After
The worm Ouroboros
Eric Rücker Eddison1900
- pace
- prose
- structure
- bleakness
5 of 6 directions open — nothing faster
More like it
- pace0prose0bleak0
Awake in the Night Land
John C. Wright2014
Four novellas set in a dying world where the sun has gone out. Humans survive in a metal pyramid while monsters wait in the darkness.
Same tense register, still adventure
pace0·prose0·bleak0
- pace-1prose0bleak0
The Tyrant's Law
Daniel Abraham2013
A banker, a widow, and a soldier navigate a world-spanning war fueled by a new religion. It is the third book in the Dagger and the Coin series.
Same tense register, still epic fantasy
pace-1·prose0·bleak0
- pace-1prose0bleak0
The Blood Mirror
Brent Weeks2016
A former emperor is trapped in a magical prison while his family fights a losing war. The story uses multiple perspectives to track the conflict.
Same tense register, still epic fantasy
pace-1·prose0·bleak0
- pace-1prose0bleak-1
Into a Dark Realm
Raymond E. Feist2006
Pug and his allies hunt a sorcerer across worlds while an army of warriors prepares to invade. It is the second book in a trilogy.
Same tense register, still epic fantasy
pace-1·prose0·bleak-1
1 more ↓ ↑
- pace-1prose0bleak0
Fevered Star
Rebecca Roanhorse2022
Various factions navigate the political fallout of a solar eclipse in a world inspired by Pre-Columbian cultures. It is a direct sequel.
Same tense register, still epic fantasy
pace-1·prose0·bleak0
Denser prose
tense → dreamlike
- pace-2prose+2bleak-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.
pace-2·prose+2·bleak-1
- pace-2prose+2bleak0
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.
pace-2·prose+2·bleak0
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace-2prose+2bleak-1
Ficciones
Jorge Luis Borges1945
A collection of short stories exploring philosophical paradoxes, infinite libraries, and imaginary encyclopedias.
tense → meditative
pace-2·prose+2·bleak-1
- pace-2prose+2bleak-2
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.
tense → playful
pace-2·prose+2·bleak-2
- pace-3prose+2bleak-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.
tense → meditative
pace-3·prose+2·bleak-1
To recover
- pace-1prose-1bleak-2
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
pace-1·prose-1·bleak-2
- pace0prose-1bleak-2
Medusa
Clive Cussler2009
The NUMA team investigates a missing undersea lab and a bathysphere attack. They uncover a corporate plot involving a deadly virus and jellyfish.
tense → propulsive, still adventure
pace0·prose-1·bleak-2
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace-1prose-1bleak-2
Redshirts
John Scalzi2012
Low-ranking crew members on a starship realize they are disposable characters in a sci-fi television show. They attempt to escape their fate.
tense → playful
pace-1·prose-1·bleak-2
- pace0prose-1bleak-2
The Da Vinci Code
Dan Brown2003
A symbologist and a cryptologist flee the police while solving puzzles hidden in art. They search for a secret regarding the Holy Grail.
tense → propulsive
pace0·prose-1·bleak-2
- pace-1prose-1bleak-2
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
pace-1·prose-1·bleak-2
Slower
- pace-3prose+2bleak-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.
tense → meditative
pace-3·prose+2·bleak-1
- pace-3prose+2bleak0
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-3·prose+2·bleak0
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace-3prose+2bleak-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.
tense → dreamlike
pace-3·prose+2·bleak-1
- pace-3prose0bleak-1
Among Others
Jo Walton2011
A teenage girl at a 1970s boarding school copes with her twin's death through books and subtle magic. It is written as a series of diary entries.
tense → tender
pace-3·prose0·bleak-1
- pace-3prose+1bleak-1
Tehanu
Ursula K. Le Guin1990
A widow cares for an aging mage who has lost his magic. The story focuses on domestic life and the aftermath of past adventures.
tense → meditative
pace-3·prose+1·bleak-1
Heavier
- pace-1prose+1bleak+1
An Autumn War
Daniel Abraham2008
An empire that relies on captured spirits for its economy faces a military invasion from a nation using biological warfare.
tense → elegiac, still epic fantasy
pace-1·prose+1·bleak+1
- pace-2prose+2bleak+1
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 epic fantasy
pace-2·prose+2·bleak+1
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace-1prose+1bleak+1
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.
tense → bleak, still epic fantasy
pace-1·prose+1·bleak+1
- pace-1prose+1bleak+1
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.
tense → grim, still epic fantasy
pace-1·prose+1·bleak+1
- pace-1prose0bleak+1
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.
Same tense register, still epic fantasy
pace-1·prose0·bleak+1
