One and Done Fantasy
Standalone fantasy books that won't make you invest your life in a dozen installments
created by hannah
last updated January, 2026
Comments
This is practically a great starter pack for fantasy readers, like me lol! Thanks for organizing these ٩( ᐛ )و
hannahOP
Thank you! I add to it often when I find a good standalone.
Thank youuuuu! In dire search for some standalones! 😍
Maybe can be turned into a quest?! 🤭🫣
I think An Enchanment of Ravens would also fit into this list!!! It was so good and pretty quick to the point for a standalone fantasy if I'm remembering right!
I LOVE this! Sometimes I just can’t be bother with fantasy series, but still in the mood for fantasy lol
This would make a great quest in my opinion!!
hannahOP
I haven't made a quest yet, I've been waiting for the right idea. But you may be right! I love standalone fantasy. I may try and put something together!
I highly, highly recommend adding A Sorceress Comes to Call to the list. One of my favorite reads of the year so far! Thank you for this list, about to spend the next hour looking up all the books I don't know yet haha
There should be a feature to bulk add lists to your TBR. That's how I feel about this list.
hannahOP
Thank you 😊 I love lists so making them here is cathartic 😂
If there anything I can do to encourage this behaviour, let me know. 😅
A list I always knew I needed but couldn’t be bothered to make. Thanks for the compilation!
Fantasy without commitment! love this! I would love to see more standalone fantasy in here! thanks for creating this list!🫶🏻
I plan on reading the sword of kaigen soon which I think would fall into this as well! Thanks, I'm all about some breaks between series where I can get in and out of a world but enjoy my time.
hannahOP
I just added that book on my tbr! From what I've seen it does count as its own standalone story even thought there are two other books set in the same world. I'll add it to the list!
i refuse to believe the Sword of Kaigen will be a standalone forever 😤 (she says, crying pleading, begging)
Absolutely love love love this - Thank you so much <3
This list was much needed! what would you recommend starting off with? something gripping that makes me (someone slowly coming off a reading slump) obsessed with the book please
I’m reading Blood Over Brighthaven right now and it has me in a chokehold! Also Year of the Reaper and The Familiar are really good.
hannahOP
800 likes 😭😭😭 I love you all
you're a life saver <3
It's the way I have most of these on my TBR already eheh Cannot recommend A Song to Drown Rivers enough, it's sooo good!
Oh lord! Perfect🥰 If you could, please add spinning silver as well!
"The Eyes of the Dragon" by Stephen King is a good contender for this list. technically set in the dark tower universe but it can be read entirely on its own
hannahOP
Added! Thanks for the recommendation!
a list i desperately needed! not sure if you're avoiding multiple titles by the same author, but sanderson's elantris was his debut and also a standalone :)
hannahOP
What a good suggestion. I’m not super familiar with Sanderson’s work so I wasn’t aware of it haha, thanks!
Elantris, Warbreaker, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, Isles of the Emberdark, Tress of the Emerald Sea, The Sunlit Man and The Fires of December coming out later this year; are "Standalones" in Sandersons work in a similar fashion to the books in Discworld in that the stories themselves can be read as a Standalone but they are all part of a greater world and series that are telling an overarching story, The Cosmere. There are Sequels to Warbreaker and Elantris planned just not out yet. And Elantris does have two accompanying novellas in the same world already out. One of them, The Emperors Soul, won the Hugo award! The list is great just wanted the added context there for people.
This list will be so helpful for when I want a fantasy book but don't want to commit to a full series! Thanks for compiling it!
hannahOP
You're welcome! I'm hoping to create a standalone fantasy quest soon!
This list being the most popular one makes me feel validated. I hate when everything must have a sequel.
Love this
Omg this list is amazing! Definitely will be reading these :)
am i missing something or why is the hobbit on this list lmao
It can be a standalone, although there are other books set in the same world, you don’t have to have read it to read the others. Several books on the list are like that! I bent the rules slightly haha
haha I was thinking the same thing; even though technically a stand-alone it is really a prequel to the LOTRs, at least in my mind.
Acropolis by Veronica Hess is a stand-alone romantasy. Smart mouthed FMC, shadow daddy, and vampires to kick off HOA HOA HOA season!
Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FMQHC7MJ?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520
hannahOP
Added!
This is actually such an important list for me, thank you for your service🫡
Yesss this is what I need!
Wow! Great list! 😍 I'll try reading all!
Thank you!
Thank you for this. Fantasy books can be intimidating for me because of all the volumes and additional books.
hannahOP
Standalone fantasy is my favorite! I’m always on the lookout for more. I try to add the the list often! Any suggestions let me know!
hannahOP
600 likes 🎉😭 I appreciate each and every one of y’all. I have a long list of books to add soon too!
I love this list!! F.T Lukens has two books that I think could go on here- In Deeper Waters and So This is Ever After!
hannahOP
Added! Thank you!
Books to add to the list:
Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher Nine goblins by T. Kingfisher Bryony and roses by T. Kingfisher The tenfold tenants by EV Belknap The bruising of Qilwa by Naseem Jamnia The order of the pure moon reflected in water by Zen Cho Would Madeline Miller be for this list? I know mythology is fantasy, but more so classified as a subgenre most of the time
hannahOP
I will go through these soon (hopefully this weekend) and add some. Thank you!
Thank you! And you're welcome 🥰
Book Recc: The God Eaters by Jesse Hajicek
What a fantastic list! Thank you so much for compiling this ❤️ love seeing stand-alone fantasy I can get my teeth into rather than feeling overwhelmed with a big series
Love this!
Omg I just added so many new books to my tbr. This list is amazing!
Thank you for your service!! I would suggest Starling House by Alix Harrow too!
this list might help me reach my yearly reading goal haha!
Praise be this digital book keeper for putting together this list!!!!
hannahOP
Thank you! I’m gonna go through the suggestions in the comments soon and add some more!
Thank you for this! I am trying not to start anymore series right now until I finish some, but sometimes I get an itch to read something new in my favorite genre. Now I can use these as breaks in-between series reads!
hannahOP
1000 🎉🎉🎉🎉 Y’all are amazing 🤩
I think you would love "Bring Me Your Midnight" based on this list
hannahOP
Added! I'll have to check it out!
Omg thank you for this list! A much needed breather after finishing a longer series. Which would you recommend to start with?
hannahOP
Year of the Reaper was really good!
Adore this! I've never heard of some of these, for sure adding them to my TBR :) If you're still looking to add, there are a few Diana Wynne Jones that fit the bill, Fire & Hemlock comes to mind, Howl's Moving Castle could work but it is technically part of a series, same with Princess Academy and The Goose Girl and East by Edith Pattou, all of which work better as standalones IMO... Vespertine is also a standalone, though was originally meant to be a series (tragic!) The Last Unicorn, The Phantom Tollbooth, Deerskin, The Tale of Despereaux, the Darkest Part of the Forest, so many Roald Dahl books, The Two Princesses of Bamarre, the Sea Fairies... anyway just so excited by the idea of this list :) thanks for compiling it!
Oh this is amazing! If I may, I think "Kings of the Wyld" by Nicholas Eames would also fit perfectly on this list! There's theoretically a second book, but with the focus on other characters. Kings of the Wyld is effectively a standalone with its own conclusion (which is why I chose to read it).
Thank you! I needed this as someone who already has her finger on many pies.
