The Best Fiction Books

Publishing moves fast, and we tend to forget books almost as fast as they arrive. We spoke to Rebeka Russell of Manderley Press—a heritage publisher that specialises in reviving lost works—about five forgotten classic books that are ripe for rediscovery.

Want to read something that won’t feel out of date next year? Something from a different time and place, but with universal resonance? Five Books contributing editor Tuva Kahrs picks five classic books from China, Japan and Korea that have stood the test of time, from a blockbuster adventure novel to a murderous memoir.

An exploration of the history of the United States may require novels that are challenging to read but offer the reward of really making you think about a complex subject. Literary scholar Bernard T. Joy talks us through five novels that explore U.S. history, from colonial times to the end of the 20th century.

We've listed all the Harry Potter books in the order they were written below, from the first book, The Philosopher's Stone (aka The Sorcerer's Stone in the United States), which appeared in 1997, to the final book in the series, The Deathly Hallows, a decade later, in 2007.

Since Five Books was set up in 2009, we've interviewed more than 2,000 experts on all manner of subjects. Here's our roundup of the ten classic British novels that have been recommended most often, starting with Middlemarch, described by Virginia Woolf as "one of the few English novels written for grownup people".

Always looking for the perfect audiobook to listen to in the car, during exercise, or while cleaning—and never know where to start? We've got you. Our friends at AudioFile magazine have put together their definitive guide to the best audiobooks of 2024. Here are the recent fiction releases they recommend most strongly: six novels read by gifted narrators that will keep you captivated.

This year’s award-winning fantasy books offer something for every taste, from melancholic fairy tales to gripping horror. Our fantasy and sci fi editor Sylvia Bishop introduces the winning titles.

Every year, judges for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize ferret out the very best in newly published comic fiction. This year, the seven-novel shortlist ranges from steampunk fantasy to romantic comedy—and they are, says judge Justin Albert, the funniest books of 2024.

As we know that many of our readers like to work their way through the list of Booker-winners, we've compiled an overview the winning titles from the last two decades.

Our deputy editor Cal Flyn compiles her autumnal literary fiction highlights: five freshly released and hotly anticipated new novels that you should have on your reading list in the fall of 2024: from Sally Rooney to Garth Greenwell.