A year ago I wrote an article about what were my top 5 fantasy series that everyone should read before they die. In that article I wanted to introduce some books that some people might never have heard of before. In writing that list I decided that the standalone side of fantasy fiction also needed a list. It was a good deal harder for me to compile this list to only five books, so at the end I have added an honorable mentions. Again, this list is not about ranking their quality but just my opinion on what makes them worthwhile to read.
1) The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie
The Heroes is a standalone novel set in an already established world. If you have read the First Law trilogy then you will recognize some of the characters. This is a military novel, first and foremost, and so it follows the lives of several soldiers during the course of a short battle. It has been several years since I read this novel, but it really left an impression on me and reminded me that making a tale about regular people (without magic) in a fantasy world is something that I wish was explored more often.
Abercrombie’s prose is very strong. It is always nice to see an author grow with their art and not become stagnant as most do over the years. The author seems to have an ethos of improvement and quality over quantity. Within this novel you will find original descriptions, fantastic dialogue, wit aplenty and actions scenes that rival every other author on this list.
You do not need to have read any other book in this series to enjoy The Heroes. Anyone who likes to read about historical fiction or battles will feel right at home here. Readers familiar with Abercrombie’s work will enjoy seeing some of his old characters given perspectives and their internal dialogues are always fantastic. I really don’t have any problems with this book and if anything I believe it outshines his other standalone novels The Red Country and Best Served Cold. Those two are also highly recommended but I chose The Heroes because of some of the artistic decisions with the perspectives and the overall simplicity of the plot which creates a very mighty tale. I believe Joe must have been drinking some very good coffee when he was writing this.
Why read this book: The masterful POVs of different characters, the superb prose, returning characters from the previous trilogy, the military themes and events, the dry wit.
2) American Gods by Neil Gaimen
It is my personal opinion that American Gods is the finest novel Gaiman has ever written. It is creative, allusive, and clever. It is chockfull of the characteristic wit and style that fans of his work adore. I read it at the age of 15 when fantasy books to me were always about farm boys and dark prophecies. I must have bought it on a whim, but I have never regretted that decision. American Gods is an electrifying stand alone novel of fantasy fiction that I cannot recommend enough.
The story follows a man named Shadow who, recently out of jail, discovers that his wife has passed away and he has no home to go to. In most books this would send the main character reeling, but Shadow is not typical. Gaiman decided to keep his protagonists thoughts closely guarded even from the reader, and so the news of his wife’s death does not seem to shake him, or does it? I had the impression throughout the novel that as a reader I was merely watching Shadow and his actions and learned about the world without the usual benefit of the main characters reactions to everything.
Anyways, the story is about Gods in the USA. Odin is there, but so are the new gods named Internet and Super Highway (and many others). In this world, Gods only have the power that their partitioners pay to them with their attention. Since few worship Odin (or give him any kind of thought) he is not the Asgardian he once was though he still has some powers to call upon. Shadow works with Odin (named Mr. Wednesday, that’s not a big spoiler) as they try to prevent an epic war between the old gods and the new. This is an awesome story from a very talented and creative author and I highly suggest anyone with any interest in the modern fantasy novel pick up a copy. Just to be clear, I have not enjoyed Gaiman’s other novels nearly as much as this one and so this is not merely the recommendation of a fervent fanboy.
Why read this book: the modern setting and subsequent subversion of fantasy tropes, the entertaining “back seat” main character, the humor, wit, and charm of the author, the action packed and entertaining story, and the incredible lore that was required to realize this tale.
3) The War of the Flowers by Tad Williams
One of the most creative fantasy writers in the game is Tad Williams. Full stop. One has only to glance at his works to see that the man is unable to stay in one lane. In an industry dominated by one major story, Williams has always been willing to experiment with the genre. From Otherland, to the Bobby Dollar books, to even The Dragon Bone chair in its subversions (so I have heard, I have not read it yet) Williams is a great example of an author who transcends the genre in which he is writing.
The War of the Flowers is a fantastic yarn. It’s about a man who lives in California. He is down on his luck as making music has not been as successful as he had wished it to be. Suddenly his girlfriend has a miscarriage, and the young man finds that he must reevaluate his life. Shortly after he is sucked into a fantasy world where he learns that he can save not only this world, but also our own. It’s a new variation of an old theme but Williams managed to subvert my expectations numerous times and every chapter was thrilling. One of the big themes in this book is the differences between classes of people and the author manages to have some productive commentary on this without making it a huge focus.
Tad Williams does some aesthetic things to the fantasy world which I found very cool. The world has an Asgardian blend of science interacting with magic and its refreshing whenever a fantasy author decides to change the setting in such a way. Fantasy is a timeless genre and does not need to be always stuck in a medieval world.
Why read this book: It’s a classic (or it will be seen as one in my opinion one day), there have never been other books published in this world so compared to the two books above its more an actual standalone (I am pretty sure Anansi Boys was Neil Gaimen’s successor to American Gods, personally I think that he should have left it alone), the story is wonderful, the characters are well written, it has one of the most charming side kicks in literature, and its a wonderful introduction to Tad Williams’ other works.
4) Tigana by Guy Gavriel Key
Many people do not know that Guy Gavriel Key helped Christopher Tolkien assemble the Silmarillion after his father passed away. If that does not give a fantasy author some street cred then nothing does. I am not sure at what point he jumped in, or how much of the actual prose he crafted, but this connection to Tolkien is something that I always think about when I am reading his books.
Tigana is not the Lord of the Rings. Tigana is an Italian inspired fantasy world about a people who were magically wiped off the map and out of people’s memories because a sorcerer cast a spell. This is a story about a people who have been genocided not just in flesh but also in memory. Now that I am thinking about it this sounds like a horror story, and maybe it is in part. The plot follows some people who are from this land who still remember the name of their country. Their plan is to kill the sorcerer and return to the world the memory of their peoples existence.
There are some heavy themes here. Out of all of the novels on this list Tigana is the most which makes an argument for fantasy as literature, as if that is even a debate. Within you will find fantastic dialogue, great characterizations, and descriptions that will send any modern writer of “literature” a run for their money.
Why read this book: the eloquent writing, the Italian inspired setting, the deeply thought out characters, the tragic story of an oppressed people, and the only one book commitment of a stand alone novel!
5) The Book of Flying by Keith Miller
The Book of Flying is my “odd bird” pick for this list. In brief its about a man name Pico who seeks a magic book which will (with hope) give him the power of flight which some people in this world have. He is in love with a young women who has wings and the fact that he does not have any himself means that their love is hopeless. This book is cut up into several long stories about Pico’s travels to find this book and the people he meets along the way.
Keith Miller is one of the most poetic novelists I have ever encountered. Tigana is a well written book, The Heroes has some of the sharpest sentences I have ever read, American gods is mighty in its delivery, but The Book of Flying is real poetry in motion. Remove one sentence or change one word and the entire work would suffer. There is little I could find to change which by doing so would not entirely detract from the work.
This is also the shortest book on this list, and I highly recommend everyone supporting Keith Miller and purchasing a copy from Amazon. Though this book is a genuine standalone, there is a spiritual successor. A few years later Keith Miller published The Book of Fire. It continues with the book theme and is set in Alexandria. Perhaps if I had read The Book of Fire first I would have placed that novel on this list instead of The Book of Flying. They are both very good, but I think I must give the edge to Pico and his tragic journey to unite with his love.
Why read this book: The beautiful writing, the compelling and remarkable characters, Pico, the themes of love and loss, and the experience. You will never find another book quite like this one.
SWF 
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