Gift ideas: similar to Hunger Games, Maze Runner and the like

Hi! I’m looking to gift my brother a great read for Christmas. He’s never been the biggest reader but has recently gotten into books like the Hunger Games and the Maze Runner series. He’s also a big fan of the Lord of the Rings movies and world, but I think he finds the prose in the books a bit dry/complicated. He really likes learning all about different worlds and characters, and discussing the underlying philosophy/social commentary. Unfortunately I know little about adventure and fantasy books, so would love some recommendations for similar books or series!

Thanks in advance! 🙂