# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/61 "2013-11-23T03:40:54Z")
I realize that ‘ **The Chronicles of Amber** ’ is not a ‘single book’, but given todays standards of single novels being 6-7-800 pages long, I would say you could combine the 5 books into one novel and it would be a great standalone novel. You don’t even need the sequel ‘book’ if you don’t want to. I also like Tad William “ **TailChasers Song** ”, . ---
**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 23, 2013, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/62 "2013-11-23T04:17:21Z")
> [@simster](#): > > I realize that ‘ **The Chronicles of Amber** ’ is not a ‘single book’, but given todays standards of single novels being 6-7-800 pages long, I would say you could combine the 5 books into one novel and it would be a great standalone novel. It would be even better because much of the repetition could be edited out. I can’t fault Zelazny for writing in the style of his times. Five separate books undoubtedly brought in more money than a single fat novel would have, even if he could have found a publisher for it. (Nobody expected _Dhalgren_ to succeed and it came along five years after the first Amber book in any case. Here’s a subject that could get contentious: is _Dhalgren_ a fantasy?) I believe Amber was the first thing he wrote after quitting work to become a full-time writer and the theory at the time was that authors put out standalone novels as fast as possible. He wove the Amber books around a great many others. Nothing he ever did as a full-timer was quite as wonderful as he did in the 1960s, but they made much more money. A lesson is is there somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Achren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@Achren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achren)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/63 "2013-11-23T04:50:05Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > If we’re not to mention _The Lord of the Rings_, there’s _The Last Unicorn_ by Peter Beagle. I really enjoy _Tamsin_ by Peter Beagle. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/64 "2013-11-23T05:30:14Z")
I’ll just throw in some things that haven’t been mentioned that I gave 5 stars on Goodreads: _Spindle’s End_, by Robin McKinley _Song for the Basilisk_, by Patricia McKillip _The Weirdstone of Brisingamen_, by Alan Garner _The Hounds of the Morrigan_, by Pat O’Shea ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/65 "2013-11-23T09:53:45Z")
> [@simster](#): > > I also like Tad William “ **TailChasers Song** ”, . I have mixed feelings about it. It’s been quite a while, but as I recall my impression was that it was an interesting idea, well executed, used to tell a not-so-interesting story. I’m pleased to have read it, but have no impulse to read it again. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/66 "2013-11-23T10:58:48Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > It would be even better because much of the repetition could be edited out. > > I can’t fault Zelazny for writing in the style of his times. _His_ times? Almost all genre fiction published _now_ is intended to be a multi-book series; the stand-alone novel is a dying breed. ---
**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 23, 2013, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/67 "2013-11-23T12:21:23Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > How about William Hope Hodgson’s **The House on the Borderland**? It is more historic than well written or even particularly good reading, but it is important. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/68 "2013-11-23T15:15:16Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > _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. 😃 As an author, I can tell you that publishers consider “talking animal” books, which this is, a type of fantasy. Also, the rabbits strategize and think about things in ways actual rabbits don’t. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/69 "2013-11-23T23:40:45Z")
> [@Gulo\_gulo](#): > > _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. It’s nominally the first of a trilogy, but I heartily agree that it is excellent on its own. I guess it’s my favorite book of all time, out of thousands I’ve read. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/70 "2013-11-23T23:43:17Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > 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. I’m here to nominate _Drawing of the Dark,_ by Tim Powers. One of my favorite fantasy novels. ---
**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 24, 2013, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/71 "2013-11-24T00:27:52Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > As an author, I can tell you that publishers consider “talking animal” books, which this is, a type of fantasy. I took a class once in Fantasy Lit (just for fun), and _Watership Down_ is one of the books we read. I agree it’s a great one. For the record, another “talking animal” book we read was _The Wind in the Willows_, which I don’t think I’ve seen mentioned yet here. ---
**Author:** ![bashere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@bashere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bashere)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2013, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/72 "2013-11-24T03:26:16Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > I’m here to nominate _Drawing of the Dark,_ by Tim Powers. One of my favorite fantasy novels. It’s cool to see all the Tim Powers fans (I always thought he was kind of obscure), but I’d nominate **On Stranger Tides** as his best book (I don’t think I’d call it the best standalone fantasy novel ever, though) ---
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2013, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/73 "2013-11-24T03:53:20Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > _The Weirdstone of Brisingamen_, by Alan Garner It has sequels: (_The Moon of Gomrath_ and the recently-published _Boneland_) My favourites: _The Giant Under the Snow_ and _The House on the Brink_ - John Gordon _Kraken_ and _Railsea_ - China Mieville _A Red Country_ and \*The Heroes \*- Joe Abercrombie (They’re set in the same world as the First Law trilogy, but stand alone) ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2013, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/74 "2013-11-24T03:53:47Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > 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. > [@Ethilrist](#): > > I’m here to nominate _Drawing of the Dark,_ by Tim Powers. One of my favorite fantasy novels. > [@bashere](#): > > It’s cool to see all the Tim Powers fans (I always thought he was kind of obscure), but I’d nominate **On Stranger Tides** as his best book > (I don’t think I’d call it the best standalone fantasy novel ever, though) **Last Call** \> **Anubis Gates** \> **Declare** \> **On Stranger Tides** \> **The Stress of Her Regard** \> **Drawing of the Dark** 😉 And not a bad book in that list. In fact they are all great and really IMHO the first four are almost tied with each other. Sadly Powers seems to have lost his mojo the last couple of times through, but at his best he was hard to top for excellent singletons. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2013, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/75 "2013-11-24T03:59:09Z")
> [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](#): > > _A Red Country_ and \*The Heroes \*- Joe Abercrombie (They’re set in the same world as the First Law trilogy, but stand alone) They’re standalones? Cool. I have both books but haven’t read them (or even looked at the jackets). I thought they were series books. Abercrombie is someone I buy automatically. ---
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2013, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/76 "2013-11-24T16:34:29Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > They’re standalones? Cool. I have both books but haven’t read them (or even looked at the jackets). I thought they were series books. Abercrombie is someone I buy automatically. It helps to have read his other books as some characters recur but its certainly not essential. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2013, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/77 "2013-11-24T17:11:55Z")
It’s Modern Fantasy not traditional fantasy but I would add The Case of the Toxic Spell Dump. ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2013, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/78 "2013-11-24T21:58:06Z")
_Little Big_ is an excellent choice IMO - you put that down and it is apparent that no one else could have written it, there is a uniquity to it that a book like _Tigana_, to pick a random example, does not possess. Sitting alongside _Little, Big_ in the top drawer of standalone fantasy is _Peace_, by Gene Wolfe. His first full length novel and maybe his best, which is some praise given the man’s achievements as a writer. _Peace_ is not widely read, though (as in far less people have read it than have read Little, Big, which means next to no one), so a bit obscure to be laying claim to the crown of best standalone fantasy book. Truly great writing though, I’m well overdue for a re-read on that one. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/79 "2013-11-24T23:45:03Z")
_Sweet Silver Blues_ by Glen Cook. Fantasy meets Hard Boiled Mystery. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494/80 "2013-11-25T03:35:45Z")
I’ve not rread most of these, but I’d second **American Gods.** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-stand-alone-fantasy-novel-no-spoilers/674494.md?page=5)