BookRank

Best of the year

Best books of 1991

40 highest-rated books first published in 1991.

← 19901992 →

Why The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes is #1

The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes (Neil Gaiman) scores 8.6/10 from 889 ratings — 0.2 points ahead of Wild Swans in second place.

The score is a weighted average across 3 independent rating sources. A title with few ratings is pulled toward the category average, so a handful of enthusiastic reviews cannot outrank a book that thousands of readers have judged. Method →

  1. The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes
    The Sandman: Preludes & NocturnesNeil Gaiman · 1991 Comics889 ratings
    8.68.6 / 10
  2. Wild Swans
    Wild SwansJung Chang · 1991 Biography & memoir134 ratings
    8.48.4 / 10
  3. The Dragon Reborn
    The Dragon RebornRobert Jordan · 1991 Fantasy1.7K ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  4. Reaper Man
    Reaper ManTerry Pratchett · 1991 Fantasy808 ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  5. The Revenge of the Baby-Sat
    The Revenge of the Baby-SatBill Watterson · 1991 Humour53 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  6. Tuesday
    TuesdayDavid Wiesner · 1991 Picture books51 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  7. Witches Abroad
    Witches AbroadTerry Pratchett · 1991 Fantasy636 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  8. The Third Chimpanzee
    The Third ChimpanzeeJared Diamond · 1991 Nature & environment50 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  9. The Grass Crown
    The Grass CrownColleen McCullough · 1991 Historical fiction51 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  10. Barrayar
    BarrayarLois McMaster Bujold · 1991 Science fiction270 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  11. The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands
    The Dark Tower III: The Waste LandsStephen King · 1991 Fantasy87 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  12. Searching for Dragons
    Searching for DragonsPatricia Wrede · 1991 Fantasy139 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  13. Heir to the Empire
    Heir to the EmpireTimothy Zahn · 1991 Science fiction667 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  14. Fire Sea
    Fire SeaMargaret Weis · 1991 Fantasy103 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  15. Magic's Price
    Magic's PriceMercedes Lackey · 1991 Fantasy83 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  16. Sojourn
    SojournR. A. Salvatore · 1991 Fantasy320 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  17. Imajica
    ImajicaClive Barker · 1991 Fantasy90 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  18. Regeneration
    RegenerationPat Barker · 1991 Historical fiction53 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  19. Outlander
    OutlanderDiana Gabaldon · 1991NYT bestseller Fantasy996 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  20. The Druid of Shannara
    The Druid of ShannaraTerry Brooks · 1991 Fantasy106 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  21. Prince of Chaos
    Prince of ChaosRoger Zelazny · 1991 Fantasy79 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  22. Canticle
    CanticleR. A. Salvatore · 1991 Fantasy61 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  23. Mariel of Redwall
    Mariel of RedwallBrian Jacques · 1991 Fantasy115 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  24. The Seeress of Kell
    The Seeress of KellDavid Eddings · 1991 Fantasy180 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  25. All the Weyrs of Pern
    All the Weyrs of PernAnne McCaffrey · 1991 Science fiction90 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  26. The Sapphire Rose
    The Sapphire RoseDavid Eddings · 1991 Fantasy117 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  27. The Firm
    The FirmJohn Grisham · 1991Filmed 1993 Crime & mystery563 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  28. The River
    The RiverGary Paulsen · 1991 Young adult67 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  29. Summer of Night
    Summer of NightDan Simmons · 1991 Horror128 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  30. Black Sun Rising
    Black Sun RisingCelia S. Friedman · 1991 Fantasy121 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  31. Body of Evidence
    Body of EvidencePatricia Cornwell · 1991 Crime & mystery108 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  32. Raft
    RaftStephen Baxter · 1991 Science fiction79 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  33. Needful Things
    Needful ThingsStephen King · 1991 Horror593 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  34. The Sum of All Fears
    The Sum of All FearsTom Clancy · 1991 Thriller200 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  35. Xenocide
    XenocideOrson Scott Card · 1991 Science fiction1.1K ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  36. Ring
    RingKōji Suzuki · 1991 Horror156 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  37. American Psycho
    American PsychoBret Easton Ellis · 1991 Horror1K ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  38. The Garden of Rama
    The Garden of RamaArthur C. Clarke · 1991 Science fiction168 ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  39. Cold Fire
    Cold FireDean Koontz · 1991 Horror50 ratings
    7.37.3 / 10
  40. Night Over Water
    Night Over WaterKen Follett · 1991 Thriller59 ratings
    7.37.3 / 10

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