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Quick answer: If you finished Gideon the Ninth, try Harrow the Ninth, Nona the Ninth, Space Opera, This Is How You Lose the Time War, Ancillary Justice and Piranesi. They bring gothic mystery, sharp humor and strange worlds.
Tamsyn Muir's 2019 novel follows Gideon Nav, a sword-wielding cavalier, who must escort the necromancer Harrow to a mysterious competition in a haunted house in space. It is funny, gory and clever. Readers who finish it want more bold, weird and witty science fantasy. These 15 books fit. Some include violence and mature themes.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrow the Ninth | Tamsyn Muir | Adult | the direct sequel |
| Nona the Ninth | Tamsyn Muir | Adult | series readers |
| Space Opera | Catherynne M. Valente | Adult | readers who like humor |
| This Is How You Lose the Time War | Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone | Adult | readers who like letters |
| Ancillary Justice | Ann Leckie | Adult | readers who like deep sci-fi |
| A Memory Called Empire | Arkady Martine | Adult | readers who like intrigue |
| Piranesi | Susanna Clarke | Adult | readers who like puzzles |
| The Atlas Six | Olivie Blake | Adult | dark academia fans |
| Ninth House | Leigh Bardugo | Adult | older readers |
| A Deadly Education | Naomi Novik | Adult | readers who like darker humor |
| Good Omens | Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman | Adult | readers who like comic fantasy |
| The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | Douglas Adams | Adult | readers who like absurd humor |
| Nettle & Bone | T. Kingfisher | Adult | readers who like fairy-tale quests |
| Mexican Gothic | Silvia Moreno-Garcia | Adult | readers who like creepy houses |
| All Systems Red | Martha Wells | Adult | readers who like snarky narrators |
1. Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
The second Locked Tomb book. A fast, strange and challenging sequel.
Best for: the direct sequel.
2. Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
The third book. A new character and a changing tone. Funny, tender and weird.
Best for: series readers.
3. Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente
Earth must compete in a galactic singing contest to survive. Silly and sparkly.
Best for: readers who like humor.
4. This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
Two agents from opposing futures exchange letters. Short, lyrical and romantic.
Best for: readers who like letters.
5. Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
A former ship's AI seeks revenge. Smart, with a unique take on identity.
Best for: readers who like deep sci-fi.
6. A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
Mahit goes to a rival empire and investigates a murder. A political thriller.
Best for: readers who like intrigue.
7. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
A man lives in an endless house of statues and tides. Quiet and mysterious.
Best for: readers who like puzzles.
8. The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
Six magicians are recruited to a library. Cold, clever and morally gray.
Best for: dark academia fans.
9. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Alex Stern attends Yale to monitor secret societies that practice magic. Dark and violent.
Best for: older readers.
10. A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
El Lazarus Lake attends a school where monsters hunt students. Sharp and funny.
Best for: readers who like darker humor.
11. Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
An angel and a demon try to stop the end of the world. Silly and smart.
Best for: readers who like comic fantasy.
12. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Arthur Dent escapes Earth's destruction and travels the galaxy. Absurd and funny.
Best for: readers who like absurd humor.
13. Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
A princess sets out to kill a prince with the help of a witch and a bone dog. Dark and funny.
Best for: readers who like fairy-tale quests.
14. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Noemí goes to a decaying mansion in the Mexican mountains. Gothic and strange.
Best for: readers who like creepy houses.
15. All Systems Red by Martha Wells
A security android hacks its own governor module. Funny and sharp.
Best for: readers who like snarky narrators.
How to Choose
For more of the Locked Tomb, read Harrow the Ninth. For witty sci-fi, try Space Opera or All Systems Red. For gothic mystery, choose Piranesi, Ninth House or Mexican Gothic. A simple plan is to alternate a heavy book with a funny one. Muir's books have jokes, gore and complex plots, so give yourself time. Because the series is dense, take notes on characters and houses. A good plan is to alternate: one Locked Tomb book, then something lighter like Space Opera. Audiobook fans praise the narrator's performance. A helpful way to read is to keep a family tree of the houses and watch for repeated jokes, which become clues in later books.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gideon the Ninth a series?
Yes. The Locked Tomb series has four planned books, with Alecto the Ninth to come.
Is it hard to follow?
The first book is easier, but the series becomes complex.
Is Gideon the Ninth funny?
Yes. Gideon's voice is sarcastic and crude.
Is it LGBTQ+?
Yes. It has a central queer romance and many queer characters.
Is Gideon the Ninth gory?
Yes, it has skeletons, battles and body horror, played for dark humor.
Do I need to know necromancy tropes?
No. The book explains its world as it goes.
How long is the book?
About 450 pages, a medium-length fantasy novel.