The Top 10 Stand-alone Sci-Fi Books From 2010 to Today!

There will always be room in our hearts for both series and stand-alone books, but there is no denying that the latter is harder to find these days, and so, this poll was born. Via democratic process, we've made an effort to guide you toward some of the best stand-alone science fiction of recent years, and seriously: pick any book off this list and you will not be disappointed. Of various length, style, sub-genre and commitment to the realities of science, these are all excellent in their own way, and if you miss one, you are missing out!  

But as great as they all are, we wanted to know which one was the very best... Curious to see which one the community decided is an absolute must read? Read on! As always, these top ten lists are not meant to be all-inclusive or definitive, but give a great finger on the pulse of our communities interests and favorites. Want to see who missed out? Here's the original nomination list from the blog.

Without further ado, based on the combined nominations and votes here on the Discover Sci-Fi blog and the Facebook group, here are your top choices for the best stand-alone sci-fi books published since 2010! 

10. Recursion by Blake Crouch

It is no surprise to see Blake Crouch’s Recursion—winner of the 2019 Goodreads Readers Choice Award for science fiction—on this list! While many of you said you preferred Dark Matter over Recursion (and voted in that direction as well), there is no denying that Crouch—who has written several stand-alone books over the last 10 years (mostly thrillers)—has mastered the art of the the mind-bender, taking his readers on an intense and thrilling sci-fi journey which he cleverly wraps up in less than 400 pages. Delicious. 

At first, it looks like a disease. An epidemic that spreads through no known means, driving its victims mad with memories of a life they never lived. But the force that’s sweeping the world is no pathogen. It’s just the first shock wave, unleashed by a stunning discovery—and what’s in jeopardy is not our minds but the very fabric of time itself.

Read Recursion  here on Amazon

9. The Others by Jeremy Robinson

The Others was one of two books by Jeremy Robinson originally nominated for this top 10 list. It beat out the other selection by Robinson, Infinite, by just a few votes to land in our final poll and, inevitably, 9th place on our final list. The Others is a short, eerie, fast paced read that immediately grabs you. If you happened to miss this one, it's definitely one to add to your TBR! 

UFOs and alien abductions remain one of the most hotly debated and mysterious subjects of the twenty-first century. In the decades since 1960, with reports of strange encounters on the rise, thirteen million people have gone missing worldwide and never been found. The Others takes a fast-paced, unique, and moving look at the phenomenon that has fuelled Jeremy Robinson’s imagination since several sightings, strange happenings, and visits with renowned UFO investigator, and family friend, Raymond Fowler.

Read The Others here on Amazon.

8. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

“I don’t know who in their right mind would want to read Station Eleven during a pandemic.” —Emily St. John Mandel

Emily St. John Mandel's Station Eleven was an instant hit with both critics and fans when it was released 2014. Many read and loved it then, and in light of the current pandemic, many were drawn to reread it this year, finding… comfort? Not likely, but perhaps a relevancy that was impossible to feel only six years (and a lifetime) ago. 

Kirsten Raymonde will never forget the night Arthur Leander, the famous Hollywood actor, had a heart attack on stage during a production of King Lear. That was the night when a devastating flu pandemic arrived in the city, and within weeks, civilization as we know it came to an end.

Twenty years later, Kirsten moves between the settlements of the altered world with a small troupe of actors and musicians. They call themselves The Traveling Symphony, and they have dedicated themselves to keeping the remnants of art and humanity alive. But when they arrive in St. Deborah by the Water, they encounter a violent prophet who will threaten the tiny band’s existence. And as the story takes off, moving back and forth in time, and vividly depicting life before and after the pandemic, the strange twist of fate that connects them all will be revealed.

Get your copy of Station Eleven here on Amazon.

7. The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North

“From first line to beautiful denouement, Claire North's The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August is a gripping read that is often quietly profound, emotionally affecting and intellectually dizzying.” —Eric Brown, The Guardian 

Did this one happen to escape your notice? As a multi-award winning novel, it’s not exactly a “hidden gem,” but we suspect Claire North’s The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, might not have been as widely read as some of our other selections. In The Guardian, Eric Brown further described North’s 2014 release as  “a subtle study of friendship, love and the fluid complexity of existence,” which sounds downright comforting, right about now, don't you think? If you haven’t read it yet, take this as your cue to pick it up! 

Harry August is on his deathbed. Again.

No matter what he does or the decisions he makes, when death comes, Harry always returns to where he began, a child with all the knowledge of a life he has already lived a dozen times before. Nothing ever changes.

Until now.

As Harry nears the end of his eleventh life, a little girl appears at his bedside. "I nearly missed you, Doctor August," she says. "I need to send a message."

This is the story of what Harry does next, and what he did before, and how he tries to save a past he cannot change and a future he cannot allow.

Read The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August here on Amazon.

6. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

“'Dark Matter?' It's a whole bag of barbecue chips, man. And it's just sitting there waiting for you to devour in one sitting.” —Jason Sheehan, NPR

Series are great! We love ‘em! But sometimes? Sometimes we want something short and zippy; something with great characters, and both a plot and pace that drives us to read the whole thing in one sitting, leaving us deeply satisfied when we do. A great, short, stand-alone can do that, and that quote up there, if nothing else, should tell you that this is exactly what Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter does. Reach for this 2016 stand-alone sci-fi thriller next time you have a free afternoon and a desire to be wildly entertained.

“Are you happy with your life?”

Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious.

Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits. 

Before a man Jason’s never met smiles down at him and says, “Welcome back, my friend.”

Grab Dark Matter here on Amazon.

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5. Under Darkness by Jasper T Scott

Published in 2018, Under Darkness is one of a handful of excellent stand-alone books written by best-selling author Jasper T. Scott. Under Darkness resonates well with stand-alone readers the same way that the original Independence Day resonated with viewers. It’s a story about an alien invasion that focuses on the characters. There’s a pervasive mystery of why the invaders are here woven throughout, and a chilling sense of horror surrounds the aliens themselves. Multiple viewpoints are developed, both civilian and military, and the setting is the picturesque island of Kauai. The book perfectly captures both the physical setting and the cultural nuances of the locals, making it an authentic read. You really feel like you are there on a tropical island, being hunted by alien invaders. The why of their arrival is eventually answered, and all of the plot threads are resolved without leaving anything hanging at the end. It’s no wonder readers love this book!

Bill Steele is in the trenches, trying to survive in the competitive world of luxury vacation resorts on the island of Kauai. Today is a particularly bad day; the water main burst and his guests are demanding refunds and promising bad reviews. In the middle of this, a dark shadow falls over the island. It’s not a lunar eclipse, because Bill can clearly see the crescent moon shimmering on the water. This is something else.

Get your copy of Under Darkness  here on Amazon.

4. Seveneves by Neal Stephenson

“SEVENEVES is a very old project; I first started thinking about it when I was working at Blue Origin, probably circa 2004… The basic elements of the world were fixed a long time ago, and for at least eight years I have been roving around pitching it to various people in various media: television, movies, games, and various "transmedia" combinations. In the autumn of 2013, however I decided to just sit down and write it as a novel: the one thing I know I can get done.” —Neal Stephenson

The word "epic" gets tossed around a lot these days, but when it comes to Neal Stephenson's Seveneves, it is far from misplaced. Seveneves is a truly epic stand-alone novel, both in scope and in length. No doubt, there is something to be said for a short, fast-paced book you can burn through in one sitting, but if you want to go deep, to get lost for a while without committing to a series, look no further than this book, which was almost a decade in the making. 

What would happen if the world were ending?

A catastrophic event renders the earth a ticking time bomb. In a feverish race against the inevitable, nations around the globe band together to devise an ambitious plan to ensure the survival of humanity far beyond our atmosphere, in outer space.

Dive into Seveneves  here on Amazon.

3. 11/22/63 by Stephen King

Stephen King has said that the concept for 11/22/63 was formed forty years before he actually wrote and published it in 2011. Wisely, perhaps, as he claims that back then, he lacked the willingness to do the research required to do the story justice, so instead let the idea marinate for a while. By the time he came back to it, not only was he ready to commit to the research needed to support the story, but he had over 50 books under his belt and had better honed his talents. 

At just shy of 1000 pages, the book is a commitment. Obviously less of a commitment than a series, but a commitment, none the less. A wonderful length, really, giving the reader a chance to settle in for the ride, and the writer an opportunity to really explore the plot and characters and unhurriedly infuse the story with a sense of richness. As discerning readers, this is what we’re looking for in a good stand-alone: something that can go the distance in a single work.

On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed. What if you could change it back? Stephen King’s heart-stoppingly dramatic new novel is about a man who travels back in time to prevent the JFK assassination—a thousand page tour de force.

Get your copy of 11/22/63  here on Amazon.

2. Redshirts by John Scalzi

Many of you have read John Scalzi's debut novel, Old Man’s War, as well as the rest of the books that completed the series. It’s probably safe to say that to date, the series remains his best known work. While not as well known, Scalzi’s clever, fun, funny, multi-award-winning, and wildly entertaining stand-alone Redshirts is definitely worthy of attention!  It’s short, it’s fast-paced, it’s the perfect afternoon read. If you've missed it, be sure to grab it! You won't be disappointed.

Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It's a prestige posting, and Andrew is thrilled all the more to be assigned to the ship's Xenobiology laboratory.

Life couldn't be better…until Andrew begins to pick up on the fact that (1) every Away Mission involves some kind of lethal confrontation with alien forces, (2) the ship's captain, its chief science officer, and the handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these confrontations, and (3) at least one low-ranked crew member is, sadly, always killed.

Not surprisingly, a great deal of energy below decks is expended on avoiding, at all costs, being assigned to an Away Mission. Then Andrew stumbles on information that completely transforms his and his colleagues' understanding of what the starship Intrepid really is…and offers them a crazy, high-risk chance to save their own lives.

Start reading Redshirts here on Amazon.

1. The Martian by Andy Weir

More than a few of you mentioned that among the nominees, The Martian was the only book you’d read! This will always be a bit of a hazard with these polls, that the books finding their way to a wider audience will inevitably stand a better chance at winning; but regardless of how the odds might have been stacked in its favor, there is no denying that Andy Weir’s The Martian—a multi-award-winner described by many casual reviewers as being the “perfect novel”—is an incredible book. Not every book gets the audience it deserves, but in the case of The Martian, it’s safe to say it has. On the off chance that you missed this modern classic, make sure you make the time to give it a read.

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.

Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there.

Grab The Martian  here on Amazon.

What do you think of our top 10? How many of these brilliant books have you read? Which one will you read next? We'd love to hear from you! Weigh in on the comments here on the blog, or visit us  here in our Facebook group to chime in on the debate, and make sure to check out our most recent poll while you're there!

*All book-related copy in this post was pulled from Amazon, Goodreads & Wikipedia, unless otherwise credited.