Best clean fantasy books list for teens

Fantasy is a popular genre among teens, and I  know I love reading it. But honestly, a lot of modern fantasy out there is kind of mediocre or worse. I have read fantasy quite extensively and here are the best fantasy books with age recs. 

Best All Round

The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. 

"In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell by chance into the hands of the hobbit Bilbo Baggins.

From Sauron's fastness in the Dark Tower of Mordor, his power spread far and wide. Sauron gathered all the Great Rings to him, but always he searched for the One Ring that would complete his dominion.

When Bilbo reached his eleventy-first birthday he disappeared, bequeathing to his young cousin Frodo the Ruling Ring and a perilous quest: to journey across Middle-earth, deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord, and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom.

The Lord of the Rings tells of the great quest undertaken by Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandalf the Wizard; the hobbits Merry, Pippin, and Sam; Gimli the Dwarf; Legolas the Elf; Boromir of Gondor; and a tall, mysterious stranger called Strider."

Epic journey, good Vs evil, loyal friendships, sacrifice, vivid wordbuilding, poetry and song, tragedy, joy, what's not to like? Go read it. And bonus, Tolkien was a devout Catholic, so go figure. 

Age rec: so I read it at like ten (but I was crazy about reading older books so I'm not a good example XD. ) And my brothers did at around eleven to twelve. But everyone in our house loves lotr so that helps. I would say twelve and up. There's some scary parts, so older for someone sensitive to that sort of thing. 

Best wordbuilding: 

The Allegiance series and the Alliance series by L. Nicodemus Lyons. 

(They are different series but set in the same world with the same storyline and characters)

(Summary for the first book)

"Forgiven. After waging war against a nation of righteous believers for seven years, Justus Corden is told that he is forgiven... by a man who dies at his hands. This launches a series of events that force him to reassess everything he's believed in and worked for his entire life.

Discovering a captive enemy maiden in the palace, he's faced with a struggle between his own deeply ingrained loyalties and his long-dormant heart, finally beginning to awaken. Yet when the two of them discover who had forgiven him in that crucial moment, their newfound hopes are shattered.

When Corden's realm is threatened by yet another force, the realm of believers must choose between staying safe behind their mountains or risking everything to help their enemies.

Only an act of extreme sacrifice can change one man's heart and save an entire realm.

The seven books of The Alliance series deal with one man’s spiritual journey and his efforts to find the true king. As he attempts to spread the light of God to his people, an ancient evil threatens both his land and Teman, the neighboring realm of righteous believers. The two formerly antagonistic realms must learn to work together to dispel this encroaching evil. Yet a growing number of dissenters believe they might be better off following the stronger, darker power.

The race of people who call themselves Rygian become caught in the middle of a struggle between ancient enemies—those who fear God and those who follow this darker power. The Rygians’ own mysterious beginnings may hold the key to their future, if only they can discover who they truly are.

Through the lives of the characters, many Christian traits and spiritual truths are exemplified. The Alliance is marked by epic battles, political intrigue, suspense, mystery, and romance."

I love this series a lot, but the wordbuilding is what really stands out to me. There are several countries and each is completely unique and it is amazing. I also like the way Christianity is done. One of the best I've read on terms of how religion is dealt with. Rygia, Teman, Shacor, Calandria, they are so vividly described. I 100% recommend. 

Age rec: 16 and up, or 15 for mature teens. 

These books deal with a lot of heavy topics. A lot. (R*pe, slavery, drug addiction, manipulation, cruelty , child sacrifice, torture, and a lot of others). This makes it dark in some places, but there is always light and hope. It is not hopeless or despairing or even needlessly dark. The darkness is part of the book so the light can shine brighter. I should also say that all the topics are dealt with very well and there is nothing explicit. I did try reading them when I was around 13 but it was definitely too much for me and I quit halfway through the series. Recently I reread them and liked them a lot more. 

Best allegory:

Tales of Goldstone Woods by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. 

(Summary of the first book Heartless)

"The Dragon King seeks his princess—who dares to stop him?

Princess Una of Parumvir has come of age and will soon marry. She dreams of a charming prince, but when her first suitor arrives, he's not what she'd hoped. Prince Aethelbald of mysterious Farthestshore has travelled a great distance to prove his love--and also to bring hushed warnings of danger. A dragon is rumored to be on the hunt and blazing a path of terror.

Una, smitten instead with a more dashing prince, refuses Aethelbald's offer--and ignores his cautions with dire consequences. Soon the Dragon King himself is in Parumvir and Una, in giving her heart away unwisely, finds herself in his sights. Only those courageous enough to risk everything have a hope of fighting". 

Okay, the allegory is a little obvious in the first books, but it's much subtler in the others. Honestly I was kind of stretching it when I said allegory. What I meant by it was the theme of redemption in every single book. It's absolutely heartwrenchingly beautiful.  The world is magical and kind of confusing but full of wonder. The style is unusual but well written. The characters are relatable and unique. Just amazing. Some of them made me tear up which is rare for me. (Warning, the author never finished the series, so if that's a problem maybe pass, although each book is mostly a standalone.)

Age rec: 13 and up. The style is a bit difficult sometimes, but overall a mature 13 year old would enjoy it I think. 

Best character arc: 

The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander

(Summary of the first book, the Book of Three)

"Taran wanted to be a hero, and looking after a pig wasn't exactly heroic, even though Hen Wen was an oracular pig. But the day that Hen Wen vanished, Taran was led into an enchanting and perilous world. With his band of followers, he confronted the Horned King and his terrible Cauldron-Born. These were the forces of evil, and only Hen Wen knew the secret of keeping the kingdom of Prydain safe from them. But who would find her first?". 

So, in the beginning Taran starts out as an impulsive, hot headed, naive, boy. He has no idea of what it takes to be a real hero. But by the last book he is absolutely wonderful. And he doesn't just change all at once. It takes sacrifice, hard work, difficult choices, self denial, and lots of time. Really his character arc is wonderful. The side characters are good, but they don't change lots; Taran is the focus of the story. These books are fun, and though maybe a little similar to lotr in places, definitely unique and meaningful. Taran learns a lot about compassion, the importance of small things, sacrifice, suffering, and many other things. 

Age rec: 11 and up. The books have a simplistic style with funny parts pre teens would appreciate, but have themes important for all ages. 

Best magic:

The Legends of Elanimar by Trinity Vinton

(Summary of the first book in the series, Through the Eye.)

Everyone says his father is dead, long lost at sea. His homeland has been torn apart by war. His murderous uncle seeks his death. His mother is gone. An overwhelming guilt weighs down his young shoulders. Eamonn Ethrundson has nothing left but his dying faith and a few of his friends. He is tired of running.

Just when it seems his life couldn't be more upside-down, a strange traveler challenges him to take up his role in a mysterious prophecy that heralds death, destruction, and battle. The catch: it's a prophecy that belongs to another world.

A world to which his ancestors belonged.

A world in which the legend of his father still lives."

The style is really neat since it sounds old but is still readable. The characters are good and there is a really fascinating prophecy. But the magic really stands out and is developed so well. It is hard to explain but it has to do with elemental powers and is quite unique. I really recommend that you check it out. The author herself is a teenage Catholic which is a great bonus! 

Age rec: the style is a bit more difficult so a mature 13+

Most relatable: 

The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. 

(Summary for the first book, the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. )

"Narnia… the land beyond the wardrobe door, a secret place frozen in eternal winter, a magical country waiting to be set free.

Lucy is the first to find the secret of the wardrobe in the professor's mysterious old house. At first her brothers and sister don't believe her when she tells of her visit to the land of Narnia. But soon Edmund, then Peter and Susan step through the wardrobe themselves. In Narnia they find a country buried under the evil enchantment of the White Witch. When they meet the Lion Aslan, they realize they've been called to a great adventure and bravely join the battle to free Narnia from the Witch's sinister spell."

The Allegory is very obvious, the style is simple, the plots have holes, but Narnia is a classic for a reason. There's nothing quite like reading about the adventures of the Pevansies. I don't have a lot to say about them, but they are important to me and very nostalgic. They would make a great read a loud with younger siblings!

Age rec: great for any age! 

That's all for today! Let me know if you have any other recommendations for good fantasy!

God bless.