BookRank

Best of the year

Best books of 1996

61 highest-rated books first published in 1996.

← 19951997 →

Why A Game of Thrones is #1

A Game of Thrones (George R. R. Martin) scores 8.7/10 from 6.5K ratings — 0.1 points ahead of The Green Mile 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. A Game of Thrones
    A Game of ThronesGeorge R. R. Martin · 1996NYT bestseller Fantasy6.5K ratings1
    8.78.7 / 10
  2. The Green Mile
    The Green MileStephen King · 1996 Fantasy847 ratings
    8.68.6 / 10
  3. Feet of Clay
    Feet of ClayTerry Pratchett · 1996 Fantasy638 ratings
    8.58.5 / 10
  4. Royal Assassin
    Royal AssassinRobin Hobb · 1996 Fantasy1.3K ratings
    8.58.5 / 10
  5. Infinite Jest
    Infinite JestDavid Foster Wallace · 1996 Literary fiction453 ratings
    8.48.4 / 10
  6. Hogfather
    HogfatherTerry Pratchett · 1996 Fantasy703 ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  7. Enemy of God
    Enemy of GodBernard Cornwell · 1996 Historical fiction105 ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  8. Memory
    MemoryLois McMaster Bujold · 1996 Science fiction170 ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  9. Falling Up
    Falling UpShel Silverstein · 1996 Middle grade169 ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  10. Baptism of Fire
    Baptism of FireAndrzej Sapkowski · 1996 Fantasy781 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  11. Fight Club
    Fight ClubChuck Palahniuk · 1996 Humour2K ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  12. Neverwhere
    NeverwhereNeil Gaiman · 1996 Fantasy2K ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  13. Endymion
    EndymionDan Simmons · 1996 Science fiction576 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  14. Excession
    ExcessionIain Banks · 1996 Science fiction374 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  15. CivilWarLand in Bad Decline
    CivilWarLand in Bad DeclineGeorge Saunders · 1996 Literary fiction118 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  16. The Realms of the Gods
    The Realms of the GodsTamora Pierce · 1996 Fantasy131 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  17. Drums of Autumn
    Drums of AutumnDiana Gabaldon · 1996 Fantasy235 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  18. The Sparrow
    The SparrowMary Doria Russell · 1996 Science fiction462 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  19. The Poet
    The PoetMichael Connelly · 1996 Crime & mystery182 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  20. Angela's Ashes
    Angela's AshesFrank McCourt · 1996NYT bestseller Biography & memoir433 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  21. Cetaganda
    CetagandaLois McMaster Bujold · 1996 Science fiction180 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  22. The Silent Blade
    The Silent BladeR. A. Salvatore · 1996 Fantasy108 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  23. Alias Grace
    Alias GraceMargaret Atwood · 1996 Historical fiction249 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  24. Brian's Winter
    Brian's WinterGary Paulsen · 1996 Young adult70 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  25. The Reality Dysfunction
    The Reality DysfunctionPeter F. Hamilton · 1996 Science fiction293 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  26. Blue Mars
    Blue MarsKim Stanley Robinson · 1996 Science fiction253 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  27. Into the Wild
    Into the WildJon Krakauer · 1996 Biography & memoir1.1K ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  28. Passage to Dawn
    Passage to DawnR. A. Salvatore · 1996 Fantasy123 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  29. Darkness, Take My Hand
    Darkness, Take My HandDennis Lehane · 1996 Crime & mystery67 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  30. The Invasion
    The InvasionKatherine Applegate · 1996 Science fiction124 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  31. Bleak Seasons
    Bleak SeasonsGlen Cook · 1996 Fantasy84 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  32. Blood of the Fold
    Blood of the FoldTerry Goodkind · 1996 Fantasy308 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  33. A Crown of Swords
    A Crown of SwordsRobert Jordan · 1996 Fantasy1K ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  34. Drown
    DrownJunot Díaz · 1996 Short stories69 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  35. The Encounter
    The EncounterKatherine Applegate · 1996 Science fiction71 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  36. The Millionaire Next Door
    The Millionaire Next DoorThomas J. Stanley · 1996 Economics230 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  37. Idoru
    IdoruWilliam Gibson · 1996 Science fiction197 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  38. Executive Orders
    Executive OrdersTom Clancy · 1996 Thriller149 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  39. The Lunatic Cafe
    The Lunatic CafeLaurell K. Hamilton · 1996 Fantasy166 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  40. Johnny and the Bomb
    Johnny and the BombTerry Pratchett · 1996 Science fiction53 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  41. The Predator
    The PredatorKatherine Applegate · 1996 Science fiction53 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  42. The Runaway Jury
    The Runaway JuryJohn Grisham · 1996 Thriller277 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  43. Absolute Power
    Absolute PowerDavid Baldacci · 1996 Thriller118 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  44. City of Golden Shadow
    City of Golden ShadowTad Williams · 1996 Science fiction169 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  45. The Visitor
    The VisitorKatherine Applegate · 1996 Science fiction73 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  46. Jack & Jill
    Jack & JillJames Patterson · 1996 Crime & mystery119 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  47. Drop Shot
    Drop ShotHarlan Coben · 1996 Crime & mystery85 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  48. Two for the Dough
    Two for the DoughJanet Evanovich · 1996 Crime & mystery185 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  49. The Message
    The MessageKatherine Applegate · 1996 Science fiction57 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  50. Cause of Death
    Cause of DeathPatricia Cornwell · 1996 Crime & mystery61 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  51. Bloody Bones
    Bloody BonesLaurell K. Hamilton · 1996 Horror109 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  52. Children of the Mind
    Children of the MindOrson Scott Card · 1996 Science fiction607 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  53. Airframe
    AirframeMichael Crichton · 1996 Science fiction374 ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  54. Servant of the Bones
    Servant of the BonesAnne Rice · 1996 Horror61 ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  55. Desperation
    DesperationStephen King · 1996 Horror334 ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  56. The Notebook
    The NotebookNicholas Sparks · 1996 Romance626 ratings
    7.37.3 / 10
  57. That Summer
    That SummerSarah Dessen · 1996 Young adult78 ratings
    7.37.3 / 10
  58. Tribulation Force
    Tribulation ForceTim LaHaye · 1996 Thriller75 ratings
    7.27.2 / 10
  59. Exquisite Corpse
    Exquisite CorpsePoppy Z. Brite · 1996 Horror100 ratings
    7.27.2 / 10
  60. The Ringworld Throne
    The Ringworld ThroneLarry Niven · 1996 Science fiction119 ratings
    7.27.2 / 10
  61. The Regulators
    The RegulatorsStephen King · 1996 Horror229 ratings
    7.17.1 / 10

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