not too bloody. For example: A small terror group trains some people to smuggle a bomb into Washington DC "Memorial Day". The book bounces between the terrorists and the hunt for them.

05-19-2011, 04:49 PM	#8
straygator Connoisseur Posts: 88 Karma: 33904 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Cayman Islands Device: Kindle	It may be a bit old-school, but would he like any of the old Sherlock Holmes stories? Plenty of Victorian-era gadgets like Professor Moriarty's devilish air rifle, or Tonga's blow gun in The Sign of Four.

05-19-2011, 05:57 PM	#9
GA Russell Argos win Grey Cup! Posts: 7,660 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	He might enjoy the many Man From UNCLE paperbacks from the 60s. Not great literature, but fun, and nothing X rated. Amazon has a number of used paperbacks at reasonable prices: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...man+from+uncle

05-23-2011, 09:35 AM	#11
WillAdams Wizard Posts: 1,256 Karma: 3439432 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12	Also heartily recommend the Charlie Higson's Young James Bond series --- listened to them on long trips w/ the kids and everyone enjoyed them, I esp. since they're very true to Ian Fleming's novels (but w/o the racism / sexism --- they were definitely a product of their times which would probably be okay for more mature teenagers). U.S. versions are slightly bowdlerized as well. If the kid likes science fiction they may enjoy Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat stories --- one or two of which are in public domain (The Missing Battleship I believe). William

05-23-2011, 03:41 PM	#12
ATDrake Wizzard Posts: 11,517 Karma: 33048258 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Roundworld Device: Kindle 2 International, Sony PRS-T1, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia	You might like to pass on Robert Muchamore's "Cherub" series to him. I've only listened to a few on audiobook because they were read by one of my favourite actors, but the stories seemed to hold up pretty well. They're about teens being recruited for spy missions, but they seem to be geared a bit more towards older mid-teens with slightly more serious plotlines (and maybe a bit more violence). There's a nice official website here with a few free short stories that you can try out and determine if they're at an appropriate reading level for your son.

06-05-2011, 08:34 PM	#13
Gadget_girl Connoisseur Posts: 56 Karma: 126024 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Device: Aura HD Espresso, Sony PRS-650	Thanks for the suggestions. I'll run some of those by him. He's reading some of the other Anthony Horowitz ones, and his sister recommended the Skullduggery Pleasant series.

06-07-2011, 11:15 AM	#14
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,029 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	The terror begins with ruthless precision when the clock strikes noon. Gunfire rings out in major cities along the East Coast. Innocent Ammericans fall, each from a direct kill shot. After witnessing a hit in Baltimore, Mack Bolan dives into battle against an unknown but powerful enemy. Acceoss the country, the coordinated strikes continue, but law enforcement is unable to stop the deadly sniper attacks. Bolan goes hard, shouldering the burden of dismatling a plot to turn the US into a police state. At the heart of the conspiracy, sworn enemies have joined for a unified goal: the nuclear devistation of the Middle East. As blood spills and hte cuntry heads toward martial law, Bolan sites his crosshairs on ruthless radicals and their nightmare agenda. http://www.amazon.com/Kill-Shot-Supe...7459649&sr=1-1 Kill Shot by Darwin Holstrom