Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Bookish Wisdom earns from qualifying purchases. This doesn't change our picks or your price.
Quick answer: If you liked The Atlas Six, read Olivie Blake's The Atlas Paradox and The Atlas Complex, then Ninth House, The Secret History, A Deadly Education and The Magicians. All are dark academia and magic novels about gifted students, rivalry and secrets.
Olivie Blake's 2020 novel (self-published first, then traditionally) follows six rare magicians recruited to the Alexandrian Society, who must compete for five places over a year of study. It is stylish, brooding and full of twisting loyalties. The books below offer similar magical schools, ambitious students and morally grey characters.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Atlas Paradox | Olivie Blake | Adult | the sequel |
| The Atlas Complex | Olivie Blake | Adult | the finale |
| Ninth House | Leigh Bardugo | Adult | secret societies at Yale |
| The Secret History | Donna Tartt | Adult | the dark academia classic |
| A Deadly Education | Naomi Novik | Adult | magic school with monsters |
| The Magicians | Lev Grossman | Adult | magic school for adults |
| Babel | R. F. Kuang | Adult | translation and empire |
| If We Were Villains | M. L. Rio | Adult | Shakespeare students |
| The Starless Sea | Erin Morgenstern | Adult | mystical library |
| Piranesi | Susanna Clarke | Adult | strange wonder |
| Vicious | V. E. Schwab | Adult | morally grey rivals |
| Gideon the Ninth | Tamsyn Muir | Adult | necromancers in space |
| Bunny | Mona Awad | Adult | surreal campus horror |
| Hell Bent | Leigh Bardugo | Adult | Ninth House sequel |
| The Ten Thousand Doors of January | Alix E. Harrow | Adult | doors and books |
1. The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake
The six face consequences and new choices. Darker and more twisty.
Best for: the sequel.
2. The Atlas Complex by Olivie Blake
The trilogy reaches its end. A satisfying conclusion.
Best for: the finale.
3. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
A scholarship student investigates occult societies. Dark, gritty and intense.
Best for: secret societies at Yale.
4. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Classics students commit murder and cover it up. Slow, seductive and unforgettable.
Best for: the dark academia classic.
5. A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
A student at a school full of monsters tries to survive. Funny and inventive.
Best for: magic school with monsters.
6. The Magicians by Lev Grossman
A young man enters a secret college for magic and finds a darker world. Smart and grown-up.
Best for: magic school for adults.
7. Babel by R. F. Kuang
A student of translation at Oxford discovers the dark side of silver magic. Ambitious and angry.
Best for: translation and empire.
8. If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio
Drama students are drawn into a murder. Tense, theatrical and tragic.
Best for: Shakespeare students.
9. The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
A man finds a book about a hidden library beneath the earth. Dreamy and lush.
Best for: mystical library.
10. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
A man lives in an endless house of statues and tides. Short, lyrical and intriguing.
Best for: strange wonder.
11. Vicious by V. E. Schwab
Two former friends turned enemies gain powers through near-death experiences. Dark and clever.
Best for: morally grey rivals.
12. Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
A swordswoman and a necromancer solve a mystery in a decaying palace. Witty and gothic.
Best for: necromancers in space.
13. Bunny by Mona Awad
A student is drawn into a clique of friends who call each other Bunny. Weird, funny and disturbing.
Best for: surreal campus horror.
14. Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo
Alex plans to rescue someone from Hell. Dark and exciting.
Best for: Ninth House sequel.
15. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
A girl finds a book that reveals doors to other worlds. Lyrical and magical.
Best for: doors and books.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with The Atlas Six: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
How to Choose
For more Blake read The Atlas Paradox and The Atlas Complex. For dark academia choose The Secret History, Ninth House or If We Were Villains. For magic schools pick The Magicians or A Deadly Education. For historical depth try Babel. For strange wonder read Piranesi or The Starless Sea. The Atlas Six is philosophical and character-driven, so these picks suit readers who enjoy mood and intellect. The Atlas Six went viral on social media before it was picked up by a major publisher, and its fans often share fan art and theories online. If you liked the philosophical side, Piranesi and The Starless Sea are dreamlike. If you liked the rivalry and ambition, Ninth House and If We Were Villains are tighter. If you liked the magic school, A Deadly Education is more action-packed. Dark academia is a popular reading mood, and these titles suit autumn evenings.
Related: 15 Books Like Six of Crows You’ll Love: Heists, Found Family and Morally Gray Crews · 15 Books Like Daisy Jones and the Six You’ll Love: Music, Fame and Complicated Love
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Atlas Six about?
Six gifted magicians compete for five places in a secret society.
Who wrote it?
Olivie Blake.
When was it published?
Self-published in 2020, then by Tor in 2022.
Is it a series?
Yes, a trilogy.
Is it romance?
It has romance, but it is mostly about ambition and power.
Is it dark academia?
Yes, with magic and philosophy.
Is it hard to follow?
The six viewpoints can be a lot, but it reads fast.
What should I read next?
Try The Atlas Paradox or Ninth House.
Is the series complete?
Yes, with three main books, plus a related novel.
Is The Atlas Six confusing?
Six viewpoints can be a lot at first, but the story soon clarifies.