Families who loved The Obsidian Blade by Pete Hautman often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
A parent would reach for this book when their teenager is struggling with the sudden absence of a caregiver or feels burdened by heavy, confusing family secrets. It is a sophisticated choice for older middle schoolers and high schoolers who are moving beyond simple adventure stories and into more complex narratives about legacy and loss. The story follows Tucker Feye, a boy whose life is upended when his father disappears and his mother suffers a mental breakdown. As Tucker discovers portals in time called disks, he must navigate a dangerous world of cult-like priests and future technology to find his family. While it is a thrilling science fiction quest, the heart of the book is about a child trying to make sense of a world that no longer feels stable. Parents might choose this to help their teen process grief or the feeling of being abandoned, all wrapped in a high-stakes, imaginative setting.