Writing a first novel is a huge struggle for most writers. And at the end of all that toiling, there’s a good chance that what you’ve produced will be … not very good. My first manuscript was nearly a thousand pages long and full of superfluous scenes and conversations between characters we met once and would never see again.
But some writers hit it out of the park on their first try. There are books so fantastic that it’s hard to believe it was the author’s debut novel. Every book on this list marked the beginning of an exciting and successful career for each author, and deservingly so.
Here are fifteen incredibly impressive debut novels and where you can read them online.
1) The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien
Before J.R.R. Tolkien’s behemoth Lord of the Rings, there was a modest 300-page book called The Hobbit. This book introduces the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Gandalf, and the frightening creature Gollum. If you love the LOTR movies but haven’t been able to get yourself to brave the books, The Hobbit is a less intimidating place to start.
You can read The Hobbit here on the Internet Archive.
2) Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Sense and Sensibility was published anonymously in 1811, with “By A Lady” on the title page where the author’s name should have been. Austen paid for the book to be published and paid a commission on sales to the publisher. The book is now known as one of her greatest works with not just one, but two deeply compelling love stories.
You can read Sense and Sensibility here on Project Gutenberg.
3) The Catcher In The Rye by J. D. Salinger
This coming-of-age novel captures teenage loneliness and isolation like no other. Protagonist Holden Caulfield also has a great sense of humor. This book is regularly assigned to read in high school English courses and established Salinger as an influential voice in American literature.
You can read The Catcher In The Rye here on the Internet Archive.
4) Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
This historical fiction novel takes place in post-Depression Era New York and makes you wish you had been alive back then to experience the glamour of it all. It also has top-notch character development and gorgeous writing.
You can listen to the Rules of Civility audiobook here on Amazon with an Audible free trial.
5) The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz by L. Frank Baum
It’s highly unlikely that you haven’t heard of this wonderful, whimsical novel. We all grew up with the 1939 film based on the book since it never seems to go out of style. It is simply astonishing that Baum was able to construct such a fantastic, imaginative world with his very first novel.
You can read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz here on Project Gutenberg.
6) A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
This 1887 novel marked the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes and his trusty sidekick John Watson. Surprisingly, the novel attracted little attention when it was first released. Still, the novel went on to spawn fifty-six short stories and three more full-length novels—not to mention the many film and TV adaptations.
You can read A Study in Scarlet here on Project Gutenberg.
7) The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
We have discussed a few times before on the blog how much I adore this book. It has everything I love—compelling characters, lovely writing, magic, and a whimsical world you want to get lost in. It simply bowls me over that this was Morgenstern’s first book.
You can listen to the audiobook of The Night Circus here on Amazon with an Audible free trial.
8) Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
This is another novel that’s been mentioned before on the blog. It is a marvelous coming-of-age story with a willful, endlessly imaginative protagonist you can’t help but love. There are several adaptations of this book and the subsequent ones in the series, but my favorite will always be the 1985 miniseries.
You can read Anne of Green Gables here on Project Gutenberg.
9) I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
J.K. Rowling has said that “This book has one of the most charismatic narrators I've ever met”, and I agree wholeheartedly. Seventeen-year-old Cassandra is a vibrant soul who draws you into her oddball world. This book also has one of my favorite first lines of all time—“I write this sitting in the kitchen sink”.
You can read I Capture the Castle here on the Internet Archive.
10) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
Speaking of J.K. Rowling, her first novel is next on our list! This book introduced Harry Potter to the world, and the series went on to become a huge phenomenon with movie adaptations, spin-offs, toys, and more. It’s inspiring to think that before all that, Rowling was a poor, unemployed mother scribbling away at her very first book.
You can read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone here on Kindle Cloud Reader with a Prime membership.
11) Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
In 1816, Mary Shelley was sitting around a fire when Lord Byron proposed that each member of the group write a ghost story. Unable to sleep that night, Shelley got to it, writing what she thought would be a short story but turned into her first novel. Now Frankenstein’s monster has become a huge part of pop culture with several movies centered around him (my favorite being Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein).
You can read Frankenstein here on Project Gutenberg.
12) Carrie by Stephen King
Stephen King came roaring out of the gate in 1974 with his intensely creepy first novel. Even if you’ve never read the book, everyone knows the reference to an unpopular girl being called onstage and getting a bucket of pig’s blood dumped on her before she goes insane. Like many of the other authors on this list, King was able to write something that has become a part of pop culture.
You can read Carrie here on the Internet Archive.
13) White Oleander by Janet Fitch
I brought up this book in my post about books full of beautiful prose. It was the first book I ever read where the writing itself truly moved me—rather than feeling like the writer was trying too hard to be deep or poetic. It’s also a fantastic coming-of-age story with well-developed characters.
You can read White Oleander here on the Internet Archive.
14) The Secret History by Donna Tartt
This is another novel that has come up quite a few times on the blog. I don’t have a favorite book—I have dozens I can’t choose between—but if I did, it might be this book. It’s got wonderful writing, fascinating characters, a gorgeous setting, and an intense mystery that will keep you turning pages. Who could ask for more?
You can read The Secret History here on the Open Library.
15) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
It is just insane that this tour de force was Charlotte Brontë’s debut novel. It is arguably one of the most important works of literature ever written. It’s a book you can read as easily today as someone would have back in 1847 when the book first came out. I was nine years old when I first read it but was still able to relate to Jane’s courage and tenacity.
You can read Jane Eyre here on Project Gutenberg.
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