The City We Became

Boundary Crossed

Melissa F. Olson2015

A veteran discovers she can manipulate magical boundaries after stopping a vampire kidnapping. She enters a hidden supernatural society in Colorado.

pace0·prose-1·bleak0

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.

propulsive → dreamlike

pace-1·prose+1·bleak+1

Six-Gun Snow White

Catherynne M. Valente2013

A half-Native American girl flees her silver baron father and stepmother to become a gunslinger in a reimagined American West.

propulsive → sardonic

pace0·prose+1·bleak+1

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+1·bleak-1

You're Never Weird on the Internet

Felicia Day2015

The actress and creator of 'The Guild' recounts her life as a homeschooled child, her gaming addiction, and her career in digital media.

propulsive → playful

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Bitten & Smitten

Michelle Rowen2006

Sarah is accidentally turned into a vampire and must rely on a grumpy, centuries-old vampire to teach her how to survive.

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Gentlemen Prefer Succubi

Jill Myles2009

After encounters with a vampire and a fallen angel, a woman gains supernatural powers and a high libido. She is caught in a war between factions.

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Battle Ground

Jim Butcher2020

A wizard leads the supernatural defense of Chicago against an invading army led by a Titan. The book is a single, continuous battle.

pace+1·prose-1·bleak+1

Blood Engines

Tim Pratt2007

A sorceress who uses blood magic to power her spells defends her city from a rival. She makes ruthless choices to maintain her power.

propulsive → sardonic, still urban fantasy

pace+1·prose-1·bleak+1

The Mist

Stephen King1980

A group of townspeople is trapped in a grocery store by a thick mist containing lethal monsters while social order collapses inside.

propulsive → tense, still cosmic horror

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.

propulsive → dreamlike

pace-2·prose+1·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

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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

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A Dirty Job

Christopher Moore2006

A beta-male widower is forced to become a Soul Merchant. He collects glowing objects from the dying while avoiding ancient monsters.

propulsive → dark, still urban fantasy

pace0·prose0·bleak+2

The Red Tree

Caitlín R. Kiernan2009

A writer moves to a rural house and finds a manuscript about a local tree. Her journal records her increasing obsession and mental decline.

propulsive → dreamlike, still cosmic horror

pace-1·prose0·bleak+2

The Doll Who Ate His Mother

Ramsey Campbell1976

After a car crash, a woman discovers her brother's arm has been stolen. She joins three strangers to track a person with a history of cannibalism.

pace-1·prose0·bleak+2