# Best Stand Alone Fantasy Novel? (no spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 22, 2013, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494 "2013-11-22T03:25:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/41 "2013-11-22T19:54:36Z")
Yes, it’s _Little, Big_. A contender that no one else has mentioned is Mark Helprin’s _Winter’s Tale_. ---
**Author:** ![Donegal\_Dragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Donegal\_Dragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donegal_Dragon)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/42 "2013-11-22T20:38:19Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Yes, it’s _Little, Big_. > > A contender that no one else has mentioned is Mark Helprin’s _Winter’s Tale_. Great choice. Hadn’t thought of “Winters Tale” in a long time. Going to have to dig it out again! ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/43 "2013-11-22T21:01:10Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > **Tales From Watership Down** isn’t a true sequel, more of a companion book full of El Ahrairah tales. As a high-schooler, I adored Watership Down, so when Tales came out in college, I was ecstatic–until I read it and realized the stories in it ranged from mediocre to dreadful, lacking all the charm and wit of the original stories. I don’t acknowledge its existence :). I think some of the stories were side tales of life on the Down after the the original book and things like that, not just lapine mythology. But I agree that it was pretty dire stuff and I only read it once (out of obligation by the end) and never touched it since. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/44 "2013-11-22T21:22:15Z")
_Watership Down_ is a great one! Although I don’t think it qualifies for this thread, because it’s about real rabbits and I don’t think anything magical ever happens if you view the El Ahrairah stuff as symbolic. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/45 "2013-11-22T21:46:59Z")
> [@galen\_ubal](#): > > _Good Omens_, by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. Dated very, very badly. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/46 "2013-11-22T21:59:23Z")
I really enjoyed _Neverwhere_ by Gaiman. I thought _Imajica_ by Clive Barker was pretty great. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/47 "2013-11-22T22:12:16Z")
FWIW, a bit of googling turned up [this list of “25 Best Stand Alone Fantasy Novels.”](http://bestfantasybooks.com/best-stand-alone-fantasy-books.html) It has a lot of overlap with this thread, but _Little, Big_ is nowhere to be found. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/48 "2013-11-22T22:32:27Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > FWIW, a bit of googling turned up [this list of “25 Best Stand Alone Fantasy Novels.”](http://bestfantasybooks.com/best-stand-alone-fantasy-books.html) It has a lot of overlap with this thread, but _Little, Big_ is nowhere to be found. I like that list. Surprised/glad to see **The Book of Joby** on it, and **The Anubis Gates** – those would have been my other two recs, after **Tigana**. ---
**Author:** ![Gulo\_gulo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bcef8e/32.png) [@Gulo\_gulo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gulo_gulo)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/49 "2013-11-22T22:33:58Z")
I logged in just to mention _Winter’s Tale_. (There’s a movie released next year. I’m hesitantly excited but know it won’t capture the soul of the book.) I’ll add my support for _Bridge of Birds_ and _Tigana_, both of which I resisted due to hype then smacked myself for doing so after enjoying them thoroughly. _The Curse of Chalion_ is a great book and does well as a stand-alone even though it looks like there are more books out there continuing the story. I also quite enjoyed _The Night Circus_. (Ugh, I just skimmed that list of 25 Best Stand Alone Fantasy Novels and saw “The Book of Joby” on it. Horrible horrible horrible miserable book.) ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/50 "2013-11-22T22:39:46Z")
**The Night Circus** was dreadful. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/51 "2013-11-22T23:19:24Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > FWIW, a bit of googling turned up [this list of “25 Best Stand Alone Fantasy Novels.”](http://bestfantasybooks.com/best-stand-alone-fantasy-books.html) It has a lot of overlap with this thread, but _Little, Big_ is nowhere to be found. It also has Roger Zelazny’s \*Lord of Light \*on it, which is an absolutely terrific book but one that is straight sf, with no fantasy element except in the deliberate style it uses for prose. Makes you wonder whether people really read and understand the books they write about. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/52 "2013-11-22T23:24:55Z")
_The Forgotten Beasts of Eld_ by Patricia McKillip. Very lyrical. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/53 "2013-11-22T23:25:26Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > FWIW, a bit of googling turned up [this list of “25 Best Stand Alone Fantasy Novels.”](http://bestfantasybooks.com/best-stand-alone-fantasy-books.html) It has a lot of overlap with this thread, but _Little, Big_ is nowhere to be found. I had forgotten **Mythago Wood** although I now remember enjoying it greatly. Barlow’s \*\*God’s Demon \*\* (on the removed list) was an interesting idea but he made the story of a Prince of Hell saying “Enough! I AM SICK OF LIVING LIKE THIS!” and trying to return to Heaven to ask forgiveness and made that story dull. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/54 "2013-11-22T23:36:55Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > I had forgotten **Mythago Wood** although I now remember enjoying it greatly. Barlow’s \*\*God’s Demon \*\* (on the removed list) was an interesting idea but he made the story of a Prince of Hell saying “Enough! I AM SICK OF LIVING LIKE THIS!” and trying to return to Heaven to ask forgiveness and made that story dull. Try _Aloha From Hell_ and _Devil Said Bang_ in Richard Kadrey’s excellent _Sandman Slim_ series, which have a similar premise: The gentlemanly Lucifer gets weary of running Hell and goes into quiet retirement in Heaven, leaving the Prince of Darkness stuff to hard-bitten gun-totin’ half-angel Richard Stark, former Los Angeles black magician turned Hell’s gladiator turned Hell’s assassin turned private eye turned freelance supernatural badass. Like a gonzo Harry Dresden with a nasty streak and a filthy attitude. Gleeful pulp _guignol_ with a surprisingly thoughtful eschatology. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/55 "2013-11-23T00:01:27Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > FWIW, a bit of googling turned up [this list of “25 Best Stand Alone Fantasy Novels.”](http://bestfantasybooks.com/best-stand-alone-fantasy-books.html) It has a lot of overlap with this thread, but _Little, Big_ is nowhere to be found. Nice list. Thanks. And it has **American Gods** , which would get my vote for best stand alone fantasy. Also has **War for the Oaks** , by Emma Bull, which I liked, but haven’t feld compelled to reread several times. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/56 "2013-11-23T00:34:12Z")
One obscure one that I absolutely love is _[The Inverted World](http://www.amazon.com/Inverted-World-Review-Books-Classics/dp/1590172698/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1385166687&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Inverted+World)_, by Christopher Priest. I can’t recall ever encountering any other person who has read this book, but it’s wonderful. I won’t even begin explaining what it’s about, since it’s so delightfully strange that I couldn’t do it justice. But you gotta’ read it. Honorable mentions: _[The High House](http://www.amazon.com/High-House-James-Stoddard/dp/0446606790/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1385166805&sr=1-1&keywords=The+High+House)_, by James Stoddard. _[Okla Hannali](http://www.amazon.com/Okla-Hannali-R-Lafferty/dp/0806123494/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1385166836&sr=1-1&keywords=Okla+Hannali)_, by R. A. Lafferty ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/57 "2013-11-23T00:41:56Z")
How about William Hope Hodgson’s **The House on the Borderland**? ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/58 "2013-11-23T02:31:35Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > _[The High House](http://www.amazon.com/High-House-James-Stoddard/dp/0446606790/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1385166805&sr=1-1&keywords=The+High+House)_, by James Stoddard. Good one, and I think a good one to get a younger reader into fantasy. > [@](#): > > _[Okla Hannali](http://www.amazon.com/Okla-Hannali-R-Lafferty/dp/0806123494/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1385166836&sr=1-1&keywords=Okla+Hannali)_, by R. A. Lafferty Looks good. Ordered it. Appreciate the link, because I’m usually too lazy to do it myself. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/59 "2013-11-23T03:33:06Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > I like that list. Surprised/glad to see **The Book of Joby** on it, and **The Anubis Gates** – those would have been my other two recs, after **Tigana**. I think “Declare” is a better fantasy than The Anubis Gates, and also “The Stress of Her Regard,” but there is NOTHING wrong with The Anubis Gates. Powers had a string of years where he was knocking everything he wrote right out of the park. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/60 "2013-11-23T03:37:33Z")
I loved **The Book of Lost Things**. So many authors nowadays try to reinterpret fairytales in a way that’s supposed to be dark and edgy but usually just ends up being affected. But this book does it brilliantly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494.md?page=4)