BookRank

Best of the year

Best books of 2004

86 highest-rated books first published in 2004.

← 20032005 →

Why Going Postal is #1

Going Postal (Terry Pratchett) scores 8.7/10 from 737 ratings — 0.1 points ahead of Midnight Tides 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. Going Postal
    Going PostalTerry Pratchett · 2004 Fantasy737 ratings1
    8.78.7 / 10
  2. Midnight Tides
    Midnight TidesSteven Erikson · 2004 Fantasy406 ratings
    8.68.6 / 10
  3. Alexander Hamilton
    Alexander HamiltonRon Chernow · 2004NYT bestseller Biography & memoir229 ratings
    8.58.5 / 10
  4. The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower
    The Dark Tower VII: The Dark TowerStephen King · 2004 Fantasy836 ratings
    8.48.4 / 10
  5. A Hat Full of Sky
    A Hat Full of SkyTerry Pratchett · 2004 Fantasy380 ratings
    8.48.4 / 10
  6. The Ancestor's Tale
    The Ancestor's TaleRichard Dawkins · 2004 Popular science54 ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  7. The Fabric of the Cosmos
    The Fabric of the CosmosBrian Greene · 2004 Popular science134 ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  8. Pandora's Star
    Pandora's StarPeter F. Hamilton · 2004 Fantasy501 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  9. The City of Dreaming Books
    The City of Dreaming BooksWalter Moers · 2004 Fantasy98 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  10. The Last Kingdom
    The Last KingdomBernard Cornwell · 2004 Historical fiction308 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  11. Blood Rites
    Blood RitesJim Butcher · 2004 Fantasy873 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  12. The Confusion
    The ConfusionNeal Stephenson · 2004 Historical fiction208 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  13. The Golem's Eye
    The Golem's EyeJonathan Stroud · 2004 Fantasy378 ratings
    8.28.2 / 10
  14. The Ruins of Gorlan
    The Ruins of GorlanJohn Flanagan · 2004 Fantasy403 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  15. The System of the World
    The System of the WorldNeal Stephenson · 2004 Science fiction200 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  16. The Darkest Hour
    The Darkest HourErin Hunter · 2004 Fantasy110 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  17. Something Rotten
    Something RottenJasper Fforde · 2004 Fantasy137 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  18. Furies of Calderon
    Furies of CalderonJim Butcher · 2004 Fantasy554 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  19. Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane
    Gregor and the Prophecy of BaneSuzanne Collins · 2004 Fantasy106 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  20. The Death of Kings
    The Death of KingsConn Iggulden · 2004 Historical fiction54 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  21. The Line of Beauty
    The Line of BeautyAlan Hollinghurst · 2004 Historical fiction75 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  22. The Recruit
    The RecruitRobert Muchamore · 2004 Spy & espionage105 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  23. Wolf Brother
    Wolf BrotherMichelle Paver · 2004 Fantasy63 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  24. Industrial Magic
    Industrial MagicKelley Armstrong · 2004 Fantasy67 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  25. A Dangerous Path
    A Dangerous PathErin Hunter · 2004 Fantasy113 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  26. New Spring
    New SpringRobert Jordan · 2004 Fantasy604 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  27. Cloud Atlas
    Cloud AtlasDavid Mitchell · 2004NYT bestseller Fantasy1K ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  28. Rising Storm
    Rising StormErin Hunter · 2004 Fantasy116 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  29. Twilight
    TwilightMeg Cabot · 2004 Young adult78 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  30. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
    Dress Your Family in Corduroy and DenimDavid Sedaris · 2004 Humour371 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  31. The Spook's Apprentice
    The Spook's ApprenticeJoseph Delaney · 2004 Fantasy190 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  32. Scorpia
    ScorpiaAnthony Horowitz · 2004 Adventure201 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  33. Dime Store Magic
    Dime Store MagicKelley Armstrong · 2004 Fantasy75 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  34. Red
    RedTed Dekker · 2004 Thriller70 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  35. The Algebraist
    The AlgebraistIain Banks · 2004 Science fiction188 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  36. Class A
    Class ARobert Muchamore · 2004 Spy & espionage90 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  37. Haunted
    HauntedMeg Cabot · 2004 Young adult79 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  38. Black Water
    Black WaterD. J. MacHale · 2004 Science fiction97 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  39. The Ironwood Tree
    The Ironwood TreeHolly Black · 2004 Fantasy91 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  40. The Wrath of Mulgarath
    The Wrath of MulgarathHolly Black · 2004 Fantasy87 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  41. The Secret Hour
    The Secret HourScott Westerfeld · 2004 Fantasy97 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  42. The Two Swords
    The Two SwordsR. A. Salvatore · 2004 Fantasy73 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  43. The Great Influenza
    The Great InfluenzaJohn M. Barry · 2004NYT bestseller History104 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  44. The Narrows
    The NarrowsMichael Connelly · 2004 Crime & mystery127 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  45. Shadowmarch
    ShadowmarchTad Williams · 2004 Fantasy60 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  46. Century Rain
    Century RainAlastair Reynolds · 2004 Science fiction106 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  47. Dark Fire
    Dark FireC. J. Sansom · 2004 Crime & mystery59 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  48. The Enemy
    The EnemyLee Child · 2004 Thriller303 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  49. Grim Tuesday
    Grim TuesdayGarth Nix · 2004 Fantasy124 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  50. Body Double
    Body DoubleTess Gerritsen · 2004 Crime & mystery91 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  51. Winterfair Gifts
    Winterfair GiftsLois McMaster Bujold · 2004 Science fiction85 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  52. Gifts
    GiftsUrsula K. Le Guin · 2004 Young adult55 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  53. Seduced by Moonlight
    Seduced by MoonlightLaurell K. Hamilton · 2004 Fantasy67 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  54. Stranger than Fiction: True Stories
    Stranger than Fiction: True StoriesChuck Palahniuk · 2004 Essays50 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  55. Dead to the World
    Dead to the WorldCharlaine Harris · 2004 Fantasy356 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  56. Indelible
    IndelibleKarin Slaughter · 2004 Crime & mystery70 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  57. Ten Big Ones
    Ten Big OnesJanet Evanovich · 2004 Crime & mystery91 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  58. The Akhenaten Adventure
    The Akhenaten AdventurePhilip Kerr · 2004 Adventure61 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  59. Black
    BlackTed Dekker · 2004 Thriller102 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  60. No Second Chance
    No Second ChanceHarlan Coben · 2004Filmed 2015 Crime & mystery63 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  61. 3rd Degree
    3rd DegreeJames Patterson · 2004 Crime & mystery79 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  62. Life Expectancy
    Life ExpectancyDean Koontz · 2004 Thriller59 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  63. The Artemis Fowl Files
    The Artemis Fowl FilesEoin Colfer · 2004 Children’s books59 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  64. The Looking Glass Wars
    The Looking Glass WarsFrank Beddor · 2004 Fantasy134 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  65. The Atrocity Archives
    The Atrocity ArchivesCharles Stross · 2004 Science fiction363 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  66. Black Wind
    Black WindDirk Cussler · 2004 Adventure81 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  67. The Family Trade
    The Family TradeCharles Stross · 2004 Fantasy88 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  68. The Last Juror
    The Last JurorJohn Grisham · 2004 Thriller105 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  69. Iron Council
    Iron CouncilChina Miéville · 2004 Fantasy145 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  70. London Bridges
    London BridgesJames Patterson · 2004 Crime & mystery64 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  71. Dune: The Battle of Corrin
    Dune: The Battle of CorrinKevin J. Anderson · 2004 Science fiction70 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  72. Hour Game
    Hour GameDavid Baldacci · 2004 Thriller83 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  73. When He Was Wicked
    When He Was WickedJulia Quinn · 2004NYT bestseller Romance247 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  74. Messenger
    MessengerLois Lowry · 2004 Science fiction297 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  75. Undead and Unemployed
    Undead and UnemployedMaryJanice Davidson · 2004 Romance54 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  76. Skinny Dip
    Skinny DipCarl Hiaasen · 2004 Thriller69 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  77. Undead and Unwed
    Undead and UnwedMaryJanice Davidson · 2004 Romance85 ratings
    7.57.5 / 10
  78. Dies the Fire
    Dies the FireS. M. Stirling · 2004 Science fiction92 ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  79. How I Live Now
    How I Live NowMeg Rosoff · 2004 Young adult88 ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  80. The People of Sparks
    The People of SparksJeanne DuPrau · 2004 Science fiction154 ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  81. The Final Solution
    The Final SolutionMichael Chabon · 2004 Crime & mystery64 ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  82. Whiteout
    WhiteoutKen Follett · 2004 Thriller72 ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  83. Ringworld's Children
    Ringworld's ChildrenLarry Niven · 2004 Science fiction93 ratings
    7.47.4 / 10
  84. The Taking
    The TakingDean Koontz · 2004 Thriller77 ratings
    7.27.2 / 10
  85. State of Fear
    State of FearMichael Crichton · 2004NYT bestseller Science fiction221 ratings
    7.27.2 / 10
  86. Incubus Dreams
    Incubus DreamsLaurell K. Hamilton · 2004 Horror78 ratings
    7.17.1 / 10

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