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Hm, well -- since I think this is turning into more of a recommendation thread than anything, I'll try to add something new.
I don't actually think that this is the "best," by the way, but I don't think it's been mentioned in the thread yet. It's also not standalone, though it is one story that together may equal the length of a longer book in some places. It's also aimed at young adults, but then so was Lord of the Rings originally (I think).
Leviathan / Behemoth / Goliath -- a Trilogy by Scott Westerfeld
If you like YA fiction I'd say they are worth a read. It's an alternate history beginning around the start of World War I. Countries tend to be either "Clankers" (using Mechanical technology) or "Darwinists" (using evolution to create beasts for specific purposes).
They aren't just alternate history books though. The stories feature two protagonists who are reasonably engaging on their own. Alek (the only son of the assassinated Archduke Ferdinand) and Deryn (a girl pretending to be a boy in order to join England's Air Force because more than anything she loves to fly). Both are around 15 if I recall correctly.
...again, not my favorite series ever, but one that I did enjoy reading from both an intellectual and a downright fun point of view. Not to mention something you can give to your kids to check out.
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