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After

Deadhouse Gates (The Malazan Book of the Fallen, Book 2)

Steven Erikson2000

5 of 6 directions open — nothing heavier

More like it

1 more ↓

  • 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.

    elegiac → cold, still epic fantasy

    pace0·prose0·bleak0

Denser prose

3 more ↓

  • The house of the Wolfings

    William Morris1889

    Gothic tribes unite to defend their forest home against an invading Roman army. The story is told through archaic prose and rhyming verse.

    Same elegiac register, still epic fantasy

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak-2

  • 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.

    Same elegiac register

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak-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.

    elegiac → dreamlike

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak-2

To recover

3 more ↓

  • 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.

    elegiac → earnest, still epic fantasy

    pace0·prose-2·bleak-3

  • Wielding a Red Sword

    Piers Anthony1986

    An Indian prince avoids an arranged marriage by accepting the supernatural office of War. He wields a sword that draws him into a conflict in Hell.

    elegiac → playful

    pace0·prose-2·bleak-3

  • Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life

    Thich Nhat Hanh1998

    A Buddhist monk provides short meditations and breathing exercises for daily life. It focuses on finding calm in routine activities.

    elegiac → meditative

    pace-2·prose-2·bleak-3

Faster

elegiac → propulsive, still epic fantasy

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.

    elegiac → sardonic

    pace+1·prose-2·bleak-2

  • 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.

    elegiac → playful

    pace+1·prose-2·bleak-3

  • 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.

    elegiac → propulsive

    pace+1·prose-2·bleak-2

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.

    elegiac → dreamlike

    pace-2·prose+1·bleak-2

  • 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.

    elegiac → tender

    pace-2·prose-1·bleak-2

  • 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.

    elegiac → meditative

    pace-2·prose0·bleak-2