The Best Stand-Alone Science Fiction & Fantasy Books
“What are the best Stand-Alone Science Fiction & Fantasy Books?” We looked at 499 of the top Standalone books, aggregating and ranking them so we could answer that very question!
A Stand-alone science fiction or Fantasy book is one that you can read knowing you aren’t going to have to wait years (or decades) for a sequal or to see how the story ends. After putting together the list we noticed that some actually are part of larger universes, but they can be read without any previous knowledge or follow-up on the story.
The top 40 titles, all appearing on 4 or more lists, are ranked below with images, descriptions, and links. The remaining 450+ titles as well as the lists we used, are in alphabetical order on the bottom of the page.
Happy Scrolling!
Top 40 Science Fiction & Fantasy Stand Alone Novels
40 .) Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie
Lists It Appears On:
- Vicky Thinks
- Book Wraiths
- Goodreads 3
“Springtime in Styria. And that means war.
There have been nineteen years of blood. The ruthless Grand Duke Orso is locked in a vicious struggle with the squabbling League of Eight, and between them they have bled the land white. While armies march, heads roll and cities burn, and behind the scenes bankers, priests and older, darker powers play a deadly game to choose who will be king.
War may be hell but for Monza Murcatto, the Snake of Talins, the most feared and famous mercenary in Duke Orso’s employ, it’s a damn good way of making money too. Her victories have made her popular – a shade too popular for her employer’s taste. Betrayed, thrown down a mountain and left for dead, Murcatto’s reward is a broken body and a burning hunger for vengeance. Whatever the cost, seven men must die.
Her allies include Styria’s least reliable drunkard, Styria’s most treacherous poisoner, a mass-murderer obsessed with numbers and a Northman who just wants to do the right thing. Her enemies number the better half of the nation. And that’s all before the most dangerous man in the world is dispatched to hunt her down and finish the job Duke Orso started…”
39 .) Imagica by Clive Barker
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Fantasy Hot List
- Barnes & Noble
“Imajica is an epic beyond compare: vast in conception, obsessively detailed in execution, and apocalyptic in its resolution. At its heart lies the sensualist and master art forger, Gentle, whose life unravels when he encounters Judith Odell, whose power to influence the destinies of men is vaster than she knows, and Pie ‘oh’ pah, an alien assassin who comes from a hidden dimension.
That dimension is one of five in the great system called Imajica. They are worlds that are utterly unlike our own, but are ruled, peopled, and haunted by species whose lives are intricately connected with ours. As Gentle, Judith, and Pie ‘oh’ pah travel the Imajica, they uncover a trail of crimes and intimate betrayals, leading them to a revelation so startling that it changes reality forever.”
38 .) Last Call by Tim Powers
Lists It Appears On:
- Epic Fantasy Books
- Fantasy Hot List
- Read It Forward
Ten years after he had quit gambling, Scott Crane begins having nightmares about a bizarre floating poker game that took place in the middle of Lake Mead and in which he may have gambled away his soul.
37 .) Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
Lists It Appears On:
- Fantasy Hot List
- Goodreads
- Goodreads 3
Richard Mayhew is a young man with a good heart and an ordinary life, which is changed forever when he stops to help a girl he finds bleeding on a London sidewalk. His small act of kindness propels him into a world he never dreamed existed. There are people who fall through the cracks, and Richard has become one of them. And he must learn to survive in this city of shadows and darkness, monsters and saints, murderers and angels, if he is ever to return to the London that he knew.
36 .) Sunshine by Robin McKinley
Lists It Appears On:
- Bustle
- Goodreads
- Goodreads 3
There hadn’t been any trouble out at the lake in years. Sunshine just needed a spot where she could be alone with her thoughts for a minute. But then the vampires found her . . . Now, chained and imprisoned in a once-beautiful decaying mansion, alone but for the vampire, Constantine, shackled next to her, Sunshine realizes that she must call on her own hidden strength if she is to survive. But Constantine is not what she expected of a vampire, and soon Sunshine discovers that it is he who needs her, more than either of them know.
35 .) Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Tor
- Book Wraiths
- Goodreads 3
On the treacherous streets of Riverside, a man lives and dies by the sword. Even the nobles on the Hill turn to duels to settle their disputes. Within this elite, dangerous world, Richard St. Vier is the undisputed master, as skilled as he is ruthless—until a death by the sword is met with outrage instead of awe, and the city discovers that the line between hero and villain can be altered in the blink of an eye.
34 .) The Folding Knife by K. J. Parker
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Tor
- Bustle
“Basso the Magnificent. Basso the Great. Basso the Wise. The First Citizen of the Vesani Republic is an extraordinary man.
He is ruthless, cunning, and above all, lucky. He brings wealth, power and prestige to his people. But with power comes unwanted attention, and Basso must defend his nation and himself from threats foreign and domestic. In a lifetime of crucial decisions, he’s only ever made one mistake.
One mistake, though, can be enough.”
33 .) The Golden Key by Melanie Rawn, Jennifer Roberson, and Kate Elliott
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Tor
- Bustle
- Goodreads 3
Willing to risk anything in his passion for the beautiful Saavvedra, master artist Sario, who shares his family’s abilities to alter time through their works, sets in motion a series of events that threatens their entire world.
32 .) The Left Hand Of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Science Fiction Books
- Fantasy Hot List
- Goodreads 2
- Goodreads 2
A lone human ambassador is sent to Winter, an alien world without sexual prejudice, where the inhabitants can change their gender whenever they choose. His goal is to facilitate Winter’s inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the strange, intriguing culture he encounters…
31 .) The Mists Of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Book Reporter
- Book Wraiths
Here is the magical legend of King Arthur, vividly retold through the eyes and lives of the women who wielded power from behind the throne. A spellbinding novel, an extraordinary literary achievement, THE MISTS OF AVALON will stay with you for a long time to come…
30 .) The Redemption of Althalus by David and Leigh Eddings
Lists It Appears On:
- Epic Fantasy Books
- Fantasy Hot List
- Goodreads
“It would be sheer folly to try to conceal the true nature of Althalus, for his flaws are the stuff of legend. He is, as all men know, a thief, a liar, an occasional murderer, an outrageous braggart, and a man devoid of even the slightest hint of honor.
Yet of all the men in the world, it is Althalus, unrepentant rogue and scoundrel, who will become the champion of humanity in its desperate struggle against the forces of an ancient god determined to return the universe to nothingness. On his way to steal The Book from the House at the End of the World, Althalus is confronted by a cat–a cat with eyes like emeralds, the voice of a woman, and the powers of a goddess.
She is Dweia, sister to The Gods and a greater thief even than Althalus. She must be: for in no time at all, she has stolen his heart. And more. She has stolen time itself. For when Althalus leaves the House at the End of the World, much wiser but not a day older than when he’d first entered it, thousands of years have gone by.
But Dweia is not the only one able to manipulate time. Her evil brother shares the power, and while Dweia has been teaching Althalus the secrets of The Book, the ancient God has been using the dark magic of his own Book to rewrite history. Yet all is not lost. But only if Althalus, still a thief at heart, can bring together a ragtag group of men, women, and children with no reason to trust him or each other.”
29 .) To Ride Hell’s Chasm by Janny Wurts
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Epic Fantasy Books
- Goodreads 3
“An epic fantasy standalone novel from the author of the stunning Wars of Light and Shadow series. When Princess Anja fails to appear at her betrothal banquet, the tiny, peaceful kingdom of Sessalie is plunged into intrigue.
When Princess Anja fails to appear at her betrothal banquet, the tiny, peaceful kingdom of Sessalie is plunged into intrigue. Two warriors are charged with recovering the distraught king’s beloved daughter. Taskin, Commander of the Royal Guard, whose icy competence and impressive life-term as the Crown’s right-hand man command the kingdom’s deep-seated respect; and Mykkael, the rough-hewn newcomer who has won the post of Captain of the Garrison – a scarred veteran with a deadly record of field warfare, whose ‘interesting’ background and foreign breeding are held in contempt by court society.
As the princess’s trail vanishes outside the citadel’s gates, anxiety and tension escalate. Mykkael’s investigations lead him to a radical explanation for the mystery, but he finds himself under suspicion from the court factions. Will Commander Taskin’s famous fair-mindedness be enough to unravel the truth behind the garrison captain’s dramatic theory: that the resourceful, high-spirited princess was not taken by force, but fled the palace to escape a demonic evil?”
28 .) War For The Oaks by Emma Bull
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Goodreads
- Goodreads 3
“Acclaimed by critics and readers on its first publication in 1987, winner of the Locus Award for Best First Novel, Emma Bull’s War for the Oaks is one of the novels that has defined modern urban fantasy.
Eddi McCandry sings rock and roll. But her boyfriend just dumped her, her band just broke up, and life could hardly be worse. Then, walking home through downtown Minneapolis on a dark night, she finds herself drafted into an invisible war between the faerie folk. Now, more than her own survival is at risk―and her own preferences, musical and personal, are very much beside the point.
By turns tough and lyrical, fabulous and down-to-earth, War for the Oaks is a fantasy novel that’s as much about this world as about the other one. It’s about real love and loyalty, about real music and musicians, about false glamour and true art. It will change the way you hear and see your own daily life.”
27 .) Weaveworld by Clive Barker
Lists It Appears On:
- Fantasy Hot List
- Epic Fantasy Books
- Goodreads
Clive Barker has made his mark on modern fiction by exposing all that is surreal and magical in the ordinary world — and exploring the profound and overwhelming terror that results. With its volatile mix of the fantastical and the contemporary, the everyday and the otherworldly, Weaveworld is an epic work of dark fantasy and horror — a tour de force from one of today’s most forceful and imaginative artists.
26 .) Deerskin by Robin McKinley
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Tor
- Goodreads
- Goodreads 3
When her growing beauty begins to resemble her mother’s too closely, Princess Lissar must flee her father’s wrath, and, in doing so, she unlocks a door into a world of magic.
25 .) Fevre Dream by George R.R. Martin
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Epic Fantasy Books
- Bustle
- Goodreads 3
Set in 1857 along the muddy Mississippi, Fevre Dream introduces Abner Marsh, a remarkably ugly man who longs to captain the fastest steamboat on the river. When a pale, mysterious gentleman named Joshua – who keeps strange hours and stranger friends – approaches him with an offer of partnership, Abner’s dreams appear to come true… though he may have unleashed a nightmare on the unsuspecting shores!
24 .) Little, Big by John Crowley
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Bustle
- Goodreads
- Goodreads 3
Edgewood–which is not found on any map–is many houses, all put inside each other or across each other. It’s filled with and surrounded by mystery and enchantment; the further in you go, the bigger it gets. Smoky Barnable, who has fallen in love with Daily Alice Drinkwater, travels from the City on foot to Edgewood, her family home. There he finds himself on the magical border of an otherworld. Crowley’s work has a special alchemy–mixing the world we know with an imagined world that seems more true and real.
23 .) Perdido Street Station by China Mieville
Lists It Appears On:
- The Best Sci Fi Books
- Best Fantasy Books
- Fantasy Hot List
- Goodreads 2
“Beneath the towering bleached ribs of a dead, ancient beast lies New Crobuzon, a squalid city where humans, Re-mades, and arcane races live in perpetual fear of Parliament and its brutal militia. The air and rivers are thick with factory pollutants and the strange effluents of alchemy, and the ghettos contain a vast mix of workers, artists, spies, junkies, and whores. In New Crobuzon, the unsavory deal is stranger to none—not even to Isaac, a brilliant scientist with a penchant for Crisis Theory.
Isaac has spent a lifetime quietly carrying out his unique research. But when a half-bird, half-human creature known as the Garuda comes to him from afar, Isaac is faced with challenges he has never before fathomed. Though the Garuda’s request is scientifically daunting, Isaac is sparked by his own curiosity and an uncanny reverence for this curious stranger.
While Isaac’s experiments for the Garuda turn into an obsession, one of his lab specimens demands attention: a brilliantly colored caterpillar that feeds on nothing but a hallucinatory drug and grows larger—and more consuming—by the day. What finally emerges from the silken cocoon will permeate every fiber of New Crobuzon—and not even the Ambassador of Hell will challenge the malignant terror it invokes . . .”
22 .) Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
Lists It Appears On:
- The Best Sci Fi Books
- The Best Sci Fi Books
- Best Science Fiction Books
- Fantasy Hot List
- Goodreads 2
“Only once in a great while does a writer come along who defies comparison—a writer so original he redefines the way we look at the world. Neal Stephenson is such a writer and Snow Crash is such a novel, weaving virtual reality, Sumerian myth, and just about everything in between with a cool, hip cybersensibility to bring us the gigathriller of the information age.
In reality, Hiro Protagonist delivers pizza for Uncle Enzo’s CosoNostra Pizza Inc., but in the Metaverse he’s a warrior prince. Plunging headlong into the enigma of a new computer virus that’s striking down hackers everywhere, he races along the neon-lit streets on a search-and-destroy mission for the shadowy virtual villain threatening to bring about infocalypse.”
21 .) The Book Of Lost Things by John Connolly
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Epic Fantasy Books
- Bustle
- Goodreads
- Goodreads 3
High in his attic bedroom, twelve-year-old David mourns the death of his mother. He is angry and alone, with only the books on his shelf for company. But those books have begun to whisper to him in the darkness, and as he takes refuge in his imagination, he finds that reality and fantasy have begun to meld. While his family falls apart around him, David is violently propelled into a land that is a strange reflection of his own world, populated by heroes and monsters, and ruled over by a faded king who keeps his secrets in a mysterious book… The Book of Lost Things.
20 .) The Lions of Al Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay
Lists It Appears On:
- Fantasy Hot List
- Bustle
- Goodreads
- Goodreads 3
“The ruling Asharites of Al-Rassan have come from the desert sands, but over centuries, seduced by the sensuous pleasures of their new land, their stern piety has eroded. The Asharite empire has splintered into decadent city-states led by warring petty kings. King Almalik of Cartada is on the ascendancy, aided always by his friend and advisor, the notorious Ammar ibn Khairan — poet, diplomat, soldier — until a summer afternoon of savage brutality changes their relationship forever.
Meanwhile, in the north, the conquered Jaddites’ most celebrated — and feared — military leader, Rodrigo Belmonte, driven into exile, leads his mercenary company south.
In the dangerous lands of Al-Rassan, these two men from different worlds meet and serve — for a time — the same master. Sharing their interwoven fate — and increasingly torn by her feelings — is Jehane, the accomplished court physician, whose own skills play an increasing role as Al-Rassan is swept to the brink of holy war, and beyond.”
19 .) The Once and Future King by T.H. White
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Fantasy Hot List
- Book Wraiths
- Goodreads 3
“Once upon a time, a young boy called “Wart” was tutored by a magician named Merlyn in preparation for a future he couldn’t possibly imagine. A future in which he would ally himself with the greatest knights, love a legendary queen and unite a country dedicated to chivalrous values. A future that would see him crowned and known for all time as Arthur, King of the Britons.
During Arthur’s reign, the kingdom of Camelot was founded to cast enlightenment on the Dark Ages, while the knights of the Round Table embarked on many a noble quest. But Merlyn foresaw the treachery that awaited his liege: the forbidden love between Queen Guenever and Lancelot, the wicked plots of Arthur’s half-sister Morgause and the hatred she fostered in Mordred that would bring an end to the king’s dreams for Britain—and to the king himself.”
18 .) The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Lists It Appears On:
- Epic Fantasy Books
- Book Reporter
- Goodreads
- Goodreads 3
Anyone who lived through the 1980s may find it impossible—inconceivable, even—to equate The Princess Bride with anything other than the sweet, celluloid romance of Westley and Buttercup, but the film is only a fraction of the ingenious storytelling you’ll find in these pages. Rich in character and satire, the novel is set in 1941 and framed cleverly as an “abridged” retelling of a centuries-old tale set in the fabled country of Florin that’s home to “Beasts of all natures and descriptions. Pain. Death. Brave men. Coward men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passions.”
17 .) The War Of The Flowers by Tad Williams
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Tor
- Goodreads
- Goodreads 3
“Theo Vilmos is a thirty-year-old lead singer in a not terribly successful rock band. Once, he had enormous, almost magical charisma, both onstage and off—but now, life has taken its toll on Theo.
Hitting an all-time low, he seeks refuge in a isolated cabin in the woods. While there, he reads an odd memoir written by a dead relative who believed he had visited the magical world of Faerie. And before Theo can disregard the account as the writings of a madman, he, too, is drawn to a place beyond his wildest dreams…a place that will be, and has always been, his destiny.”
16 .) Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Lists It Appears On:
- Book Riot
- Epic Reads
- Read It Forward
- Goodreads
- Goodreads 3
“Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life.
Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood.
The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows—everyone knows—that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia, all the things Agnieszka isn’t, and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her.
But Agnieszka fears the wrong things. For when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he will choose.”
15 .) Watership Down by Richard Adams
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Book Reporter
- Goodreads
- Goodreads 3
Set in England’s Downs, a once idyllic rural landscape, this stirring tale of adventure, courage, and survival follows a band of very special creatures on their flight from the intrusion of man and the certain destruction of their home. Led by a stouthearted pair of brothers, they journey forth from their native Sandleford Warren through the harrowing trials posed by predators and adversaries, to a mysterious promised land and a more perfect society.
14 .) The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers
Lists It Appears On:
- Fantasy Hot List
- Best Fantasy Books
- Epic Fantasy Books
- Goodreads
- Goodreads 3
It took the fantasy world by storm a decade ago, and now fans can savor this Philip K. Dick Award-winner for the first time all over again. Only the dazzling imagination of Tim Powers could have assembled such an insane cast of characters: an ancient Egyptian sorcerer, a modern millionaire, a body-switching werewolf, a hideously deformed clown, a young woman disguised as a boy, a brainwashed Lord Byron, and finally, our hero, Professor Brendan Doyle.
13 .) The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Book Riot
- Tor
- Goodreads
- Goodreads 3
“The youngest, half-goblin son of the Emperor has lived his entire life in exile, distant from the Imperial Court and the deadly intrigue that suffuses it. But when his father and three sons in line for the throne are killed in an “”accident,”” he has no choice but to take his place as the only surviving rightful heir.
Entirely unschooled in the art of court politics, he has no friends, no advisors, and the sure knowledge that whoever assassinated his father and brothers could make an attempt on his life at any moment.
Surrounded by sycophants eager to curry favor with the naïve new emperor, and overwhelmed by the burdens of his new life, he can trust nobody. Amid the swirl of plots to depose him, offers of arranged marriages, and the specter of the unknown conspirators who lurk in the shadows, he must quickly adjust to life as the Goblin Emperor. All the while, he is alone, and trying to find even a single friend . . . and hoping for the possibility of romance, yet also vigilant against the unseen enemies that threaten him, lest he lose his throne–or his life. “
12 .) The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Epic Fantasy Books
- Book Wraiths
- Goodreads
- Goodreads 3
When Bastian happens upon an old book called The Neverending Story, he’s swept into the magical world of Fantastica–so much that he finds he has actually become a character in the story! And when he realizes that this mysteriously enchanted world is in great danger, he also discovers that he is the one chosen to save it. Can Bastian overcome the barrier between reality and his imagination in order to save Fantastica?
11 .) Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Epic Fantasy Books
- Steemit
- Barnes & Noble
- Goodreads 3
“Their world is one in which those who die in glory return as gods to live confined to a pantheon in Hallandren’s capital city and where a power known as BioChromatic magic is based on an essence known as breath that can only be collected one unit at a time from individual people.
By using breath and drawing upon the color in everyday objects, all manner of miracles and mischief can be accomplished. It will take considerable quantities of each to resolve all the challenges facing Vivenna and Siri, princesses of Idris; Susebron the God King; Lightsong, reluctant god of bravery, and mysterious Vasher, the Warbreaker.”
10 .) Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Epic Fantasy Books
- Silver Lining
- Tor
- Book Wraiths
- Goodreads 3
“Elantris was the capital of Arelon: gigantic, beautiful, literally radiant, filled with benevolent beings who used their powerful magical abilities for the benefit of all. Yet each of these demigods was once an ordinary person until touched by the mysterious transforming power of the Shaod. Ten years ago, without warning, the magic failed. Elantrians became wizened, leper-like, powerless creatures, and Elantris itself dark, filthy, and crumbling.
Arelon’s new capital, Kae, crouches in the shadow of Elantris. Princess Sarene of Teod arrives for a marriage of state with Crown Prince Raoden, hoping — based on their correspondence — to also find love. She finds instead that Raoden has died and she is considered his widow. Both Teod and Arelon are under threat as the last remaining holdouts against the imperial ambitions of the ruthless religious fanatics of Fjordell. So Sarene decides to use her new status to counter the machinations of Hrathen, a Fjordell high priest who has come to Kae to convert Arelon and claim it for his emperor and his god.
But neither Sarene nor Hrathen suspect the truth about Prince Raoden. Stricken by the same curse that ruined Elantris, Raoden was secretly exiled by his father to the dark city. His struggle to help the wretches trapped there begins a series of events that will bring hope to Arelon, and perhaps reveal the secret of Elantris itself.”
9 .) Lord Of Light by Roger Zelazny
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Best Science Fiction Books
- Epic Fantasy Books
- Fantasy Hot List
- Goodreads 2
- Goodreads 2
Earth is long since dead. On a colony planet, a band of men has gained control of technology, made themselves immortal, and now rule their world as the gods of the Hindu pantheon. Only one dares oppose them: he who was once Siddhartha and is now Mahasamatman. Binder of Demons, Lord of Light.
8 .) The City & The City by China Mieville
Lists It Appears On:
- The Best Sci Fi Books
- Epic Fantasy Books
- Book Reporter
- Read It Forward
- Bustle
- Best Science Fiction Books
When a murdered woman is found in the city of Beszel, somewhere at the edge of Europe, it looks to be a routine case for Inspector Tyador Borlú of the Extreme Crime Squad. To investigate, Borlú must travel from the decaying Beszel to its equal, rival, and intimate neighbor, the vibrant city of Ul Qoma. But this is a border crossing like no other, a journey as psychic as it is physical, a seeing of the unseen. With Ul Qoman detective Qussim Dhatt, Borlú is enmeshed in a sordid underworld of nationalists intent on destroying their neighboring city, and unificationists who dream of dissolving the two into one. As the detectives uncover the dead woman’s secrets, they begin to suspect a truth that could cost them more than their lives. What stands against them are murderous powers in Beszel and in Ul Qoma: and, most terrifying of all, that which lies between these two cities.
7 .) The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Epic Fantasy Books
- Book Reporter
- Tor
- Goodreads
- Goodreads 3
The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived all alone. So she ventured out from the safety of the enchanted forest on a quest for others of her kind. Joined along the way by the bumbling magician Schmendrick and the indomitable Molly Grue, the unicorn learns all about the joys and sorrows of life and love before meeting her destiny in the castle of a despondent monarch—and confronting the creature that would drive her kind to extinction…
6 .) American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Epic Fantasy Books
- Fantasy Hot List
- Best Fantasy Books HQ
- Book Reporter
- Steemit
- Goodreads 3
“Locked behind bars for three years, Shadow did his time, quietly waiting for the day when he could return to Eagle Point, Indiana. A man no longer scared of what tomorrow might bring, all he wanted was to be with Laura, the wife he deeply loved, and start a new life.
But just days before his release, Laura and Shadow’s best friend are killed in an accident. With his life in pieces and nothing to keep him tethered, Shadow accepts a job from a beguiling stranger he meets on the way home, an enigmatic man who calls himself Mr. Wednesday. A trickster and a rogue, Wednesday seems to know more about Shadow than Shadow does himself.
Life as Wednesday’s bodyguard, driver, and errand boy is far more interesting and dangerous than Shadow ever imagined. Soon Shadow learns that the past never dies . . . and that beneath the placid surface of everyday life a storm is brewing—an epic war for the very soul of America—and that he is standing squarely in its path.”
5 .) Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Epic Fantasy Books
- Fantasy Hot List
- Best Fantasy Books HQ
- Read It Forward
- Bustle
- Goodreads
- Goodreads 3
“According to The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (the world’s only completely accurate book of prophecies, written in 1655, before she exploded), the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. Just before dinner.
So the armies of Good and Evil are amassing, Atlantis is rising, frogs are falling, tempers are flaring. Everything appears to be going according to Divine Plan. Except a somewhat fussy angel and a fast-living demon—both of whom have lived amongst Earth’s mortals since The Beginning and have grown rather fond of the lifestyle—are not actually looking forward to the coming Rapture.
And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist . . .”
4 .) Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Lists It Appears On:
- Epic Fantasy Books
- Tor
- Goodreads
- Goodreads 3
- Book Reporter
- Bustle
- Best Fantasy Books
- Fantasy Hot List
“At the dawn of the nineteenth century, two very different magicians emerge to change England’s history. In the year 1806, with the Napoleonic Wars raging on land and sea, most people believe magic to be long dead in England-until the reclusive Mr Norrell reveals his powers, and becomes a celebrity overnight.
Soon, another practicing magician comes forth: the young, handsome, and daring Jonathan Strange. He becomes Norrell’s student, and they join forces in the war against France. But Strange is increasingly drawn to the wildest, most perilous forms of magic, straining his partnership with Norrell, and putting at risk everything else he holds dear.”
3 .) The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Epic Fantasy Books
- Fantasy Hot List
- Best Fantasy Books HQ
- Silver Lining
- Book Wraiths
- Goodreads 3
- Book Reporter
Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum.
2 .) Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Epic Fantasy Books
- Fantasy Hot List
- Tor
- Book Wraiths
- Steemit
- Goodreads
- Goodreads 3
Tigana is the magical story of a beleaguered land struggling to be free. It is the tale of a people so cursed by the black sorcery of a cruel despotic king that even the name of their once-beautiful homeland cannot be spoken or remembered.
1 .) The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Fantasy Books
- Book Riot
- Vicky Thinks
- Epic Reads
- Silver Lining
- Tor
- Bustle
- Goodreads
- Goodreads 3
“The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.
But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Despite the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone, from the performers to the patrons, hanging in the balance.”
The 450+ Additional non-sequel Standalone Sci-Fi & Fantasy Books
| # | Book | Author | Lists |
| (Titles Appear On 3 Lists Each) | |||
| 41 | A Song for Arbonne | Guy Gavriel Kay | |
| Goodreads | |||
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 42 | Among Others | Jo Walton | Read It Forward |
| Goodreads | |||
| 43 | Anansi Boys | Neil Gaiman | Epic Fantasy Books |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 44 | Anathem | Neal Stephenson | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| Book Riot 2 | |||
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| 45 | Bridge Of Birds | Barry Hughart | Best Fantasy Books |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 46 | Dragonsbane | Barbara Hambly | Book Wraiths |
| Book Wraiths | |||
| 47 | Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff | Christopher Moore | |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 48 | Song of the Beast | Carol Berg | Tor |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 49 | Stardust | Neil Gaiman | |
| Goodreads | |||
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 50 | Stranger in a Strange Land | Robert A. Heinlein | Best Science Fiction Books |
| Fantasy Hot List | |||
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| 51 | The Broken Sword | Poul Anderson | Best Fantasy Books |
| Goodreads | |||
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 52 | The Curse Of Chalion | Lois McMaster Bujold | Best Fantasy Books |
| Barnes & Noble | |||
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 53 | The Etched City | K.J. Bishop | Best Fantasy Books |
| Epic Fantasy Books | |||
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 54 | The Forever War | Joe Haldeman | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| Best Science Fiction Books | |||
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| 55 | The Forgotten Beasts of Eld | Patricia A. McKillip | Best Fantasy Books |
| Goodreads | |||
| 56 | The Ghost Bride | Yangsze Choo | Book Riot |
| Bustle | |||
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 57 | The Golem And The Jinni | Helene Wecker | Best Fantasy Books |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 58 | The Heroes | Joe Abercrombie | Best Fantasy Books |
| Best Fantasy Books HQ | |||
| 59 | The King of Elfland’s Daughter | Lord Dunsany | Fantasy Hot List |
| Goodreads | |||
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 60 | The Ocean at the End of the Lane | Neil Gaiman | |
| Goodreads | |||
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 61 | The Phantom Tollbooth | Norman Juster | |
| Goodreads | |||
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 62 | The Prestige | Christopher Priest | Epic Fantasy Books |
| Book Reporter | |||
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| 63 | The Scar | China Mieville | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| Fantasy Hot List | |||
| 64 | The Stand | Stephen King | Best Fantasy Books |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 65 | The Time Traveler S Wife | Audrey Niffenegger | Best Science Fiction Books |
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| Vicky Thinks | |||
| 66 | The Windup Girl | Paolo Bacigalupi | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| Best Science Fiction Books | |||
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| 67 | The Yeti | Mike Miller | Goodreads |
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 68 | Under Heaven | Guy Gavriel Kay | Book Reporter |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| (Titles Appear On 2 Lists Each) | |||
| 69 | 1984 | George Orwell | Best Science Fiction Books |
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| 70 | 11/22/63 | Stephen King | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| Best Fantasy Books | |||
| 71 | A Canticle for Leibowitz | Walter M. Miller, Jr | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| Best Science Fiction Books | |||
| 72 | A Fire Upon the Deep | Vernor Vinge | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| Best Science Fiction Books | |||
| 73 | Albion Imperilled | Ruth Thomas | Goodreads |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 74 | Alphabet of Thorn | Patricia A. McKillip | Goodreads |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 75 | American Elsewhere | Robert Jackson Bennett | Best Fantasy Books |
| 76 | Archer’s Goon | Diana Wynne Jones | Goodreads |
| Epic Fantasy Books | |||
| 77 | Armor | John Steakley | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| Fantasy Hot List | |||
| 78 | Beauty | Sheri S. Tepper | Goodreads 2 |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 79 | Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast | Robin McKinley | Goodreads |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 80 | Beowulf | Book Reporter | |
| 81 | Blackdog | K.V. Johansen | Barnes & Noble |
| Bustle | |||
| 82 | Carrion Comfort | Dan Simmons | Goodreads |
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| 83 | Childhood’s End | Arthur C. Clarke | Best Science Fiction Books |
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| 84 | Cloud Atlas | David Mitchell | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| 85 | Contact | Carl Sagan | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| 86 | Creatures of Light and Darkness | Roger Zelazny | |
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| 87 | Cryptonomicon | Neal Stephenson | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| Fantasy Hot List | |||
| 88 | Deathless | Catherynne M Valente | |
| Goodreads | |||
| 89 | Ella Enchanted | Gail Carson Levine | |
| Goodreads | |||
| 90 | Emerald House Rising | Peg Kerr | Tor |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 91 | Enchantment | Orson Scott Card | |
| Goodreads | |||
| 92 | Ender’s Game | Orson Scott Card | Best Science Fiction Books |
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| 93 | Fahrenheit 451 | Ray Bradbury | Best Science Fiction Books |
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| 94 | Fire and Hemlock | Diana Wynne Jones | Vicky Thinks |
| Goodreads | |||
| 95 | Frankenstein | Mary Shelley | |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 96 | Grendel | John Gardner | Book Reporter |
| Goodreads | |||
| 97 | Heroes Die | Matthew Woodring Stover | Best Fantasy Books |
| 98 | Kindred | Octavia Butler | |
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| 99 | King Rat | China Mieville | Fantasy Hot List |
| 100 | Legend | David Gemmell | Best Fantasy Books |
| 101 | Magic Kingdom for Sale/Sold | Terry Brooks | |
| Book Wraiths | |||
| 102 | Nation | Terry Pratchett | |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 103 | Neuromancer | William Gibson | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| Best Science Fiction Books | |||
| 104 | Never Let Me Go | Kazuo Ishiguro | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| 105 | Od Magic | Patricia McKillip | |
| Goodreads | |||
| 106 | Ombria in Shadow | Patricia A. McKillip | Goodreads |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 107 | Poison | Chris Wooding | Vicky Thinks |
| Goodreads | |||
| 108 | Red Country | Joe Abercrombie | |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 109 | Redemption in Indigo | Karen Lord | Book Riot |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 110 | Redshirts | John Scalzi | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| Read It Forward | |||
| 111 | Shade’s Children | Garth Nix | Goodreads |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 112 | Silverlock | John Myers Myers | Book Reporter |
| Goodreads | |||
| 113 | Summers at Castle Auburn | Sharon Shinn | |
| Goodreads | |||
| 114 | Talion Revenant | Michael A. Stackpole | Best Fantasy Books |
| Barnes & Noble | |||
| 115 | The Barbed Coil | JV Jones | |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 116 | The Bell at Sealey Head | Patricia A. McKillip | Goodreads |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 117 | The Death of the Necromancer | Martha Wells | |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 118 | The Diamond Age | Neal Stephenson | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| Fantasy Hot List | |||
| 119 | The Dispossessed | Ursula K. Le Guin | Fantasy Hot List |
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| 120 | The Emperor’s Soul | Brandon Sanderson | |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 121 | The Eyes of the Dragon | Stephen King | Goodreads |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 122 | The Graveyard Book | Neil Gaiman | Vicky Thinks |
| Goodreads | |||
| 123 | The Handmaid S Tale | Margaret Atwood | Best Science Fiction Books |
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| 124 | The Man In The High Castle | Philip K. Dick | Best Science Fiction Books |
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| 125 | The Martian | Andy Weir | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| 126 | The Master of White Storm | Janny Wurts | |
| Book Wraiths | |||
| 127 | The Paladin | C.J. Cherryh | Book Wraiths |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 128 | The Silmarillion | JRR Tolkien | Fantasy Hot List |
| 129 | The Tower at Stony Wood | Patricia A. McKillip | Goodreads |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 130 | The Years of Rice and Salt | Kim Stanley Robinson | Fantasy Hot List |
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| 131 | Thomas the Rhymer | Ellen Kushner | Goodreads |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 132 | Those Who Hunt the Night | Barbara Hambly | Tor |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 133 | Tooth and Claw | Jo Walton | Goodreads |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 134 | Treason | Orson Scott Card | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| Goodreads | |||
| 135 | Wheel of the Infinite | Martha Wells | Tor |
| Goodreads 3 | |||
| 136 | Windhaven | George R. R. Martin and Lisa Tuttle | Epic Fantasy Books |
| Goodreads 2 | |||
| 137 | World War Z | Max Brooks | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| (Titles Appear On 1 List Each) | |||
| 138 | 50,000 A.D. The Awakening | J. Jack Bergeron | Goodreads 2 |
| 139 | A Barrel of Laughs | Jules Feiffer | |
| 140 | A Christmas Carol | Charles Dickens | Goodreads |
| 141 | A Criminal Magic | Lee Kelly | Epic Reads |
| 142 | A Curse Dark as Gold | Elizabeth C. Bunce | Goodreads |
| 143 | A Deepness in the Sky | Vernor Vinge | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 144 | A Dirty Job | Christopher Moore | |
| 145 | A Fall of Moondust | Arthur C. Clarke | Goodreads 2 |
| 146 | A Monster Calls | Patrick Ness | |
| 147 | A Night in the Lonesome October | Roger Zelazny | |
| 148 | A Stranger in Olondria | Sofia Samatar | Goodreads 3 |
| 149 | a Vale of Tears | ||
| 150 | A Wizard of Earthsea | Ursula K. Le Quin | Book Wraiths |
| 151 | A World Out of Time | Larry Niven | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 152 | A Wrinkle In Time | Madeleine L’Engle | Best Science Fiction Books |
| 153 | Accelerando | Charles Stross | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 154 | After Dark | Haruki Murakami | |
| 155 | After the Golden Age (Golden Age, #1) | Carrie Vaughn | Goodreads 2 |
| 156 | Against the Horde/Legend | David Gemmell | Book Wraiths |
| 157 | Agent to the Stars | John Scalzi | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 158 | Agyar | Steven Brust | Epic Fantasy Books |
| 159 | Air | Geoff Ryman | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 160 | Alias Hook | Lisa Jensen | Goodreads 3 |
| 161 | Alice in Wonderland | Lewis Carroll | |
| 162 | Alif the Unseen | G Willow Wilson | |
| 163 | All The Birds In The Sky | Read It Forward | |
| 164 | All the Lives He Led | Frederik Pohl | Goodreads 2 |
| 165 | Angelwood. Kings & Queens | Hendrik Birke | Goodreads |
| 166 | Arkwright | Allen Steele | Book Riot 2 |
| 167 | Ash: A Secret History | Mary Gentle | |
| 168 | Aurora | Kim Stanley Robinson | Goodreads 2 |
| 169 | Baltimore | Mike Mignola | |
| 170 | Bazil Broketail | Christopher Rowley | Book Wraiths |
| 171 | Beastly (Beastly, #1; Kendra Chronicles, #1) | Alex Flinn | Goodreads |
| 172 | Beggars in Spain | Nancy Kress | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 173 | Binti | Nnedi Okorafor | Book Riot 2 |
| 174 | Blackout | Connie Willis | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 175 | Blindsight | Peter Watts | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 176 | Bloom | Wil McCarthy | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 177 | Born to Exileby Phyllis Eisenstein | Book Wraiths | |
| 178 | Boy’s Life | Robert McCammon | |
| 179 | Brave New World | Aldous Huxley | Goodreads 2 |
| 180 | Briar Rose | Jane Yolen | Goodreads 3 |
| 181 | Brokedown Palace | Stephen Brust | |
| 182 | Broken Monsters | Lauren Beukes | |
| 183 | Buddy Holly is Alive and Well on Ganymede | Bradley Denton | Goodreads 2 |
| 184 | Butchers Bird | Richard Kadrey | Best Fantasy Books |
| 185 | By the Sword | Mercedes Lackey | |
| 186 | Calculating God | Robert J. Sawyer | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 187 | Century Rain | Alastair Reynolds | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 188 | Chaining the Lady (Cluster, #2) | Piers Anthony | Goodreads 2 |
| 189 | Chalice | Robin McKinley | Goodreads |
| 190 | Chime | Franny Billingsley | Silver Lining |
| 191 | Chocolate Lenin | Graham Diamond | Goodreads 2 |
| 192 | City | Clifford D. Simak | Goodreads 2 |
| 193 | City of Stairs | Robert Jackson Bennett | |
| 194 | Cluster (Cluster, #1) | Piers Anthony | Goodreads 2 |
| 195 | Clypsis | Star Rigger | |
| 196 | Company Town | Read It Forward | |
| 197 | Conan | Robert Jordan | Book Wraiths |
| 198 | Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister | Gregory Maguire | Goodreads |
| 199 | Consider Phlebas | Iain M. Banks | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 200 | Creature Tech | Doug TenNapel | Goodreads 2 |
| 201 | Crimson Bound | Rosamund Hodge | Epic Reads |
| 202 | Cruel Beauty | Rosamund Hodge | Epic Reads |
| 203 | Daemon | Daniel Suarez | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 204 | Dancing With the Dead | Charles Freedom Long | Book Riot 2 |
| 205 | Dark Matter | Read It Forward | |
| 206 | Death Of A Necromancer | Wells M. | Best Fantasy Books |
| 207 | Diaspora | Greg Egan | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 208 | Diver Creed Station | Oliver Phipps | Goodreads 2 |
| 209 | Divergent (Divergent, #1) | Veronica Roth | Goodreads 2 |
| 210 | Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? | Philip K. Dick | Goodreads 2 |
| 211 | Doctor Who: Who-ology | Cavan Scott | Goodreads 2 |
| 212 | Doomsday Book | Connie Willis | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 213 | Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom | Cory Doctorow | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 214 | Dracula | Bram Stoker | Goodreads 3 |
| 215 | Drowning Towers | George Turner | Goodreads 2 |
| 216 | Duma Key | Stephen King | |
| 217 | Dune (Dune Chronicles #1) | Frank Herbert | Goodreads 2 |
| 218 | Earth | David Brin | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 219 | Earth Abides | George R. Stewart | Goodreads 2 |
| 220 | East | Edith Pattou | Goodreads |
| 221 | Elf Defense (New York, #2) | Esther M. Friesner | Goodreads 3 |
| 222 | Elsewhere | Gabrielle Zevin | Goodreads |
| 223 | Ever | Gail Carson Levine | Goodreads |
| 224 | Factoring Humanity | Robert J. Sawyer | Goodreads 2 |
| 225 | Faerie Tale | Raymond E. Feist | Goodreads |
| 226 | Faery in Shadow | C.J. Cherryh | Goodreads 3 |
| 227 | Fairest | Gail Carson Levine | Goodreads |
| 228 | Faith of Tarot (Tarot, #3) | Piers Anthony | Goodreads 2 |
| 229 | Fallen Angels | Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 230 | Fallen Dragon | Peter F. Hamilton | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 231 | Farmer Giles of Ham | J.R.R. Tolkien | Goodreads |
| 232 | Fata Morgana | William Kotzwinkle | |
| 233 | Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions | Edwin A. Abbott | Goodreads 3 |
| 234 | Flowers for Algernon | Daniel Keyes | Goodreads 2 |
| 235 | Footfall | Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 236 | Forest of Memory | Mary Robinette Kowal | Book Riot 2 |
| 237 | FORESTS OF THE HEART | Charles DeLint | Fantasy Hot List |
| 238 | Fuzzy Nation | John Scalzi | Goodreads 2 |
| 239 | Gagner la guerre | Jean-Philippe Jaworski | |
| 240 | Galileo’s Dream | Kim Stanley Robinson | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 241 | Given to the Sea | Mindy McGinnis | Epic Reads |
| 242 | Glasshouse | Charles Stross | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 243 | Glory Road | Robert A. Heinlein | Goodreads |
| 244 | God of Tarot (Tarot, #1) | Piers Anthony | Goodreads 2 |
| 245 | God’s Demon | Wayne Barlowe | Best Fantasy Books |
| 246 | Going Bovine | Libba Bray | Goodreads 3 |
| 247 | Good Morning, Midnight | Read It Forward | |
| 248 | Grass | Sheri S. Tepper | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 249 | Gravity Dreams | L.E. Modesitt, Jr | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 250 | Great North Road | Peter F. Hamilton | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 251 | Greetings Earthlings, My name is Appleton and I come from the Planet Reginta | J. Jack Bergeron | Goodreads 2 |
| 252 | Guardian | Joe Haldeman | Goodreads 2 |
| 253 | Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality | Eliezer Yudkowsky | |
| 254 | Havenstar | Glenda Larke | |
| 255 | Heart’s Blood | Juliet Marillier | Goodreads |
| 256 | Heartless | Marissa Meyer | Epic Reads |
| 257 | Heir to the Sky | Amanda Sun | Epic Reads |
| 258 | Hex | Read It Forward | |
| 259 | Holes | Louis Sachar | Vicky Thinks |
| 260 | Hollow Pike | James Dawson | Vicky Thinks |
| 261 | Hollow World | Michael J Sullivan | |
| 262 | Holy Fire (Bantam Spectra Book) | Bruce Sterling | Goodreads 2 |
| 263 | House of Suns | Alastair Reynolds | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 264 | How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe | Charles Yu | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 265 | Howl’s Moving Castle | Diana Wynne Jones | Best Fantasy Books |
| 266 | Hyperion | Dan Simmons | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 267 | Illusion | Paula Volsky | |
| 268 | Illusionarium | Heather Dixon | Epic Reads |
| 269 | In the Forests of Serre | Patricia A. McKillip | Goodreads 3 |
| 270 | Infinite Jest | David Foster Wallace | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 271 | Influx | Daniel Suarez | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 272 | Instructions | Neil Gaiman | |
| 273 | Into the Green | Charles de Lint | |
| 274 | It Lives in The Basement | Sahara Foley | Goodreads 3 |
| 275 | Jack of Shadows | Roger Zelazny | |
| 276 | Jackboot Britain | Daniel S. Fletcher | Goodreads 2 |
| 277 | Jenna Starborn | Sharon Shinn | Goodreads 2 |
| 278 | Jerlayne | Lynn Abbey | Goodreads 3 |
| 279 | Jinx | Meg Cabot | Goodreads |
| 280 | Jirel of Joiry | C.L. Moore | Goodreads 3 |
| 281 | Jurassic Park | Michael Crichton | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 282 | Kirlian Quest (Cluster, #3) | Piers Anthony | Goodreads 2 |
| 283 | Knights of Dark Renown | David Gemmell | |
| 284 | Krabat | Otfried Preußler | |
| 285 | Kraken | China Mieville | |
| 286 | Last Dragon | JM McDermott | |
| 287 | Lavinia | Ursula K. Le Guin | Goodreads |
| 288 | Le Grand Meaulnes | Alain-Fournier | Goodreads 3 |
| 289 | Le Morte Darthur | Book Reporter | |
| 290 | Leviathan Wakes | James S.A. Corey | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 291 | Life of Pi | Yann Martel | Goodreads 3 |
| 292 | Lifelode | Jo Walton | Goodreads |
| 293 | Light | M. John Harrison | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 294 | Lips Touch: Three Times | Laini Taylor | Goodreads |
| 295 | Long May She Reign | Rhiannon Thomas | Epic Reads |
| 296 | Lord of the Clans | Christie Golden | |
| 297 | Lord of the Rings | JRR Tolkien | |
| 298 | Lovelock (Mayflower Trilogy, #1) | Orson Scott Card | Goodreads 2 |
| 299 | Lucifer’s Hammer | Larry Niven | Goodreads 2 |
| 300 | Lud-in-the-Mist | Hope Mirrlees | Goodreads |
| 301 | Macbeth | William Shakespeare | |
| 302 | Magic Street | Orson Scott Card | Goodreads |
| 303 | Magician | Raymond E. Feist | Book Wraiths |
| 304 | Maia (Beklan Empire #2) | Richard Adams | Goodreads 3 |
| 305 | Makers | Cory Doctorow | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 306 | Manifold: Time | Stephen Baxter | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 307 | Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti | Genevieve Valentine | |
| 308 | Medair | Andrea K. Höst | |
| 309 | Mirage | Louise Cooper | Book Wraiths |
| 310 | Mirror Mirror | Gregory Maguire | Goodreads |
| 311 | Mistrz i Małgorzata | Mikhail Bulgakov | Goodreads 3 |
| 312 | Mockingbird | Walter Tevis | Goodreads 2 |
| 313 | Momo | Michael Ende | Goodreads |
| 314 | Moonheart | Charles de Lint | Goodreads 3 |
| 315 | More Than Human | Theodore Sturgeon | Best Science Fiction Books |
| 316 | Morningstar | David Gemmell | Epic Fantasy Books |
| 317 | Mote In Gods Eye | Larry Niven | Best Science Fiction Books |
| 318 | Mythago Wood | Robert Holdstock | Best Fantasy Books |
| 319 | Nightfall | Isaac Asimov | Goodreads 2 |
| 320 | Nimona | Noelle Stevenson | Epic Reads |
| 321 | Nobody’s Son | Sean Stewart | Goodreads |
| 322 | NSA Wormhole Project | J. Jack Bergeron | Goodreads 2 |
| 323 | Oath of Fealty | Larry Niven | Goodreads 2 |
| 324 | Ocean At The End Of The Lane | Neil Gaiman | Best Fantasy Books |
| 325 | Of Fire and Stars | Audrey Coulthurst | Epic Reads |
| 326 | Old Man’s War | John Scalzi | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 327 | Old Tin Sorrows | Glen Cook | Book Wraiths |
| 328 | On a Pale Horse (Incarnations of Immortality, #1) | Piers Anthony | Goodreads 2 |
| 329 | On Stranger Tides | Tim Powers | Goodreads |
| 330 | Once a Hero | Michael Stackpole | |
| 331 | One for the Morning Glory | John Barnes | Goodreads |
| 332 | One Hundred Years of Solitude | Gabriel García Márquez | |
| 333 | ONION GIRL | Charles DeLint | Fantasy Hot List |
| 334 | Only Forward | Michael Marshall Smith | Goodreads 2 |
| 335 | Orleans | Sherri Smith | Book Riot 2 |
| 336 | Oryx and Crake | Margaret Atwood | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 337 | Outpassage | Janet E. Morris | Goodreads 2 |
| 338 | Palimpsest | Catherynne M. Valente | Goodreads |
| 339 | Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus | Orson Scott Card | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 340 | Permutation City | Greg Egan | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 341 | Plain Kate | Erin Bow | Goodreads 3 |
| 342 | Player of Games | Iain M. Banks | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 343 | Prey | Michael Crichton | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 344 | Primed | G.P. Francis | Goodreads 2 |
| 345 | Prince of Thorns | Mark Lawrence | Book Wraiths |
| 346 | Pushing Ice | Alastair Reynolds | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 347 | Queen of Angels | Greg Bear | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 348 | Quozl | Alan Dean Foster | Goodreads 2 |
| 349 | Radiance | Read It Forward | |
| 350 | Radio Freefall | Matthew Jarpe | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 351 | Rant | Chuck Palahniuk | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 352 | Rats and Gargoyles | Mary Gentle | Tor |
| 353 | Ready Player One | Ernest Cline | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 354 | Replay | Ken Grimwood | Goodreads |
| 355 | Revenge and The Wild | Michelle Modesto | Epic Reads |
| 356 | River of Gods | Ian MacDonald | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 357 | River of Stars | Guy Gavriel Kay | |
| 358 | Rose Daughter | Robin McKinley | Goodreads |
| 359 | Sand | Read It Forward | |
| 360 | Sand Omnibus (Sand, #1-5) | Hugh Howey | Goodreads 2 |
| 361 | Seveneves | Neal Stephenson | Goodreads 2 |
| 362 | Shadow of the Dragon | Kyra Dune | Goodreads 3 |
| 363 | Sharps | K.J. Parker | Vicky Thinks |
| 364 | Singularity Sky | Charles Stross | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 365 | Slaughterhouse Five | Kurt Vonnegut | Best Science Fiction Books |
| 366 | Sleepwalkers | A. Regina Cantatis | Goodreads 2 |
| 367 | Small Gods | Terry Pratchett | |
| 368 | Smith of Wootton Major | J.R.R. Tolkien | Goodreads |
| 369 | Soft Apocalypse | Will McIntosh | Goodreads 2 |
| 370 | Solaris | Stanisław Lem | Goodreads 2 |
| 371 | Something Wicked This Way Comes | Book Reporter | |
| 372 | Soon I Will Be Invincible | Austin Grossman | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 373 | Sorcerer’s Legacy | Janny Wurts | |
| 374 | Soundless | Richelle Mead | Epic Reads |
| 375 | Spin | Robert Charles Wilson | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 376 | Spindle’s End | Robin McKinley | Goodreads |
| 377 | Starship Troopers | Robert A. Heinlein | Goodreads 2 |
| 378 | Steal Across the Sky | Nancy Kress | Goodreads 2 |
| 379 | Steel Beach | John Varley | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 380 | Sword-Dancer | Jennifer Roberson | Book Wraiths |
| 381 | Tell the Wind and Fire | Sarah Rees Brennan | Epic Reads |
| 382 | The 40-Minute War | Janet E. Morris | Goodreads 2 |
| 383 | The Alchemy of Stone | Ekaterina Sedia | Goodreads |
| 384 | The Algebraist | Iain M. Banks | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 385 | The Android’s Dream | John Scalzi | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 386 | The Ark | Annabel Smith | Goodreads 2 |
| 387 | The Autumn Castle (Europa, #1) | Kim Wilkins | Goodreads 3 |
| 388 | The Ballad of Black Tom | Victor LaValle | Book Riot |
| 389 | The Boat of a Million Years | Poul Anderson | Goodreads 2 |
| 390 | The Book of Atrix Wolfe | Patricia A. McKillip | Goodreads 3 |
| 391 | The Book Of Joby | Mark J. Ferrari | Best Fantasy Books |
| 392 | The Chaos Of the Stars | Kiersten White | Epic Reads |
| 393 | The Children of Hurin | JRR and Christopher Tolkien | |
| 394 | The Circus of Dr. Lao | Charles G. Finney | Goodreads |
| 395 | The Darkest Part of the Forest | Holly Black | Epic Reads |
| 396 | The Death Catchers | Jennifer Anne Kogler | Bustle |
| 397 | The Demolished Man | Alfred Bester | Best Science Fiction Books |
| 398 | The Dosadi Experiment | Frank Herbert | Best Science Fiction Books |
| 399 | The Drowning Girl | Caitlin Kiernan | |
| 400 | The Earth Gate | Chris Comish | Goodreads 2 |
| 401 | The Emperor’s Wolf | J.C. Owens | Goodreads |
| 402 | The End of Eternity | Isaac Asimov | Goodreads 2 |
| 403 | The Family Tree | Sheri S. Tepper | Goodreads 3 |
| 404 | The Firebrand | Marion Zimmer Bradley | Goodreads 3 |
| 405 | The First 15 Lives of Harry August | Claire North | Best Fantasy Books HQ |
| 406 | The Folk Keeper | Franny Billingsley | Goodreads |
| 407 | The Folly of the World | Jesse Bullington | |
| 408 | The Fox Woman | Kij Johnson | Tor |
| 409 | The Girl with All the Gifts | MR Carey | |
| 410 | The Giver | Lois Lowry | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 411 | The Gods Themselves | Isaac Asimov | Goodreads 2 |
| 412 | The Golden Globe | John Varley | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 413 | The Gone-Away World | Nick Harkaway | |
| 414 | The Gunslinger | Stephen King | Book Wraiths |
| 415 | The Hero and the Crown | Robin McKinley | Book Wraiths |
| 416 | The Hob’s Bargain | Patricia Briggs | Goodreads 3 |
| 417 | The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxset (The Hunger Games, #1-3) | Suzanne Collins | Goodreads 2 |
| 418 | The Idylls of the Queen | Phyllis Ann Karr | |
| 419 | The Infinity Link | Star Rigger | |
| 420 | The Iron Dragon’s Daughter | Michael Swanwick | |
| 421 | The Keeper of the Mist | Rachel Neumeier | Epic Reads |
| 422 | The Killing of Elfland’s Daughter | Book Reporter | |
| 423 | The Killing Star | Charles R. Pellegrino & George Zebrowski | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 424 | The Kingdom Of Little Wounds | Suzann Cokal | Epic Reads |
| 425 | The Lathe of Heaven | Ursula K. Le Guin | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 426 | The Legend of Nightfall | Mickey Zucker Reichert | Book Wraiths |
| 427 | The Library At Mount Char | Read It Forward | |
| 428 | The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe | C.S. Lewis | Book Wraiths |
| 429 | The Little Mermaid | Hans Christian Andersen | Goodreads |
| 430 | The Little Prince | Antoine de Saint-Exupéry | Goodreads 3 |
| 431 | The Magic of Recluce | L.E. Modesitt, Jr. | Book Wraiths |
| 432 | The Master and Margarita | Mikhail Bulgakov | Goodreads |
| 433 | The Masters of Solitude (Masters of Solitude, #1) | Marvin Kaye | Goodreads 2 |
| 434 | The Merro Tree | Katie Waitman | Goodreads 2 |
| 435 | The Mote in God’s Eye | Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 436 | The Mount | Carol Emshwiler | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 437 | The Perilous Gard | Elizabeth Marie Pope | Goodreads |
| 438 | The Postmortal | Drew Magary | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 439 | The Rapture Effect | Star Rigger | |
| 440 | The Rathbones | Janice Clark | Bustle |
| 441 | The Shadow Queen | C.J. Redwine | Epic Reads |
| 442 | The Siren | Kiera Cass | Epic Reads |
| 443 | The Snow Queen (The Snow Queen Cycle, #1) | Joan D. Vinge | Goodreads 3 |
| 444 | The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps | Kai Ashante Wilson | Book Riot |
| 445 | The Sparrow | Mary Doria Russell | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 446 | The Stars Change | Mary Anne Mohanraj | Book Riot 2 |
| 447 | The Supernaturalist | Eoin Colfer | Goodreads |
| 448 | The Swan Kingdom | Zoë Marriott | Goodreads |
| 449 | The Sword of Shannara | Terry Brooks | Book Wraiths |
| 450 | The Terror | Dan Simmons | Best Fantasy Books |
| 451 | The Thief Lord | Cornelia Funke | Goodreads |
| 452 | The Thief of Always | Clive Barker | Goodreads |
| 453 | The Time Machine | H. G. Wells | Best Science Fiction Books |
| 454 | THE TIME SHIPS | Stephen Baxter | Fantasy Hot List |
| 455 | The Tower of Fear | Glen Cook | Book Wraiths |
| 456 | The Troupe | Robert Jackson Bennett | |
| 457 | The Wanderers | Meg Howrey | Goodreads 2 |
| 458 | The Way Of Kings | Book Reporter | |
| 459 | The Wild Swans | Peg Kerr | Goodreads 3 |
| 460 | The Wind in the Willows | Kenneth Grahame | Goodreads |
| 461 | The Wish Granter | C.J. Redwine | Epic Reads |
| 462 | The Wish List | Eoin Colfer | Goodreads |
| 463 | The Witches of Karres (The Witches of Karres, #1) | James H. Schmitz | Goodreads 2 |
| 464 | The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz | Book Reporter | |
| 465 | The Worm Ouroboros | E. R. Eddison | Best Fantasy Books |
| 466 | The Wreck of The River of Stars | Michael Flynn | Goodreads 2 |
| 467 | THIS ALIEN SHORE | C. S. Friedman | Fantasy Hot List |
| 468 | Thousandstar (Cluster, #4) | Piers Anthony | Goodreads 2 |
| 469 | Threshold | Sara Douglass | Goodreads |
| 470 | Tiger Lily | Jodi Lynn Anderson | Epic Reads |
| 471 | To Reign In Hell | Book Reporter | |
| 472 | To Say Nothing of the Dog | Connie Willis | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 473 | Triggers | Robert J. Sawyer | Goodreads 2 |
| 474 | Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea | Jules Verne | Goodreads 2 |
| 475 | Un Lun Dun | China Miéville | Goodreads |
| 476 | Uncharted Stars | Andre Norton | Goodreads 2 |
| 477 | Under the Skin | Michael Faber | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 478 | Unhooked | Lisa Maxwell | Epic Reads |
| 479 | Unicorn Mountain | Michael Bishop | Goodreads 3 |
| 480 | Unicorns in the Rain | Barbara Cohen | Goodreads |
| 481 | Use of Weapons | Iain M. Banks | The Best Sci Fi Books |
| 482 | Vassa in the Night | Sarah Porter | Epic Reads |
| 483 | Vicious (Villains, #1) | V.E. Schwab | Goodreads 3 |
| 484 | Villains By Necessity | Book Reporter | |
| 485 | Vision of Tarot (Tarot, #2) | Piers Anthony | Goodreads 2 |
| 486 | Voice of the Fire | Alan Moore | Goodreads |
| 487 | WAR OF THE FLOWERS | Tad Williams | Fantasy Hot List |
| 488 | We | Yevgeny Zamyatin | Goodreads 2 |
| 489 | Where Late The Sweet Birds Sang | Kate Wilhelm… | Best Science Fiction Books |
| 490 | While Beauty Slept | Elizabeth Blackwell | Silver Lining |
| 491 | WHIPPING STAR | Frank Herbert | Fantasy Hot List |
| 492 | WHITE PLAGUE | Frank Herbert | Fantasy Hot List |
| 493 | Who Fears Death | Nnedi Okorafor | |
| 494 | Wishing Season | Esther M. Friesner | Goodreads 3 |
| 495 | Wizard of the Grove | Tanya Huff | Goodreads 3 |
| 496 | Wizard of the Pigeons | Megan Lindholm | Goodreads 3 |
| 497 | Wizenbeak (Wizenbeak Trilogy, #1) | Alexis A. Gilliland | Goodreads 2 |
| 498 | World Without End | Molly Cochran | Goodreads 2 |
| 499 | Zoo City | Lauren Beukes | Vicky Thinks |
23 Best Standalone Sci-Fi & Fantasy Book Sources/Lists
| Source | Article |
| Barnes & Noble | 5 Amazing Standalone Epic Fantasies |
| Best Fantasy Books | Best Stand Alone Fantasy Books |
| Best Fantasy Books HQ | TOP STANDALONE FANTASY NOVELS |
| Best Science Fiction Books | Best Stand Alone Science Fiction Books |
| Book Reporter | Stand Alone Fantasy Titles |
| Book Riot | 7 Standalone Novels for Fantasy Lovers |
| Book Riot 2 | 7 Standalone Novels for Science Fiction Lovers |
| Book Wraiths | BEST STANDALONE FANTASY NOVELS (UPDATED) |
| Bustle | 15 Standalone Fantasy Novels For When You Don’t Want a Commitment |
| Epic Fantasy Books | Great Standalone Fantasy Books |
| Epic Reads | 25 Epic YA Fantasy Standalones for the Commitment-Phobe |
| Fantasy Hot List | The Best Fantasy/Scifi Stand-Alone Novels |
| Goodreads | Best Standalone Fantasy |
| Goodreads 2 | Best Stand-Alone Science Fiction |
| Goodreads 3 | Best Stand-Alone Fantasy Book |
| Read It Forward | Standalone Science Fiction and Fantasy Reads |
| /r/Fantasy’s “Best-of Standalones” RESULTS Thread | |
| Silver Lining | What to Read: Stand-Alone Fantasy Novels |
| Star Rigger | Standalone Novels |
| Steemit | My favorite standalone fantasy books |
| The Best Sci Fi Books | Reddit’s Favorite Stand-alone Science Fiction Novels |
| Tor | Never Wait for a Sequel Again: 17 Standalone Fantasy Novels |
| Vicky Thinks | Top Ten Standalone Fantasy Books |
