After
The Dragon Republic
R. F. Kuang2019
- pace
- prose
- structure
- bleakness
5 of 6 directions open — nothing heavier
More like it
Same tense register, still grimdark
- pace0prose0bleak-1
A Game of Thrones
George R. R. Martin1996
Noble families compete for the throne of a kingdom while an ancient threat rises in the north. The story moves between many perspectives.
pace0·prose0·bleak-1
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Shadow's Edge
Brent Weeks2008
A retired assassin attempts to live a quiet life with a new family, but returns to his trade when he learns a friend might be alive in a prison.
pace0·prose0·bleak-1
- pace0prose0bleak-1
Blood of the Fold
Terry Goodkind1996
Richard Rahl faces a fanatical religious order that seeks to eliminate all magic. He must unite various factions against an invading emperor.
pace0·prose0·bleak-1
- pace0prose0bleak-1
The Emperor's Blades
Brian Staveley2014
Three siblings pursue separate paths of military training, monastic discipline, and politics to avenge their father's assassination.
pace0·prose0·bleak-1
1 more ↓ ↑
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The Hunger of the Gods
John Gwynne2022
A dragon god is freed, prompting three warriors to pursue separate paths of rescue and revenge across a Norse-inspired landscape.
pace0·prose0·bleak-1
Denser prose
- pace-1prose+2bleak0
The Darkness That Comes Before
R. Scott Bakker2003
A monk, a barbarian, and a sorcerer navigate a holy war. The narrative focuses on philosophical manipulation and a cold, strategic view of power.
tense → cold, still grimdark
pace-1·prose+2·bleak0
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Against All Things Ending
Stephen R. Donaldson2010
Thomas Covenant is resurrected, an act that threatens to destroy the world. Linden Avery and her son search for a way to stop the coming apocalypse.
tense → bleak, still grimdark
pace-1·prose+2·bleak0
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace-1prose+2bleak-1
The Claw of the Conciliator
Gene Wolfe1981
An exiled torturer travels with a gem that can heal the dead. The narrative uses archaic vocabulary and an unreliable perspective.
tense → dreamlike
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The Light and the Dark
Mikhail Shishkin2013
Two lovers exchange letters that transcend time and space. One writes from a domestic life while the other writes from the front lines of a war.
tense → elegiac
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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.
tense → dreamlike
pace-1·prose+2·bleak-2
To recover
- pace0prose-1bleak-3
Fifty Shades of Grey
E.L. James2000
A college student enters a sexual contract with a wealthy businessman. The story focuses on their power dynamics and BDSM encounters.
tense → earnest
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Neon Gods
Katee Robert2021
In a modern city-state, Persephone flees an arranged marriage to Zeus by entering the underworld. She strikes a deal with Hades to stay there.
Same tense register
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3 more ↓ ↑
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Pawn of Prophecy
David Eddings1982
A farm boy travels with a storyteller and a sorceress to recover a stolen magical orb. It is a traditional quest through various kingdoms.
tense → earnest, still epic fantasy
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Starter Villain
John Scalzi2023
A substitute teacher inherits his uncle's secret supervillain business, including a volcano lair and talking cats.
tense → wry
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Playing with Fire
Gena Showalter2006
A barista gains elemental superpowers after being poisoned and must flee from a government agent. They eventually work together to escape.
tense → playful
pace0·prose-1·bleak-3
Faster
- pace+1prose0bleak-2
A Memory of Light
Robert Jordan2013
The final volume of a long-running series where various nations and magical users unite for a final battle against an ancient evil.
tense → earnest, still epic fantasy
pace+1·prose0·bleak-2
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First lord's fury
Jim Butcher2009
The final book of the series follows Gaius Octavian as he leads a military defense against an insectoid hive mind. It concludes the war.
tense → propulsive, still epic fantasy
pace+1·prose0·bleak-2
3 more ↓ ↑
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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.
tense → sardonic
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- pace+1prose-1bleak-3
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.
tense → playful
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-3
- pace+1prose-1bleak-2
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.
tense → propulsive
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-2
Slower
- pace-2prose+2bleak-2
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.
tense → meditative
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- pace-2prose+2bleak-1
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.
tense → elegiac
pace-2·prose+2·bleak-1
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace-2prose+2bleak-2
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.
tense → dreamlike
pace-2·prose+2·bleak-2
- pace-2prose+2bleak-2
Unfinished Tales
J.R.R. Tolkien1980
A collection of incomplete narratives and essays that expand the history, geography, and lore of Middle-earth.
tense → meditative
pace-2·prose+2·bleak-2
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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.
tense → dreamlike
pace-2·prose+2·bleak-2
