Some lengthy fantasy book series that are worth reading which are also categorized as young adult would be completely different if they were written today. YA novels, like any example of pop culture, are influenced by the cultural and political landscape of the time in which they are written. In the realm of fantasy and sci-fi, it is usually possible to discern what topics were of concern and what tropes were most popular at the time while reading. It also provides an interesting conversation to imagine how the book would differ if it were written 10, 20, or 50 years later.

The overall structure of the series might be different, as there are many more amazing fantasy book duologies to read today than a decade ago. Certain bestselling series completely changed how particular tropes and character dynamics are handled in similar books; books that blend fantasy and romance might have done so differently if written now. Likewise, the proliferation of different political debates has the potential to completely change what a book looks like, and could never be left out of the story if it were written in today’s political climate.

10

Shadow And Bone

By Leigh Bardugo

Shadow and Bone sticks to Alina’s perspective throughout its three books, something that Leigh Bardugo did away with in the trilogy’s spinoffs. Both the Six of Crows and King of Scars duologies follow multiple characters, broadening the scope of the story. Following the massive success of series such as Harry Potter (which published its last book in 2007) and The Hunger Games, there was a marketable appeal in focusing on one character, with either a first-person or third-person limited POV.

However, the rise of series such as Throne of Glass and the Shadowhunters Chronicles happening around the same time proved that it could be logistically helpful to show other things happening away from the protagonist. Additionally, following only one character’s perspective can be a pitfall if the audience decides it likes some of the supporting characters more than the protagonist. On the other hand, morally gray villains like the Darkling have also proliferated in YA; today, his character might not be such a cornerstone of the story when his arc relies on too many overused tropes.

9

Percy Jackson & The Olympians

By Rick Riordan

A lot of the jokes and pop culture references of the original Percy Jackson & the Olympians books series demonstrate the influences of the cultural zeitgeist during the 1990s and 2000s. Some references to Taylor Swift and Hamilton appear in the later Riordanverse books, but in the case of the first series, the modern contextualizations are slightly older. If Percy Jackson were written today, the Greek gods would probably all be obsessed with Succession, while the demigods would have a much harder time accepting the ban on cellphones at Camp Half-Blood.

The comparison between the demigods’ real lives and the cinematic superhero boom is right there, but pre-MCU, all Percy and the others had to reference at the time was the comics and the superhero movies of the early 2000s. The Wheedon-inspired quippy humor is also everywhere in pop culture now, differing slightly from Percy’s ever-sarcastic attitude. Based on the movie and TV show genres that have blown up in the last decade, there would probably also be some more “Eat the Rich” and anti-hero themes in the story.

8

Divergent

By Veronica Roth

Divergent heavily depends on the most popular tropes of the early to mid-2010s, most of which were established by The Hunger Games. Namely, the story revolves around a young woman rebelling against a rigid societal structure, when the purpose or greater meaning of that society isn’t really important. Other series from the decade’s YA dystopia craze feature threats that make some kind of real-world commentary; Divergent‘s setting is the weakest among them.

Today, Divergent would need to have a more original character-driven story or a different setting. Additionally, the Divergent series would probably only comprise two books if it came out today. Allegiant feels detached from the rest of the story, when the problem of the Erudite faction taking over dystopian Chicago is solved within two books. However, now that plenty of other successful two-book series have been published, a series like Divergent would not feel like it needs to have a third book.

7

The Giver

By Lois Lowry

The “magic system” of The Giver is vague at best, something that editors may have demanded the author rectify today in a market saturated with hard magic systems. Lois Lowry’s award-winning dystopian novel was published in 1993; he released three more novels set in the same world over the next 20 years. The most confusing part of The Giver is how or why people are unable to see color, and why Jonas is suddenly able to see it.

The Giver tells a very compelling story about how humanity has numbed itself to emotions and any form of expression; Jonas’ reaction to seeing Fiona’s red hair for the first time is visceral. The movie adaptation of The Giver is a case in point, as it institutes the plot detail that residents of this society are required to take injections every day which dulls colors. Hopefully, The Giver‘s surreal themes of what it means to be human would still come through even if the technicalities of the world were clearer.

6

The Inheritance Cycle

By Christopher Paolini

It has been repeatedly pointed out that Eragon and its sequels borrow heavily from other epic fantasy series. Most of the fantasy genre borrows from The Lord of the Rings, although Eragon‘s depiction of elvish society is still especially similar. Meanwhile, the “true language” magic system is taken straight from the Earthsea Cycle. At 15 years old, Christopher Paolini was not the most advanced writer when he started writing Eragon, and fell back onto his favorite fantasy series.

Written today, by an author with more experience, The Inheritance Cycle would probably make more of an effort not to copy other fantasy series so much. Other fantasy sagas focusing on elves and fae have shown different ways to tweak Tolkien’s original vision of the elves so that the depiction suggests classic literary influence while still coming across as a unique society. The magic system would be completely different — notably, few other series have tried to reuse this type of magic since Paolini.

5

The Mortal Instruments

Cassandra Clare

Cassandra Clare published the first book in what would become the expansive Shadowhunters universe amid the Twilight heyday, with multiple novels already out and the movie coming soon. Therefore, it is not surprising that a love triangle made its way into The Mortal Instruments or its first spinoff series, The Infernal Devices. Love triangles have since become less popular, and Clare has turned to other narrative devices to facilitate romantic drama in her later books.

Today, The Mortal Instruments would also not include the storyline where love interests Clary and Jace believe they are siblings for two books, setting them up for the most uncomfortable star-crossed romance ever. This plot point just hasn’t aged well, regardless of the bigger cultural landscape. However, the incest in Game of Thrones may also have affected The Mortal Instruments; despite their alleged love for each other, Jaime and Cersei’s relationship is depicted as problematic, while even the Targaryen practices are suggested to be antiquated to the rest of Westeros.

4

The Twilight Saga

By Stephenie Meyer

Again, Twilight would probably not be so reliant on a love triangle if it came out today. Stephenie Meyer was likely inspired by The Vampire Diaries and the Sookie Stackhouse novels, both vampire-centric stories with major love triangles which predate her books. However, Twilight and The Hunger Games have now exhausted the love triangle trope, while Sarah J. Maas’ writing has repeatedly contradicted it. The heroines in Maas’ novels usually make a point of ending a relationship before getting involved with another love interest, so they are never technically in a love triangle.

Generally, love triangles are not seen as much in this kind of literature today, or they are at least not at the forefront of the story. That being said, Bella and Edward still have a toxic relationship, as is depicted in Twilight. This may or may not persist if the novels were more recent, as some contemporary literature has worked to unravel these relationship tropes, while others uphold them.

3

Six Of Crows

By Leigh Bardugo

Six of Crows’ cast might be older if the books came out today. Bardugo’s first book in the Grishaverse series after Shadow and Bone introduces a new cast, all still in their teens, the general age range for this kind of fantasy novel. However, Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses was released the same year, which helped give rise to the “new adult” genre. New adult fantasy bears a lot of the hallmarks of YA fantasy in terms of world-building and plot structure, but can get away with some more mature content and typically a cast in their early 20s.

Bardugo might have chosen to age up the Crows if the book had come out after new adult had been established. While the characters being forced into the dangerous underworld of Ketterdam as children is a key part of the dark and gritty setting, the story still could have given them a few more years to perfect their skills before taking on an impossible heist. Today’s readers might find it more believable than underage heroes accomplishing all that the Crows do.

2

The Hunger Games

By Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games also probably would have ditched its love triangle after the trope had been worn out in favor of spending even more time on the series’ political elements. The political allusions and commentary would be completely different and, likely, much more specific in today’s climate. Suzanne Collins might have also included a time skip that would affect Katniss’ arc and the progression of Panem’s rebellion. As it is thematically important that children are chosen for the Hunger Games, and Katniss’ age at the time she wins the Games could remain unchanged.

However, if this were followed by a time skip, Katniss would be an adult during the revolution, and there would have been several more years of uprisings in the districts. The Hunger Games as it is claims that the entire revolution happens in almost a year, from the time Katniss and Peeta win the Games. Letting Katniss grow up and giving the rebellion more time to take shape would result in a broader, more sophisticated story — one Collins might have considered telling if she had been influenced by more recent literature.

1

Throne Of Glass

By Sarah J. Maas

Maas wrote most of the Throne of Glass books strictly within the confines of the YA genre before she got started on A Court of Thorns and Roses and created a new genre. Since then, Maas has demonstrated her preference for new adult and adult writing with Feyre and co.’s continued adventures as well as the Crescent City novels. If she had been an established author and new adult had been a marketable genre when she was writing Throne of Glass, Maas probably would have written it as new adult.

Which means the intimate scenes between the couples would have been much spicier. Comparatively speaking, Throne of Glass spends much less time on its sex scenes than Maas’ other novels. Additionally, the characters are limited in how much they can curse due to the genre constraints. Even this individual author contributed to a major change in the pop-cultural landscape which would have made one of her own YA book series as well as several others very different if they had been published later.