LitQueuelitqueue

After

A Song of Ice and Fire (A Game of Thrones / A Clash of Kings / A Storm of Swords / A Feast for Crows / A Dance with Dragons)

George R. R. Martin2012

6 of 6 directions open

More like it

1 more ↓

  • Snakewood

    Adrian Selby2016

    Former mercenaries are hunted down and killed one by one years after their service. The survivors use plant-based chemicals to fight their pursuers.

    Same bleak register, still epic fantasy

    pace0·prose+1·bleak0

Denser prose

3 more ↓

  • 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.

    bleak → dreamlike

    pace0·prose+2·bleak0

  • 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.

    bleak → dreamlike

    pace0·prose+2·bleak-1

  • Ficciones

    Jorge Luis Borges1945

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

    bleak → meditative

    pace0·prose+2·bleak-1

To recover

3 more ↓

  • A Veiled Deception

    Annette Blair2009

    A vintage shop owner investigates a murder during her sister's wedding preparations to clear her family's name.

    bleak → playful

    pace0·prose-1·bleak-2

  • It Starts with Us

    Colleen Hoover2022

    A single mother navigates a new relationship with her first love while managing a jealous ex-husband. The story alternates perspectives.

    bleak → earnest

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak-2

  • Assistant to the Villain

    Hannah Nicole Maehrer2023

    A woman takes a job as an administrative assistant to a local villain to support her family. She manages his office while ignoring his evil deeds.

    bleak → playful

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak-2

Faster

3 more ↓

  • 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.

    bleak → sardonic

    pace+2·prose-1·bleak-1

  • 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.

    bleak → playful

    pace+2·prose-1·bleak-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.

    bleak → propulsive

    pace+2·prose-1·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.

    bleak → dreamlike

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak-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.

    bleak → tender

    pace-1·prose0·bleak-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.

    bleak → meditative

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak-1

Heavier

3 more ↓

  • 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.

    bleak → tense, still epic fantasy

    pace+1·prose0·bleak+1

  • The Mirror Empire

    Kameron Hurley2014

    Parallel worlds collide as a celestial event allows one reality to invade another. It follows multiple characters during a global genocide.

    bleak → cold, still epic fantasy

    pace+1·prose+1·bleak+1

  • 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.

    Same bleak register, still epic fantasy

    pace0·prose+2·bleak+1