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After

The Jennifer Morgue

Charles Stross2006

6 of 6 directions open

More like it

Same wry register, still urban fantasy

1 more ↓

  • Unbound

    Jim C. Hines2014

    A librarian stripped of his magic must stop an ancient queen from using a bronze artifact to raise an army of the dead.

    pace0·prose0·bleak0

Denser prose

wry → dreamlike

3 more ↓

  • Ficciones

    Jorge Luis Borges1945

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

    wry → meditative

    pace-1·prose+2·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.

    wry → playful

    pace-1·prose+2·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.

    wry → meditative

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak0

To recover

wry → playful, still urban fantasy

3 more ↓

  • 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.

    wry → earnest

    pace0·prose-1·bleak-1

  • David and Goliath

    Malcolm Gladwell2013

    A series of case studies arguing that perceived disadvantages can become strengths. It covers topics from dyslexia to the civil rights movement.

    wry → earnest

    pace0·prose-1·bleak-1

  • Hardline

    Meredith Wild2015

    A software executive and a billionaire navigate a relationship complicated by corporate takeover attempts and sexual power dynamics.

    wry → tense

    pace0·prose-1·bleak-1

Faster

wry → propulsive, still urban fantasy

3 more ↓

  • 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·prose0·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.

    wry → sardonic, still urban fantasy

    pace+1·prose0·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.

    wry → tense, still cosmic horror

    pace+1·prose0·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.

    wry → dreamlike

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak0

  • Unfinished Tales

    J.R.R. Tolkien1980

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

    wry → meditative

    pace-2·prose+2·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.

    wry → dreamlike

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak0

Heavier

wry → bleak, still cosmic horror

3 more ↓

  • 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.

    wry → dark, still urban fantasy

    pace0·prose+1·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.

    wry → dreamlike, still cosmic horror

    pace-1·prose+1·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·prose+1·bleak+2