LitQueuelitqueue

After

A Dawn of Onyx

Kate Golden2022

6 of 6 directions open

More like it

Same propulsive register, still romantasy

1 more ↓

  • Quicksilver

    Callie Hart2024

    A thief with secret powers is transported to a realm of fae and ice where she encounters a dangerous king.

    pace0·prose+1·bleak0

Denser prose

3 more ↓

  • Ficciones

    Jorge Luis Borges1945

    A collection of short stories exploring philosophical paradoxes, infinite libraries, and imaginary encyclopedias.

    propulsive → meditative

    pace-1·prose+3·bleak0

  • At Swim-Two-Birds

    Flann O'Brien1939

    A student writes a story about a man whose own characters rebel and plot against him. It incorporates Irish myth and multiple layers of fiction.

    propulsive → playful

    pace-1·prose+3·bleak-1

  • Love & Sleep

    John Crowley1994

    Pierce Moffett researches the history of magic while living in a small town. The narrative shifts between his life and the Renaissance.

    propulsive → meditative

    pace-2·prose+3·bleak0

To recover

3 more ↓

  • Finders Keepers

    Linnea Sinclair2005

    An independent trader and a military commander are forced to work together to recover a stolen ship. Their professional rivalry turns romantic.

    Same propulsive register, still enemies to lovers

    pace0·prose+1·bleak-1

  • The Dreaming Stars

    Tim Pratt2018

    A ragtag crew travels the galaxy to stop an ancient alien race from waking up and consuming all sentient life.

    propulsive → playful

    pace0·prose+1·bleak-1

  • To Catch an Heiress

    Julia Quinn2002

    An agent of the crown kidnaps a woman he mistakes for a spy. She plays along with the identity to hide until she reaches her inheritance age.

    propulsive → playful

    pace0·prose0·bleak-1

Faster

3 more ↓

  • Orcs

    Stan Nicholls2004

    A band of orc mercenaries travels to a new world to lead a revolution against human invaders who have enslaved the local population.

    Same propulsive register, still dark fantasy

    pace+1·prose+1·bleak0

  • Changes

    Jim Butcher2010

    A wizard discovers he has a daughter who has been kidnapped by vampires. He must race against time and sacrifice his principles to save her.

    Same propulsive register

    pace+1·prose+1·bleak+1

  • Promise of Blood

    Brian McClellan2013

    A Field Marshal stages a bloody coup against his king and must defend the new government using soldiers who gain magic powers from gunpowder.

    Same propulsive register

    pace+1·prose+1·bleak+1

Slower

3 more ↓

  • The Habitation of the Blessed

    Catherynne M. Valente2010

    A priest finds the lost kingdom of Prester John. The story is told through three nested layers of journals, myths, and historical accounts.

    propulsive → dreamlike

    pace-2·prose+3·bleak0

  • Unfinished Tales

    J.R.R. Tolkien1980

    A collection of incomplete narratives and essays that expand the history, geography, and lore of Middle-earth.

    propulsive → meditative

    pace-2·prose+3·bleak0

  • Moonwise

    Greer Gilman1991

    Two women are pulled into a world created by their own folk-tales. The narrative uses dense, archaic language to describe a shifting landscape.

    propulsive → dreamlike

    pace-2·prose+3·bleak0

Heavier

propulsive → bleak, still dark fantasy

3 more ↓

  • The Damnation Game

    Clive Barker1985

    An ex-con becomes a bodyguard for a billionaire who made a deal with a supernatural gambler. The debt comes due through gore and resurrection.

    pace0·prose+2·bleak+2

  • The Black Company

    Glen Cook1984

    An elite mercenary unit serves an immortal sorceress. The story is told through the cynical journals of the company's doctor and historian.

    propulsive → grim, still dark fantasy

    pace0·prose+2·bleak+2

  • Snow, Glass, Apples

    Neil Gaiman2019

    A retelling of Snow White from the stepmother's perspective. The princess is a vampiric creature and the queen struggles to protect the kingdom.

    propulsive → cold, still dark fantasy

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak+2