I can’t begin to recount the amount of times I’ve picked up a book, hoping to dive into a one and done fantasy novel, only to realize it’s the first book in a series. There’s nothing wrong with this, of course, and sometimes it’s exciting to realize there’s only more of the story to come. However, sometimes committing to a three, five, or thirteen novel series is just too much to ask of us poor readers.
As someone who likes to jump around from genre to genre a LOT, it’s surprisingly difficult for me to commit to anything more than a trilogy. By the fourth or fifth fantasy book in a series, I’m ready for a different flavor. Because of this, I typically look for standalone fantasy novels, unless the series sounds like something that’s really up my alley.
From the amount of TikToks I’ve seen recommending standalone fantasy novels, I know I’m not the only person who seeks out these types of books specifically. I figured I would compile a list here of some great, standalone fantasy novels to dive into. I’m including all sorts of “fantasy” novels, from high fantasy to supernatural Gothic fantasy, so there should be something for everybody.
A few notes additional notes:
- I’ll add to this list periodically as I find new books that fit the criteria, so be sure to come back and check for updates!
- Because this is a longer list, I’m not going to write blurbs for each book. However, if I already have a review/discussion of the book, I’ll post a link to where you can find that.
- I’m including some books that are spin-offs, or are connected to other book series but can still be read as a standalone.
- If I’m listing multiple books by an author, the first book will have the author’s name listed. The following books will be by that author until a new author’s name is listed.
The List:
- Stardust by Neil Gaiman
- American Gods
- Neverwhere
- Good Omens
- Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
- Uprooted
- The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip
- Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
- The Twisted Ones
- Johnathon Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susana Clarke
There you have it! Here are some fantasy novels for you to read when you don’t feel like committing to a full series.
The Lit Wiz