Hi, I’m trying to put together some classic classics, or modern classics, that could replace the standard fare for many young adults (18-22) who only read Harry Potter and Dan Brown-style stuff. Are there things that would hold a similar crowd’s attention that has more relevance to thinking about the human condition, psychology, and culture, or am I wrongly dismissing these works?
BTW, I’m asking because I rarely read fiction myself, but for different reasons (I prefer the nonfiction essay).
I really like Pat Conroy’s books. They address racism, depression, family dynamics, and the ideas of duty and honor. They’re not super quick reads, but they are well written, with a good sense of the written word, which is more than I can say for Harry Potter or Dan Brown.
I have a feeling Harry Potter fans might take to T.H. White’s The Once and Future King. Brilliant introduction to King Arthur and company, and it’s got much the same sort of story arc, from whimsical fantasy to gathering darkness.
Don’t have a clue about Dan Brown, sorry.
On re-reading the OP, I think I misinterpreted it. Pat Conroy is fine for 18-22 year olds, but is neither a mystery nor a fantasy writer. (But then, IMHO, neither Dan Brown or the Harry Potter chick deserve to be called writers. Ugh to both of them.)
I’d say try the Dresden Files books by Jim Butcher. They’re about another wizard named Harry and have been touted as “Adult Harry Potter” books.
He has another series that has just started called The Codex Alera that is shaping up quite nicely.
War for the Oaks by Emma Bull was a good alternate reality book.
Kim Harrison has a good series set in the “hollows” of Cincinnati. Dead Witch Walking is the first in the series.
Rachel Caine has a series about a djinn, and a weather “warden”. Great books.
Hope these help!
Isn’t the entire Terry Prachett series appropriate for this age group? 
Terry Pratchett is appropriate for any age group! 
Terry Pratchett, definitely. He’s hilarious, but very thoughtful.
You might want to check out Ursula Le Guin and Margaret Atwood. Octavia Butler, too, especially Parable of the Sower.
This is neither fantasy nor mystery, but Perfume by Peter Suskind definitely explores the human condition and psychology . . . and I recommend this book whenever I can.
I wouldn’t give up so quick on Harry Potter, though. There actually is some meat on that bone. I mean, there are works that explore the same subjects with a more masterful hand, but if someone enjoys it, then by all means, explore it.
As a complete aside, have you ever read any Walter Benjamin, drhess?
Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card, is a favorite with teenage-to-young-adult boys. Its first few sequels, Speaker For The Dead and Xenocide, are pretty good, and if you can get girls to get through Ender’s Game, they usually like these sequels even better. There are other sequels, too - Children Of The Mind and Ender’s Shadow and Shadow Of The Hegemon - are, IMHO, overblown crap, but <shrug> some people like them too. Ender’s a pretty neat character in the first two books, after that he takes a back seat to everyone else, but there’s plenty of fodder in all the books for philosophical, political and religious discussion.
I don’t know diddly about Dan Brown, but there’s a ton of resources on the internet about Harry Potter that’s more than fandom chit-chat and really gets into the deeper stuff that is touched on in the series. I wouldn’t dismiss it, myself - I’ve gotten my 15-year-old daughter talking about racism and peer pressure as a direct result of the Harry Potter books, for instance.
She’s got a goofy name and she’s a good writter:
Esther Friesner
Ok, I think I gave some people the wrong idea. I didn’t mean “better” sci-fi fantasy, although I recall Canticle for Leibowitz and LeGuin I kinda recall, but rather any fiction genre that might interest non-lit majors high school seniors/college frosh types. I may be wrong, but I don’t think the “Chicks in Chainmail” series is in the same league as “Once and Future…” or Attwood.
That’s true, but I love both hard fantasy and comedic fantasy like Majyk By Accident, Harpy High and such. Besides, if you wanted intellectual contend, you should have asked for “Holy Blood, Holy Grail ,” not the derivative work of Dan Brown.
Are you a teacher? I ask because it might be easier to make some recommendations if we know what it is you’re trying to get to. Are you trying to get books that will lead to specific discussion topics? Or just trying to steer your kids to stuff that they might enjoy?
Let’s see…I, Robot is good (I just finished reading it for the first time; I could kick myself for never having read it before); Muriel Sparks, Maeve Binchy; The Bone People by Keri Hulme; Douglas Adams; Jules Verne; Jane Austen (especially Emma - don’t we all know an Emma?).
Standard fiction (not sci-fi or fantasy)? The first one that pops to my mind is “To Kill a Mockingbird”.
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