After
Mordew
Alex Pheby2020
- pace
- prose
- structure
- bleakness
4 of 6 directions open — nothing heavier, nothing denser
More like it
- pace0prose0bleak0
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 grimdark
pace0·prose0·bleak0
- pace+1prose-1bleak0
Empire of the Damned
Jay Kristoff2024
A vampire hunter protects the Holy Grail while navigating a war between rival vampire bloodlines. The world is trapped in a permanent night.
Same bleak register, still grimdark
pace+1·prose-1·bleak0
- pace+1prose-1bleak0
The Iron Dragon's Daughter
Michael Swanwick1993
A changeling girl works in a Dickensian factory building sentient iron dragons. She attempts to escape a world of cynical magic and cruelty.
Same bleak register, still grimdark
pace+1·prose-1·bleak0
- pace0prose0bleak0
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.
bleak → cold, still grimdark
pace0·prose0·bleak0
1 more ↓ ↑
- pace0prose0bleak-1
Palimpsest
Catherynne M. Valente2009
Four strangers visit a secret city accessible only through sexual contact. They become obsessed with returning to the city and its inhabitants.
bleak → dreamlike, still dark fantasy
pace0·prose0·bleak-1
To recover
- pace+1prose-3bleak-3
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.
bleak → earnest
pace+1·prose-3·bleak-3
- pace+1prose-3bleak-3
Neon Gods
Katee Robert2021
In a modern city-state, Persephone flees an arranged marriage to Zeus by entering the underworld. She strikes a deal with Hades to stay there.
bleak → tense
pace+1·prose-3·bleak-3
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+1prose-3bleak-3
Starter Villain
John Scalzi2023
A substitute teacher inherits his uncle's secret supervillain business, including a volcano lair and talking cats.
bleak → wry
pace+1·prose-3·bleak-3
- pace+1prose-3bleak-3
Playing with Fire
Gena Showalter2006
A barista gains elemental superpowers after being poisoned and must flee from a government agent. They eventually work together to escape.
bleak → playful
pace+1·prose-3·bleak-3
- pace+2prose-3bleak-3
Digital Fortress
Dan Brown1998
The NSA's code-breaking supercomputer encounters an unbreakable algorithm. A cryptographer and a professor race to find the kill code.
bleak → propulsive
pace+2·prose-3·bleak-3
Faster
- pace+2prose-3bleak-2
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-3·bleak-2
- pace+2prose-3bleak-3
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-3·bleak-3
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+2prose-3bleak-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-3·bleak-2
- pace+2prose-3bleak-2
The Atlantis Gene
A.G. Riddle2013
A geneticist and a counter-terrorism agent uncover a global conspiracy involving human evolution and an ancient Antarctic discovery.
bleak → propulsive
pace+2·prose-3·bleak-2
- pace+2prose-3bleak-2
Monster Hunter International
Larry Correia2007
An accountant kills his boss, who has become a werewolf, and is recruited by a private company that hunts monsters for government bounties.
bleak → propulsive, still chosen one
pace+2·prose-3·bleak-2
Slower
- pace-1prose0bleak-2
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.
bleak → meditative
pace-1·prose0·bleak-2
- pace-1prose0bleak-1
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.
bleak → elegiac
pace-1·prose0·bleak-1
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace-1prose0bleak-2
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·prose0·bleak-2
- pace-1prose-2bleak-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.
bleak → tender
pace-1·prose-2·bleak-2
- pace-1prose-1bleak-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.
bleak → meditative
pace-1·prose-1·bleak-2
