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After

Golden Fool (The Tawny Man, Book 2)

Robin Hobb2002

6 of 6 directions open

More like it

Same elegiac register, still epic fantasy

1 more ↓

  • Across the Face of the World

    Russell Kirkpatrick2003

    Two brothers flee their village to warn the world of an ancient immortal's return. They lead a small group on a trek across a frozen landscape.

    elegiac → earnest, still epic fantasy

    pace0·prose0·bleak0

Denser prose

3 more ↓

  • Soldier of Sidon

    Gene Wolfe2006

    A mercenary in ancient Egypt loses his memory every time he sleeps. He records his days in a scroll while interacting with gods and spirits.

    elegiac → meditative

    pace0·prose+1·bleak-1

  • Ink

    Hal Duncan2007

    Gods and mortals clash in a shifting city where reality is written on skin. The story follows a cycle of mythic archetypes across time.

    elegiac → dreamlike

    pace0·prose+1·bleak0

  • 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.

    Same elegiac register

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak0

To recover

3 more ↓

  • Bad Girl Reputation

    Elle Kennedy2022

    A former party girl returns to her coastal hometown for a funeral and tries to avoid her ex-boyfriend. They struggle to maintain their distance.

    elegiac → playful

    pace+1·prose-2·bleak-2

  • Royally Matched

    Emma Chase2017

    A rebellious prince enters a reality dating show to find a bride. He ends up falling for a quiet librarian who is not a contestant.

    elegiac → playful

    pace+1·prose-2·bleak-2

  • Vampires Are Forever

    Lynsay Sands2008

    A woman suspects her business partner is a vampire after he attempts to bite her. He tries to convince her they are fated mates.

    elegiac → playful

    pace+1·prose-2·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.

    elegiac → sardonic

    pace+2·prose-2·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.

    elegiac → playful

    pace+2·prose-2·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.

    elegiac → propulsive

    pace+2·prose-2·bleak-1

Slower

3 more ↓

  • 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.

    Same elegiac register

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak0

  • 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-1·prose+1·bleak-1

  • 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.

    elegiac → dreamlike

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak-1

Heavier

3 more ↓

  • 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.

    elegiac → bleak, still epic fantasy

    pace+1·prose0·bleak+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.

    elegiac → grim, still epic fantasy

    pace+1·prose0·bleak+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.

    elegiac → tense, still epic fantasy

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak+1