Favorite Stand-Alone Fantasy Novel?

[Zephon]

What is your favorite stand-alone fantasy novel, a single book not apart of any series or trilogy?

I actually haven't read much, but the one that comes to mind is Monument by Ian Graham. The main character, Ballas, is exactly the type of hero- or anti-hero- that I wish more fantasy authors emulate. He's a stinking drunk with little to no moral code, yet you strangely find yourself empathizing and eventually rooting for him to accomplish his mission. Good stuff.

 

[Steerpike]

I liked Monument. I never really empathized with Ballas, though. I thought he was a right bastard throughout

Tough call...there are a few that I liked quite a bit. Maybe I'll just go with Tigana, by Guy Gavriel Kay. Great novel, though others of his are also contenders.

 

[Ireth]

I'm pretty sure mine is The Ragwitch, by Garth Nix. Seriously creepy YA about a witch imprisoned inside a ragdoll.

 

[Steerpike]

I'm pretty sure mine is The Ragwitch, by Garth Nix. Seriously creepy YA about a witch imprisoned inside a ragdoll.

I have that book around here somewhere...

 

[Rikilamaro]

Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card.

I don't believe it's part of a series at this time, but he may write a sequel - who knows?

It's imagery makes my mind explode, and the story's tantalizing as well.

 

[Sheilawisz]

The Neverending Story by Michael Ende, I mean the original book, the real version of the story... the movies are a joke, really!!

 

[Struddles]

Into the Dragons Maw by: T.S. Robinson

 

[Twook00]

Theif of Always by Clive Barker

 

[Benjamin Clayborne]

The Princess Bride, of course.

Actually, it's plausible to consider The Curse of Chalion a standalone, even though there are other books set in that world—but Paladin of Souls, even though it features some of the same characters, isn't really a sequel, and The Hallowed Hunt is set in the same world but in a different nation with a completely different set of characters.

 

[Telcontar]

Technically it is part of a series, but it is my favorite stand-alone book (you'll never feel like you need to pick up the next one if you don't want to) so I'll put it out there anyways: The Phoenix Guards by Stephen Brust.

 

[Jess A]

I am sure that I can name quite a few, but I am overseas at the moment and cannot refer to my bookshelves.

But off the top of my head, one which I enjoyed was Sara Douglass' Beyond the Hanging Wall. A very easy (possibly a YA) read which contributed to her later, recent adult series, but was in itself a stand-alone. Douglass must have later decided to write a series based on most of her other novels.

 

[Reaver]

The Hobbit

 

[dyga19]

Neverwhere is probably the best stand-alone fantasy I've read, as it's stuck in my head for years. Then again anything by Neil Gaiman is always really good.

 

[TWErvin2]

A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny would be my favorite.

Telcontar, most of Brust's books are standalone, except for some of the later Vlad Taltos novels. Beyond that, Brust's standalone novel, To Reign in Hell was pretty interesting. Not quite as good as A Night in the Lonesome October, however.