A Book That Will Actually Hook Your Teen Son

Audio By Carbonatix

Homeschool moms, I hear you. You want your teen son reading — really reading, not just skimming a required chapter before he darts back outside. You want a story clean enough that you don’t have to preview every page, faith-affirming enough that it reinforces what you’re already building into him at home, and gripping enough that he forgets he’s “doing school” at all.

That’s exactly why I want to put The Dogs of War by Emily Hayse on your radar. I recently sat down with Emily to talk about this Realm Award-winning novel. It’s part 1930s industrial drama, part gladiator epic, part underdog sports story, with just enough sci-fi tech thrown in to keep your teen turning the pages. 

This is the first book in her War Games trilogy, and it checks nearly every box on a homeschool parent’s wish list: clean, immersive, action-driven, and built on a theme our sons need modeled for them again and again — brotherhood that costs something.

A Story Built for Reluctant Teen Readers

Let’s be honest. A lot of “clean” fiction for teens skews gentle, and gentle doesn’t always win over a fourteen-year-old boy. The Dogs of War doesn’t have that problem. The world feels like industrial-era America ruled by an empire obsessed with its national sport. This world is as consumed by it as ancient Rome was by the gladiator games. Two teams of thirteen collide in matches that are part capture-the-flag, part rugby, part controlled chaos, with armor, strategy, and real stakes on the line. It’s physical. It’s tense. It moves.

And that’s by design. Emily set out to take everything compelling about real sports — courage, leadership, split-second sacrifice — and put it in front of readers who’d normally never pick up a sports book. It’s working on the other end, too: some of her most devoted fans are people who claim to dislike sports altogether, and still can’t put this story down. If that formula works on skeptical adults, it’s a strong bet for a teen who’d rather be doing almost anything but “required reading.”

The Brotherhood at the Heart of It

Here’s the part that makes this book worth handing to your teen son specifically: underneath the action, The Dogs of War is really a story about a band of brothers.

Jackson Van starts the book with everything. He has status, a shot at the championship, the admiration of everyone except his own captain. Then he takes a fall that isn’t entirely his fault, and the only way back is through the Iron City, a team and a place written off by everyone. Atlas Bolton, a strategist with nothing left to prove, volunteers to take the blame for a loss that wasn’t his either — because someone has to, and he’d rather it be him than one of his men. Taking command of the Iron City Wolves should be the end of his career. Instead, it becomes the beginning of something worth fighting for.

What surprises readers most, according to Emily, isn’t the strategy or the action scenes — it’s the brotherhood. It’s the quiet, un-glamorous moments of one guy taking a hit so another doesn’t have to. It’s a locker room full of men who’d do anything for one another, built through hardship rather than comfort. That’s exactly the kind of picture of loyalty, sacrifice, and community we want our sons absorbing — not as a lecture, but as a story they can’t put down.

Teen Loyalty That Runs Deeper Than Convenience

The Golden City and the Iron City aren’t just two settings. They’re two competing pictures of what loyalty looks like. Emily compares it to the Palio di Siena, the centuries-old Italian horse race where entire city districts hold loyalties so fierce they can split families. In The Dogs of War, that same intensity plays out between privilege and grit, between a team that’s used to winning and one that’s forgotten how to win. It’s the underdogs, the ones with the least reason to trust each other, who end up building the deepest bonds.

It’s a picture worth sitting with: sometimes the hardest circumstances produce the strongest community. That’s a conversation starter in itself for a family discussion after the last page.

More Than the Games

Book two, Bolton’s Boys, dives even deeper into the Wolves — their backstories, their growing bond, and a match played entirely in the dark, with fans watching through night-vision goggles while the players fight blind. Book three turns more political as the team’s success threatens the empire’s delicate balance of power. It’s a trilogy with real momentum, which is exactly what you want when you’ve finally found the book that gets your son to keep reading past bedtime.

If The Dogs of War Is a Hit With Your Teen, Try These Next

Once your teen son is hooked on stories of brotherhood, sacrifice, and faith-shaped courage, here are a few more clean, character-driven reads worth putting in his hands:

• The Kingdom Series by Chuck Black — A beloved homeschool staple. Medieval allegory of knights bound together by loyalty to their King, with clear echoes of the gospel woven throughout, never feeling preachy.
• Guns of Thunder by Douglas Bond — Christian historical fiction set in the pre-Revolutionary War era, following young men forged by hardship, faith, and fierce loyalty to one another.
• Dragons in Our Midst by Bryan Davis — A Christian fantasy series with strong themes of courage and self-sacrifice, popular with teen boys who love action alongside faith.
• The Door Within Trilogy by Wayne Thomas Batson — Christian fantasy adventure built around a tight-knit band of unlikely heroes and the cost of standing together against overwhelming odds.
• Code of Silence series by Tim Shoemaker — Clean, faith-infused mystery and suspense following a group of friends navigating real moral stakes together.

Every one of these leans on the same formula that makes The Dogs of War work so well: real stakes, real brotherhood, and a faith-based foundation that shapes the story rather than lecturing the reader. These books are especially great for teens who are reluctant readers, sports fans, or both. 

Connect with Emily Hayse

Catch Emily on Instagram at @songsofheroes or visit emilyhayse.com for more. One important note from the author herself: her last name is spelled H-A-Y-S-E, not Hayes — search it wrong, and you’ll land on a different author entirely. Her books are available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and if your library doesn’t carry them yet, request a copy — a simple way to support the author and help more families discover this story.

If you’ve been hunting for a book that will actually get your son reading, friends, it might be time to send him to the Iron City.

Until next time — happy reading!

Tricia

An Exciting Opportunity

Have you ever dreamed of walking the cobblestone streets of Europe and stepping right into the pages of history? I would love to invite you to join me for a special adventure in August 2027. We are heading to the breathtaking city of Prague!

Writing historical fiction and navigating the homeschool journey has shown me that a beautiful adventure begins when we step into the very places where history was made. 

The 2027 Prague Experience offers three unique paths to fit your heart’s calling:

• The Mission Experience: Serve alongside local ministries and build meaningful relationships within the community.
• The Homeschool Experience: Bring history, literature, culture, and faith to life through immersive education for your family.
• The Leisure Experience: Take in the stunning architecture, enjoy authentic Czech cuisine, and share wonderful fellowship.

We will discover historic landmarks and celebrate a rich Christian heritage together. The itinerary is being finalized right now, and there is no obligation to simply learn more.

Join the priority list today to receive early registration opportunities, pricing details, and special updates directly from me!