What about the talking animals of Animal Farm? If he's politically savvy, he might find the condemnation of communism to be very interesting. I did when I was around that age. (Though I don't know how politically savvy I was...)
How about the foreparents of those thrillers he likes? Classic mysteries like Sherlock Holmes and Wilke Collins's The Moonstone? Or adventure lit like H.Rider Haggard's Allen Quartermaine stories. (King Solomon's Mines is the first in the series.) The language can be challenging to today's readers. That might be a problem.
I also thought of James Bond. I haven't read one in years, so I can't remember if it's too graphic.
I'll keep thinking...
