Best Naomi Novik Books

The best books by Naomi Novik — 13 titles spanning Fantasy, Literature & Fiction, Mystery, averaging 4.08 BLT stars.

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Naomi Novik has a gift for taking familiar fairy tale bones and rebuilding them into something stranger and more emotionally honest than the originals. Uprooted and Spinning Silver are the clearest examples — both draw on Eastern European folklore but twist the logic of magic and sacrifice until they feel genuinely surprising, not just atmospheric. Her Scholomance trilogy brings that same sensibility to a dark academia setting: the worldbuilding is mechanically clever, the humor is bone-dry, and the protagonist is prickly and difficult in ways that feel earned rather than quirky. Her earlier Temeraire series — Napoleonic war fiction with dragons fully integrated into military strategy — shows a different register entirely, patient and historically textured. Novik writes for readers who want magic to have real weight and consequences. If you like fairy tale retellings that trust you to keep up, she's essential.

Naomi Novik's highest-rated book in our collection is Spinning Silver (4.41 BLT stars). Browse the full list below.

Where to Start with Naomi Novik

  1. 1
    Spinning Silver cover

    Spinning Silver

    The Mortal Instruments

    by Naomi Novik

    ★ 4.41 BLT Score (154.1K ratings)
    ★ 4.18 Goodreads (154.1K)
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  2. 2
    A Deadly Education cover

    A Deadly Education

    The Scholomance • Book 1

    by Naomi Novik

    ★ 4.31 BLT Score (224.7K ratings)
    ★ 3.93 Goodreads (224.7K)
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  3. 3
    Victory of Eagles cover

    Victory of Eagles

    Temeraire • Book 5

    by Naomi Novik

    ★ 4.27 BLT Score (29.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.08 Goodreads (29.0K)
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  4. 4
    His Majesty's Dragon cover

    His Majesty's Dragon

    Temeraire • Book 1

    by Naomi Novik

    ★ 4.24 BLT Score (112.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.07 Goodreads (112.8K)
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  5. 5
    Empire of Ivory cover

    Empire of Ivory

    Temeraire • Book 4

    by Naomi Novik

    ★ 4.22 BLT Score (34.1K ratings)
    ★ 3.99 Goodreads (34.1K)
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  6. 6
    Black Powder War cover

    Black Powder War

    Temeraire • Book 3

    by Naomi Novik

    ★ 4.16 BLT Score (43.8K ratings)
    ★ 3.91 Goodreads (43.8K)
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  7. 7
    Throne of Jade cover

    Throne of Jade

    Temeraire • Book 2

    by Naomi Novik

    ★ 4.14 BLT Score (56.3K ratings)
    ★ 3.9 Goodreads (56.3K)
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  8. 8
    Uprooted cover

    Uprooted

    by Naomi Novik

    ★ 4.05 BLT Score (266.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.02 Goodreads (266.7K)
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  9. 9
    Crucible of Gold cover

    Crucible of Gold

    Temeraire • Book 7

    by Naomi Novik

    ★ 3.92 BLT Score (19.3K ratings)
    ★ 3.99 Goodreads (19.3K)
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  10. 10
    The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes cover

    The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

    BEST AMERICAN SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY

    by John Joseph Adams, Stephen King, Robert J. Sawyer, Michael Moorcock, Sharyn McCrumb, Stephen Baxter, Anne Perry, Barbara Hambly, Tanith Lee, Neil Gaiman, Rob Rogers, Naomi Novik, Anthony Burgess, Dominic Green, Laurie R. King, Barbara Roden, Tim Lebbon, Peter Tremayne, Bradley H. Sinor, Edward D. Hoch, Vonda N. McIntyre, Darrell Schweitzer, Mary Robinette Kowal, H. Paul Jeffers, Geoffrey A. Landis, Amy Myers, Chris Roden, Tony Pi, Chris Roberson, Mark Valentine

    ★ 3.88 BLT Score (22.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.39 Goodreads (22.7K)
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  11. 11
    Tongues of Serpents cover

    Tongues of Serpents

    Temeraire • Book 6

    by Naomi Novik

    ★ 3.87 BLT Score (24.1K ratings)
    ★ 3.77 Goodreads (24.1K)
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  12. 12
    Unfettered III: New Tales cover

    Unfettered III: New Tales

    The Chathrand Voyage #Thasha's cure for cabin fever • Book 3

    by Shawn Speakman, Tad Williams, Naomi Novik, Megan Lindholm, John Gwynne, David Anthony Durham, Callie Bates, Jason Denzel, Carrie Vaughn, Deborah A. Wolf, Anna Stephens, Patrick Swenson, Ramon Terrell, Peter Orullian, Terry Brooks, Lev Grossman, Seanan McGuire, Delilah S. Dawson, Mark Lawrence, Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordan, Todd Lockwood, Cat Rambo, Robert V.S. Redick, Ken Scholes, Scott Sigler, Anna Smith Spark, Marc Turner

    ★ 3.85 BLT Score (571 ratings)
    ★ 3.98 Goodreads (571)
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  13. 13
    Unfettered II: New Tales cover

    Unfettered II: New Tales

    Gunnie Rose #0.0 - The Gunnie

    by Shawn Speakman, Naomi Novik, Brandon Sanderson, Jim Butcher, Charlaine Harris, Michael J. Sullivan, Janny Wurts, Bradley P. Beaulieu, Mark Lawrence, Seanan McGuire, Peter Orullian, Aidan Moher, Erin Lindsey, John A. Pitts, Anthony Ryan, Scott Sigler, Django Wexler, Rachel Caine, Sarah Beth Durst, David Farland, Terry Brooks

    ★ 3.78 BLT Score (1.1K ratings)
    ★ 3.92 Goodreads (1.1K)
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