LitQueuelitqueue

After

Fortress of Ice

C. J. Cherryh2006

6 of 6 directions open

More like it

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  • The Priory of the Orange Tree

    Samantha Shannon2018

    A queen must produce an heir while a secret mage protects her from assassins. Elsewhere, a dragonrider makes a choice that impacts the world.

    meditative → earnest, still epic fantasy

    pace0·prose0·bleak0

Denser prose

Same meditative register

3 more ↓

  • Ink

    Hal Duncan2007

    Gods and mortals clash in a shifting city where reality is written on skin. The story follows a cycle of mythic archetypes across time.

    meditative → dreamlike

    pace0·prose+1·bleak+1

  • Traitor's Knot (Wars of Light & Shadow)

    Janny Wurts2004

    Two cursed half-brothers continue a magically enforced blood feud. One masters shadow magic while the other leads a holy crusade to destroy him.

    meditative → elegiac, still epic fantasy

    pace0·prose+1·bleak+1

  • In the Night Garden

    Catherynne M. Valente2006

    A girl with tattooed eyelids tells a prince interlocking stories of monsters and folklore. The narrative is a series of nested myths.

    meditative → dreamlike

    pace0·prose+1·bleak0

To recover

3 more ↓

  • Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

    Mindy Kaling2011

    A collection of essays about the author's childhood, her career in comedy, and her observations on friendship.

    meditative → wry, still coming of age

    pace+1·prose-2·bleak-1

  • Someday, Someday, Maybe

    Lauren Graham2013

    A young actress in 1990s New York City gives herself a three-year deadline to find professional success before her money runs out.

    meditative → playful

    pace+1·prose-2·bleak-1

  • Storm Warning

    Mercedes Lackey1994

    The kingdom of Valdemar prepares for war against an Eastern Empire led by a ruler with unknown magical powers.

    meditative → earnest, still epic fantasy

    pace0·prose-1·bleak-1

Faster

3 more ↓

  • Dungeon Crawler Carl

    Matt Dinniman2020

    Earth is converted into an 18-level televised death game. A man and a cat must navigate traps and monsters to survive.

    meditative → sardonic

    pace+2·prose-2·bleak0

  • The Stainless Steel Rat

    Harry Harrison1961

    A futuristic con man is caught by the Special Corps and forced to use his criminal skills to catch other lawbreakers.

    meditative → playful

    pace+2·prose-2·bleak-1

  • Mind's Eye

    Douglas E. Richards2014

    A man discovers he has the ability to access the internet and process data directly with his mind. He is hunted by a secret organization.

    meditative → propulsive

    pace+2·prose-2·bleak0

Slower

3 more ↓

  • Boneland

    Alan Garner2012

    An adult Colin searches for his lost sister while an ancient shaman performs rituals in the same landscape. The two timelines mirror one another.

    meditative → elegiac

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak+1

  • 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.

    meditative → dreamlike

    pace-1·prose+1·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.

    meditative → dreamlike

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak0

Heavier

3 more ↓

  • Last Argument of Kings

    Joe Abercrombie2008

    The Union faces internal revolt and external invasion as a dying king leaves a power vacuum. Multiple POV characters navigate a cynical war.

    meditative → bleak, still epic fantasy

    pace+1·prose0·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.

    meditative → grim, still epic fantasy

    pace+1·prose0·bleak+2

  • The Dragon Republic

    R. F. Kuang2019

    A shaman soldier joins a rebellion to overthrow the Empress while struggling with opium addiction and a vengeful god. It mirrors Chinese history.

    meditative → tense, still epic fantasy

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak+2