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After

The Walking Dead, Book Two

Robert Kirkman2007

5 of 6 directions open — nothing heavier

More like it

1 more ↓

  • Complete 30 Days Of Night Trilogy

    Steve Niles2007

    Vampires descend on an Alaskan town during a month of total darkness. The survivors attempt to hide and fight back in a graphic novel format.

    Same bleak register, still graphic novel

    pace+1·prose0·bleak-1

Denser prose

bleak → dreamlike

3 more ↓

  • Blindness

    José Saramago1999

    An epidemic of sudden blindness strikes a city, leading to the collapse of social order. A small group struggles to survive in a filthy asylum.

    Same bleak register

    pace-1·prose+3·bleak0

  • Gormenghast

    Mervyn Peake1950

    A young heir and a social climber navigate the rigid rituals of a decaying, labyrinthine castle. The prose is dense and descriptive.

    bleak → dark

    pace-1·prose+3·bleak0

  • The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner

    James Hogg1824

    A religious fanatic becomes convinced he is predestined for salvation and commits crimes at the behest of a mysterious stranger.

    bleak → cold

    pace-1·prose+3·bleak0

To recover

3 more ↓

  • The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

    Benjamin Franklin

    Benjamin Franklin recounts his life from his youth as a printer's apprentice to his work as a scientist and diplomat. He lists his daily habits.

    bleak → wry

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak-3

  • As a Man Thinketh

    James Allen1902

    A short 1903 essay arguing that a person's character and life circumstances are the direct result of their internal thoughts.

    bleak → earnest

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak-3

  • The Rowan

    Anne McCaffrey1990

    A powerful telepath living in isolation connects with a distant mind to defend against an alien invasion. It follows their psychic courtship.

    bleak → earnest

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak-3

Faster

3 more ↓

  • The Walking Dead, Book Six

    Robert Kirkman2010

    Survivors of a zombie plague attempt to build a community in a fortified neighborhood. The focus is on group politics and interpersonal conflict.

    Same bleak register, still post-apocalyptic

    pace+1·prose0·bleak-1

  • 28 Days Later

    Alex Garland2002

    A man wakes from a coma to find London deserted and overrun by humans infected with a rage virus. He joins a small group of survivors.

    Same bleak register, still post-apocalyptic

    pace+1·prose0·bleak-1

  • The Fall

    Thomas A. Watson

    A survivalist uses his preparation and skills to protect his family during a sudden global collapse. The focus is on tactical defense.

    bleak → earnest, still post-apocalyptic

    pace+1·prose0·bleak-2

Slower

3 more ↓

  • Ulysses

    James Joyce1914

    Three characters wander through Dublin on a single day in 1904. Each chapter uses a different literary style to mimic thoughts and sensations.

    bleak → playful

    pace-2·prose+3·bleak-2

  • Absalom, Absalom!

    William Faulkner1936

    The rise and fall of Thomas Sutpen is recounted through multiple, conflicting memories. The prose uses extremely long, complex sentences.

    bleak → elegiac

    pace-2·prose+3·bleak0

  • Either/Or

    Søren Kierkegaard1992

    A collection of papers presents two life philosophies: the aesthetic pursuit of pleasure and the ethical commitment to duty.

    bleak → meditative

    pace-2·prose+3·bleak-2