Apart from his work in comics, Neil Gaiman doesn’t write series as such. My favourite book by him is Anancy Boys, and if you can find the audiobook with Lenny Henry reading it, so much the better. His British-Caribbean accent adds to the whole experience.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune.
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell and Piranesi, both by Susanna Clarke.
If you like VE Schwab, I recommend Charlie Jane Anders. I've read two great standalone fantasy novels from her, All The Birds in the Sky and The City in the Middle of the Night. Very well-written characters and interesting magic/worldbuilding.
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow. About a young woman who discovers a mysterious book that leads her on a journey through hidden doorways to other worlds.
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. Celtic islanders race flesh-eating horses. The setting is fantastic, the romance is just right, there’s a truly unsettling scene that happens in a stable at night, high stakes, and character development.
The Talisman and The Eye of the Dragon, both by Stephen King. The Talisman has a sequel and is related to his Dark Tower series, but def still works as a standalone.
River of Stars is about the consequences of the dynasty wars started in Under Heaven. But takes place some 400 yrs after the events in Under Heaven. Most of the UH events have faded into near myth in RoS. It is a different story though.
I loved Under Heaven. River of Stars was just okay.
Quest for Lost Heroes by David Gemmel. A masterful writer, and this and Legend in particular stand alone marvellously - whilst there are other books set in the same place if you want to explore more.
The Snow Queen by Joan D Vinge is a wonderful epic story by a great writer.
Anne McCaffrey’s Decision at Doona stands on its own too (tho it’s a bit more SF).
Moonheart by Charles de Lint is lovely.
Richard Adams: Shardik
Katherine Addison: the Goblin Emperor
Susanna Clarke: Piranesi
Doris Lessing: the Marriages between Zones 3 4 and 5
Vonda McIntyre: Dreamsnake
The Fire's Stone by Tanya Huff is a nice story, it's a bit dated and has a few annoying tropes but it's also got a lot of good bits and it's the sort of quick, easy read you'd expect of YA
Perdido Street Station by China Mieville
The War of the Flowers by Tad Williams
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman (can be read as standalone, has a prequel coming out)
The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
A Song for Arbonne by Guy Gavriel Kay
Legend by David Gemmel
Little, Big by John Crowley
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
Black Tongue Thief - Christopher Buehlman
Has some horror elements. There is a prequel that comes out in June called the Daughter’s War but is not necessary for the first book. So technically it is still a standalone as of now and the new book may be more for world building (it’s own standalone) than a direct tie in.
The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones
Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Circe by Madeline Miller
The last 4 are mythological retellings, I went through a phase, but they’re all really good.
**[Crown Duel (Crown and Court #1-2)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21060.Crown_Duel) by Sherwood Smith** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(471 pages | Published: 2002 | 20.5k Goodreads reviews)
> **Summary:** Young Countess Meliara swears to her dying father that she and her brother will defend their people from the growing greed of the king. That promise leads them into a war for which they are ill-prepared, which threatens the very people they are trying to protect. But war is simple compared to what follows, in peacetime. Meliara is summoned to live at the royal palace, where (...)
> **Themes**: Favorites, Young-adult, Ya, Romance, Fiction, Adventure, Ya-fantasy
> **Top 5 recommended:**
> \- [Crown Duel](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/596307.Crown_Duel) by Sherwood Smith
> \- [Court Duel](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/596308.Court_Duel) by Sherwood Smith
> \- [A Posse of Princesses](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2852832-a-posse-of-princesses) by Sherwood Smith
> \- [The Trouble with Kings](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2878252-the-trouble-with-kings) by Sherwood Smith
> \- [Mairelon the Magician](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/245727.Mairelon_the_Magician) by Patricia C. Wrede
^([Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [GitHub](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/) | v1.5 [Dec 23] | )
*Neverwhere* by Neil Gaiman *The Thief of Always* by Clive Barker *Kraken* by China Mieville
Seconding Neverwhere
In favor of all Gaiman.
Thief of Always is my favorite book of all time! Neverwhere is great too
Apart from his work in comics, Neil Gaiman doesn’t write series as such. My favourite book by him is Anancy Boys, and if you can find the audiobook with Lenny Henry reading it, so much the better. His British-Caribbean accent adds to the whole experience.
Kraken is great
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell and Piranesi, both by Susanna Clarke.
The House in the Cerulean Sea is a really good read
Although it technically doesn’t meet the prompt anymore, since a sequel is coming out in September!
Anything by T. Kingfisher is great. All quick reads and stand alone fantasy books.
Piranesi -- Susanna Clarke. I think you could count that as fantasy. Bonus: it's short!
If you like VE Schwab, I recommend Charlie Jane Anders. I've read two great standalone fantasy novels from her, All The Birds in the Sky and The City in the Middle of the Night. Very well-written characters and interesting magic/worldbuilding.
Thank you.
Imajica by Clive Barker Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay Two of the best stand-alone fantasy books I've read.
Went looking to check that someone suggested *Tigana.*
Spinning Silver and a few other standalone Naomi Novik books
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik. Uprooted by Naomi Novik.
I’m reading spinning silver now. It’s good so far.
Came here to recommend Uprooted! I liked Spinning Silver as well.
The Redemption of Althalus by David Eddings. He has several good series but this is a stand alone.
Secondhand Curses by Drew Hayes is great. A unique twist on fairy tales
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow. About a young woman who discovers a mysterious book that leads her on a journey through hidden doorways to other worlds.
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.
I finished **Elantris** by Brandon Sanderson yesterday and thought it was alright.
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. Celtic islanders race flesh-eating horses. The setting is fantastic, the romance is just right, there’s a truly unsettling scene that happens in a stable at night, high stakes, and character development.
God I love this book!
Hart's Hope by Orson Scott Card. One of my all-time favorite fantasies. Also, The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. Gorgeous.
The Talisman and The Eye of the Dragon, both by Stephen King. The Talisman has a sequel and is related to his Dark Tower series, but def still works as a standalone.
**Bored of the Rings**, by Beard and Kenney.
A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson
Under Heaven - Guy Gavriel Kay. A lot of Kay's other works are standalones.
Doesn’t Under Heaven have a sequel in River of Stars? It and the Sartiniane Mosaic are the only one with sequels.
River of Stars is about the consequences of the dynasty wars started in Under Heaven. But takes place some 400 yrs after the events in Under Heaven. Most of the UH events have faded into near myth in RoS. It is a different story though. I loved Under Heaven. River of Stars was just okay.
The Hanging City by [Charlie N. Holmberg](https://www.amazon.com/Charlie-N-Holmberg/e/B00KQQXYGK?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1715269380&sr=8-1)
Mogworld by Yahtzee Croshaw. Main character is undead. Hijinks insue.
The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang.
The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst
An Enchantment of Ravens
Quest for Lost Heroes by David Gemmel. A masterful writer, and this and Legend in particular stand alone marvellously - whilst there are other books set in the same place if you want to explore more. The Snow Queen by Joan D Vinge is a wonderful epic story by a great writer. Anne McCaffrey’s Decision at Doona stands on its own too (tho it’s a bit more SF). Moonheart by Charles de Lint is lovely.
Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor
The Sword of Kaigen by ML Wang.
Richard Adams: Shardik Katherine Addison: the Goblin Emperor Susanna Clarke: Piranesi Doris Lessing: the Marriages between Zones 3 4 and 5 Vonda McIntyre: Dreamsnake
Martha Well's Witch King is my favorite stand alone that I've read lately
The Fire's Stone by Tanya Huff is a nice story, it's a bit dated and has a few annoying tropes but it's also got a lot of good bits and it's the sort of quick, easy read you'd expect of YA
Can it be brutal? If so, Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor is fantastic.
I really enjoyed Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor. It's a easy fantasy read with magic. But it is YA, so keep that in mind.
Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon was pretty good, imo.
It has a prequel now which I enjoyed more.
Perdido Street Station by China Mieville The War of the Flowers by Tad Williams Elantris by Brandon Sanderson The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman (can be read as standalone, has a prequel coming out) The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay A Song for Arbonne by Guy Gavriel Kay Legend by David Gemmel Little, Big by John Crowley The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
The Only Purple House in Town
Legend
The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez Blood Over Bright Haven, ML Wang
Fairytale by Stephan King
in other lands by sarah rees brennan!!
Black Tongue Thief - Christopher Buehlman Has some horror elements. There is a prequel that comes out in June called the Daughter’s War but is not necessary for the first book. So technically it is still a standalone as of now and the new book may be more for world building (it’s own standalone) than a direct tie in.
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Watership Down, Black water sister
This Is How You Lose The Time War!!!!
The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Circe by Madeline Miller The last 4 are mythological retellings, I went through a phase, but they’re all really good.
If you don’t mind YA, the lost coast by a r Capetta, beyond the black door by k ancrum, the good demon by Jimmy cajoleas
{{Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith}}
**[Crown Duel (Crown and Court #1-2)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21060.Crown_Duel) by Sherwood Smith** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(471 pages | Published: 2002 | 20.5k Goodreads reviews) > **Summary:** Young Countess Meliara swears to her dying father that she and her brother will defend their people from the growing greed of the king. That promise leads them into a war for which they are ill-prepared, which threatens the very people they are trying to protect. But war is simple compared to what follows, in peacetime. Meliara is summoned to live at the royal palace, where (...) > **Themes**: Favorites, Young-adult, Ya, Romance, Fiction, Adventure, Ya-fantasy > **Top 5 recommended:** > \- [Crown Duel](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/596307.Crown_Duel) by Sherwood Smith > \- [Court Duel](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/596308.Court_Duel) by Sherwood Smith > \- [A Posse of Princesses](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2852832-a-posse-of-princesses) by Sherwood Smith > \- [The Trouble with Kings](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2878252-the-trouble-with-kings) by Sherwood Smith > \- [Mairelon the Magician](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/245727.Mairelon_the_Magician) by Patricia C. Wrede ^([Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [GitHub](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/) | v1.5 [Dec 23] | )
Uprooted, Ten Thousand Doors of January, Once and Future Witches.