Maximal worldbuilding Books

Lose yourself in worlds vast, intricate, and utterly unforgettable.

These are stories that don't just tell a tale, they build a universe. Expect dense, lyrical prose painting meticulously crafted settings, often melancholic or oppressive, where cosmic forces clash and survival is a constant, desperate struggle. Perfect for readers who crave immersion and relish the slow unraveling of deeply imagined realms. Books in this category are defined by dark and atmospheric and richly built worlds, with a steadily paced quality that keeps readers engaged from first page to last.

This list is for readers who know exactly what they want: epic, high-stakes stories with a dark and atmospheric edge, told with steadily paced momentum. If you search for dark atmospheric fantasy, immersive worldbuilding, melancholic and oppressive, these are the books consistently recommended by readers who've found their niche.

Standout titles include The Convoluted Universe, book 3 by Cannon Dolores and The Stranger at the Pentagon by E Stranges Frank. Alongside them you'll find D'aulaire's Book of Greek Myths by Ingri d'Aulaire, The Three Waves of Volunteers and the New Earth by Cannon Dolores. All 30 books on this list have been matched to the Maximal worldbuilding archetype by analyzing their pacing, tone, prose style, and worldbuilding — not just genre tags.

30 books
The Convoluted Universe, book 3 📖
1. The Convoluted Universe, book 3
Cannon Dolores
Join us on a voyage through time and space into the world of the strange and unusual and unfathomable, as hypnotherapist Dolores Cannons Convoluted Universe series continues. Suspend belief as you explore worlds and dimensions where your dreams become reality and your reality is only a dream. Open your mind to a myriad of possibilities that have previously only dwelt in the imagination. More mind-bending concepts for those with open minds and eager curiosities. Other lives as animals, plants and in strange, otherworldly bodies. Everything is alive. Everything has consciousness. Help from beings of faraway worlds. The three waves of volunteers who are coming to help the world go through its transition. What is God? The true nature of God or the Source, where all come from and all must go back to. Lifetimes as Creators of universes, the Earth and everything on it. Different laws of creation and physics where universes obey other rules. The New Earth and the effects on our bodies as we move into it. Who will be left behind when the Earth moves into the next dimension. A totally new alternative to a walk-in. The Final Solution Energy that can destroy the world if it becomes necessary.
science fiction spiritual science fiction mystical cosmic esoteric
Pacing
30
Tone
60
World
95
Prose
45
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The Stranger at the Pentagon 📖
2. The Stranger at the Pentagon
E Stranges Frank
The Stranger at the Pentagon, by Dr. Frank Stranges, a theologian, psychologist, and criminologist who also happens to be the founder of a national committee dedicated to the investigation of UFOs, is an astonishing account -- complete with photos -- of an "alien" landing in Virginia in the year of 1957. According to his account, the ship was captained by an extra-terrestrial named "Valiant Thor," who came with guidance and instructions for our planet in its post-nuclear era. Commander "Val" allegedly remained for three years, as a guest of the Pentagon, and spoke to various members of the Eisenhower administration, including then-Vice President Richard Nixon, who apparently greeted him with the quip, "You certainly have caused a stir -- for an out-of-towner." The information contained in Strangers' account was supposedly classified, although much of it is available in other classic accounts of alien sightings/encounters following the explosion of the first atomic bomb in New Mexico in 1945. Stranger's story coheres with the claim that President Kennedy was assassinated in order to prevent him from exposing the military cover-up to the public, and also with the claim that as president, Nixon was poised to stake his place in history by disclosing all he knew just before the Watergate scandal pre-empted both his statement and any credibility that it might have carried. After three years, alien Val's invitation to reside at a sumptuous, Pentagon-based suite expired, and he was requested to go back to his own planet. According to the author, he nevertheless returned to earth many times, and personally oversees many others like him who continue to infiltrate and observe our planet. The author also claims to have visited one of their spacecraft, and relays the information he has learned from them in an earnest, straightforward manner infused with the religion he claims that they share. It goes without saying that we need to keep an extremely open mind about this last point especially, but if there are extra-terrestrials, there is no reason to assume that they would be any less religious than "earthlings." And given that the extra-terrestrial described here was tasked with infiltrating our society, it seems reasonable to assume that he would couch his knowledge -- which after all defies the laws of physics as we know them -- in terms that his audience could understand. What cannot be disputed is that the factual information conveyed here coheres nicely with accounts from hard-line World War 2 Army Air Force pilots, engineers, and scientists of the era, and is equally fascinating. The photos, also, are compelling.
science fiction religious science fiction mystical spiritual conspiratorial
Pacing
30
Tone
60
World
85
Prose
45
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D'aulaire's Book of Greek Myths 📖
3. D'aulaire's Book of Greek Myths
Ingri d'Aulaire, Edgar Parin d'Aulaire
A re-telling of the myths of ancient Greece for children.
fantasy classical mythology mythological legendary educational
Pacing
60
Tone
40
World
90
Prose
45
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
The Three Waves of Volunteers and the New Earth 📖
4. The Three Waves of Volunteers and the New Earth
Cannon Dolores
science fiction spiritual science fiction cosmic ethereal mystical
Pacing
40
Tone
60
World
95
Prose
15
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
The School for Good and Evil 📖
5. The School for Good and Evil
Soman Chainani
**A dark and enchanting fantasy adventure perfect for those who prefer their fairytales with a twist. The first in the bestselling School for Good and Evil series.** Every four years, two girls are kidnapped from the village of Gavaldon. Legend has it these lost children are sent to the School for Good and Evil, the fabled institution where they become fairytale heroes or villains. With her glass slippers and devotion to good deeds, Sophie knows she'll join the ranks of past students like Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Snow White at the School for Good. Meanwhile, Agatha, with her shapeless black dresses and wicked black cat, seems a natural fit for the villains in the School for Evil. But the two girls soon find their fortunes reversed – Sophie's dumped in the School for Evil to take Uglification, Death Curses and Henchmen Training, while Agatha finds herself in the School for Good, thrust among handsome princes and fair maidens for classes in Princess Etiquette and Animal Communication. But what if the mistake is actually the first clue to discovering who Sophie and Agatha really are?
fantasy dark fantasy / fairy tale retelling darkly whimsical gothic fairy tale psychological horror
Pacing
60
Tone
40
World
95
Prose
75
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Tunnel in the Sky 📖
6. Tunnel in the Sky
Heinlein, Robert A
This is a wonderful thought provoking book. Survival and the creation of initial social, community and even political themes are explored. A pivotal entry into my young mind. I still enjoy it today!
science fiction hard science fiction/survival fiction survival adventure community
Pacing
75
Tone
30
World
85
Prose
45
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
The Jennifer Morgue 📖
7. The Jennifer Morgue
Stross, Charles
Bob Howard, geekish demonology hacker extraordinaire for "The Laundry," must stop ruthless billionaire Ellis Billington from unleashing an eldritch horror, codenamed "Jennifer Morgue," from the ocean's depths for the purpose of ruling the world...
literary fiction occult espionage thriller bureaucratic absurdity occult espionage technothriller
Pacing
60
Tone
30
World
95
Prose
75
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
Minecraft: Epic Bases 📖
8. Minecraft: Epic Bases
Mojang AB
fantasy creative building guide creative inspiring playful
Pacing
60
Tone
70
World
95
Prose
45
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
Heaven Official’s Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu Vol. 2 📖
9. Heaven Official’s Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu Vol. 2
Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
Xie Lian has confirmed that the bewitching youth San Lang is actually Hua Cheng, one of the Four Calamities and a supreme ghost despised by all heavenly officials. Still, he has trouble matching the terror of his companion’s reputation with the charming, clever, and protective young man he’s come to know. When a distress signal leads Xie Lian into Ghost City, a bustling metropolis containing all the horrors and delights of the dead, he sees Hua Cheng in his element—and his true form—for the first time. But despite their chemistry and care for one another, there are missions to fulfill and secrets to uncover, and Xie Lian’s centuries of troubled history are never far behind.
fantasy xianxia darkly comedic gothic fantasy romantic tension
Pacing
60
Tone
40
World
90
Prose
75
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
Castle Diary: The Journal of Tobias Burgess, Page 📖
10. Castle Diary: The Journal of Tobias Burgess, Page
Platt, Richard
What was it really like to live in a castle? Step back to the Middle Ages with *Castle Diary: The Journal of Tobias Burgess*. Eleven-year-old Toby’s vivid diary entries offer an insider’s view of day-to-day castle life, including tips on etiquette (where do you spit at a feast?) and exciting descriptions of hunting, jousting, and harvesting. Complete with glossary, index, and detailed endnotes, this is a rich look at medieval life that informs as much as it entertains. Part of the *Historical Fiction Diaries* series.
historical fiction historical fiction for young readers medieval historical observant
Pacing
60
Tone
55
World
85
Prose
45
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
The Island 📖
11. The Island
Max Brooks
An official tie-in to the globally popular video game traces the story of a new hero stranded in the world of Minecraft who must survive a harsh environment while unraveling the secrets of a mysterious island. By the best-selling author of World War Z.
fantasy survival fantasy survival resourceful reflective
Pacing
60
Tone
30
World
95
Prose
45
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
The Book of Secrets 📖
12. The Book of Secrets
Chopra, Deepak
literary fiction spiritual nonfiction transcendent liberating mystical
Pacing
20
Tone
65
World
90
Prose
85
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
Earth Afire 📖
13. Earth Afire
Orson Scott Card
Traces the events of the First Formic War a century before the events of Ender's Game, following the unsuccessful attempt of Victor Delgado to warn skeptical Earth governments of an imminent alien invasion and the efforts of Mazer Rackham and the Mobile Operations Police to meet unprecedented threats.
science fiction speculative fiction anthology informative professional eclectic
Pacing
95
Tone
45
World
85
Prose
15
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
Claws 📖
14. Claws
Stine, R L
It all about tow kids by which a cat of there relative was killed by mistake.They tried to buy a new one for them but after very struggle they got just the same in cats haven.
fantasy urban fantasy / dark comedy tense horror melancholic
Pacing
75
Tone
20
World
85
Prose
45
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
The Empty City 📖
15. The Empty City
Hunter, Erin
Lucky has always been a Lone Dog, roaming the busy city streets and relying on his instincts. Then the Big Growl strikes—a devastating earthquake that changes Lucky’s world forever. For the first time, he must team up with a Pack, a group of former Leashed Dogs who have been separated from their owners. ---------- **Books in this series** 1. The Empty City 2. [A Hidden Enemy][2] 3. [Darkness Falls][3] 4. [The Broken Path][4] 5. [The Endless Lake][5] 6. [Storm of Dogs][6] [2]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL19663114W [3]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL17306946W [4]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL17615698W [5]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL17826137W [6]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL19994721W
fantasy animal fantasy / post-apocalyptic survival desperate melancholic
Pacing
75
Tone
30
World
85
Prose
45
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
Guards Guards 📖
16. Guards Guards
Terry Pratchett
Here there be dragons ... and the denizens of Ankh-Morpork wish one huge firebreather would return from whence it came. Long believed extinct, a superb specimen of draco nobilis ("noble dragon" for those who don't understand italics) has appeared in Discworld's greatest city. Not only does this unwelcome visitor have a nasty habit of charbroiling everything in its path, in rather short order it is crowned King (it is a noble dragon, after all ...).
fantasy urban fantasy absurdist deadpan melancholic
Pacing
60
Tone
30
World
95
Prose
45
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Book 2 Hammer of Thor Th 📖
17. Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Book 2 Hammer of Thor Th
Riordan Rick
Magnus Chase has seen his share of trouble. Ever since that terrible night two years ago when his mother told him to run, he has lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, staying one step ahead of the police and the truant officers. One day, Magnus learns that someone else is trying to track him down—his uncle Randolph, a man his mother had always warned him about. When Magnus tries to outmaneuver his uncle, he falls right into his clutches. Randolph starts rambling about Norse history and Magnus's birthright: a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years. The more Randolph talks, the more puzzle pieces fall into place. Stories about the gods of Asgard, wolves, and Doomsday bubble up from Magnus's memory. But he doesn't have time to consider it all before a fire giant attacks the city, forcing him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents. . . . Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die.
fantasy mythological adventure high-stakes chaotic action-packed
Pacing
85
Tone
30
World
95
Prose
75
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
The Beach 📖
18. The Beach
Garland, Alex
Een jonge reiziger komt met zijn metgezellen terecht op een verborgen, paradijselijk Thais eiland, dat langzaam aan verandert in een nachtmerrie.
literary fiction magical realism / dystopian fiction surreal oppressive paranoid
Pacing
40
Tone
30
World
90
Prose
75
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
Phantastes A Faerie Romance 📖
19. Phantastes A Faerie Romance
MacDonald George
One of George MacDonald's most important works, Phantastes is the story of a young man named Anotos and his long dreamlike journey in Fairy Land. It is the fairy tale of deep spiritual insight as Anotos makes his way through moments of uncertainty and peril and mistakes that can have irreversible consequences. This is also his spiritual quest that is destined to end with the supreme surrender of the self. When he finally experiences the hard-won surrender, a wave of joy overwhelms him. His intense personal introspection is honest as he is offered the full range of symbolic choices--great beauty, horrifying ugliness, irritating goblins, nurturing spirits. Each confrontation in Fairy Land allows Anotos to learn many necessary lessons. As he continues on the journey, many shadowy beings threaten his spiritual well-being and compel him to sing. The songs are irresistible to a beautiful White Lady who is freed from inside a statue by the music, and Anotos remains captivated by her for a long time. He sees the world more objectively; his trek invites a natural descent into feelings of pride and egotism. But his losses and sorrows coalesce themselves into things of grace, and these experiences help his spiritual growth. Please Note: This book has been reformatted to be easy to read in true text, not scanned images that can sometimes be difficult to decipher. The Microsoft eBook has a contents page linked to the chapter headings for easy navigation. The Adobe eBook has bookmarks at chapter headings and is printable up to two full copies per year. Both versions are text searchable.
fantasy fairy tale / allegorical fantasy lyrical melancholic ethereal
Pacing
20
Tone
30
World
95
Prose
85
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls 📖
20. Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls
Weingarten, Lynn
Gone Girl meets 13 Reasons Why in this stylish, sexy, and atmospheric story about friendship packed with twists and turns that will leave you breathless. They say Delia burned herself to death in her stepfather's shed. They say it was suicide. But June doesn't believe it. June and Delia used to be closer than anything. Best friends in that way that comes before everyone else before guys, before family. It was like being in love, but more. They had a billion secrets, tying them together like thin silk cords. But one night a year ago, everything changed. June, Delia, and June's boyfriend Ryan were just having a little fun. Their good time got out of hand. And in the cold blue light of morning, June knew only this things would never be the same again. And now, a year later, Delia is dead. June is certain she was murdered. And she owes it to her to find out the truth which is far more complicated than she ever could have imagined. Sexy, dark, and atmospheric, Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls will keep you guessing until the very last page.
literary fiction magical realism / dark fantasy darkly whimsical psychological thriller melancholic
Pacing
60
Tone
30
World
90
Prose
75
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
Homeland The Legend of Drizzt Book 1 📖
21. Homeland The Legend of Drizzt Book 1
Salvatore RA
La extraña y exótica Menzoberranzan, la gran ciudad de la Antípoda Oscura, fundada hace milenios por los elfos oscuros tras su marcha del mundo exterior, es la morada del héroe de "El valle del viento helado", Drizzt Do'Urden. Drizzt, el joven príncipe de una de las casas regentes, llega a la madurez en el mundo cruel y despiadado de su raza, donde el único rayo de esperanza es su maestro de armas, Zaknafein, quien le enseña cómo -y para qué- usar una espada. Dotado de un honor incomprensible para la sociedad sin principios que lo rodea, atenta únicamente a satisfacer los viles caprichos de la reina Araña, el joven Drizzt se enfrenta a un dilema inevitable: ¿podrá vivir en un mundo que rechaza la integridad?
fantasy dark fantasy dark oppressive moral_ambiguity
Pacing
40
Tone
20
World
90
Prose
75
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
Creep from the Deep 📖
22. Creep from the Deep
Stine, R L
Swim at Your Own Risk! Billy and Sheena always expect adventure when they join their uncle, Dr. Deep aboard his hi-tech boat. What they don't expect is a treasure hunt leading to a 200-year-old sea captain... who refuses to stay dead! Wave Goodbye... Forever! Just when they think the tide is turning, Billy and Sheena accidentally tally dive into a dangerous mystery. A chilling surprise awaits them in HorrorLand, the theme park where their worst nightmare is about to come to life.
fantasy middle grade adventure suspenseful terrifying mischievous
Pacing
85
Tone
20
World
60
Prose
45
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
Ready Player One 📖
23. Ready Player One
Ernest Cline
In the year 2044. reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts *really* feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines--puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win--and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape. (Provided by publisher).
science fiction cyberpunk nihilistic neon-noir geek-culture
Pacing
90
Tone
40
World
95
Prose
85
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
The City  The City 📖
24. The City The City
China Mieville
Inspector Tyador Borlú must travel to Ul Qoma to search for answers in the murder of a woman found in the city of Besźel.
science fiction speculative fiction oppressive paranoid melancholic
Pacing
40
Tone
30
World
95
Prose
75
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
Son 📖
25. Son
Lowry, Lois
Unlike the other Birthmothers in her utopian community, teenaged Claire forms an attachment to her baby, feeling a great loss when he is taken to the Nurturing Center to be adopted by a family unit.
literary fiction dystopian fiction melancholic lyrical solemn
Pacing
20
Tone
40
World
95
Prose
85
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
Sign of the Moon 📖
26. Sign of the Moon
Hunter, Erin
The end of the stars draws near. Three must become four to battle the darkness that lasts forever.... The dark forces that have driven a rift between the four warrior Clans are growing stronger. Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Dovepaw now know that unless they can unravel the true meaning behind the prophecy that binds them, the warrior code could be destroyed forever. While Lionblaze remains focused on protecting ThunderClan from another deadly battle, Jayfeather receives a desperate plea for help from the Tribe of Rushing Water. He must travel to the mountains in search of answers that link the Clans to the Tribe in ways no cat could have imagined. But with the summons comes an ominous warning that suggests the power of the stars may not be enough to save the Clans. ---------- **Books in this arc** 1. [The Fourth Apprentice][1] 2. [Fading Echoes][2] 3. [Night Whispers][3] 4. Sign of the Moon 5. [The Forgotten Warrior][5] 6. [The Last Hope][6] [1]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL14906957W [2]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL5714273W [3]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL15496241W [5]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL16509079W [6]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL16529186W ---------- **Arcs in this series** 1. [The Prophecies Begin][a] 2. [The New Prophecy][b] 3. [The Power of Three][c] 4. Omen of the Stars 5. [Dawn of the Clans][e] 6. [A Vision of Shadows][f] 7. [The Broken Code][g] 8. [A Starless Clan][h] S. [Super Editions][s] [a]: https://openlibrary.org/books/OL9228970M/INTO [b]: https://openlibrary.org/books/OL9235572M/Midnight_(Warriors_The_New_Prophecy_Book_1) [c]: https://openlibrary.org/books/OL7283723M/The_Sight_(Warriors_Power_of_Three_Book_1) [d]: https://openlibrary.org/books/OL24084711M/Warriors_Omen_of_the_Stars_1 [e]: https://openlibrary.org/books/OL25995097M/Dawn_of_the_Clans [f]: https://openlibrary.org/books/OL26884472M/The_apprentice's_quest [g]: https://openlibrary.org/books/OL27958224M/Warriors_The_Broken_Code_1 [h]: https://openlibrary.org/books/OL32444897M/River/ [s]: https://openlibrary.org/books/OL7288445M/Firestar's_Quest
fantasy young adult fantasy prophecy destiny ancient
Pacing
40
Tone
30
World
90
Prose
75
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
An Ember in the Ashes 📖
27. An Ember in the Ashes
Sabaa Tahir
"Laia is a Scholar living under the iron-fisted rule of the Martial Empire. When her brother is arrested for treason, Laia goes undercover as a slave at the empire's greatest military academy in exchange for assistance from rebel Scholars who claim that they will help to save her brother from execution"--
fantasy dark fantasy / military fantasy oppressive violent melancholic
Pacing
85
Tone
20
World
90
Prose
75
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
The Ultimate Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy 📖
28. The Ultimate Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
Douglas Gaiman Neil Adams
This is the collection of all five of the books in Douglas Adams' famous galaxy exploring trilogy. It follows Arthur Dent and his friends as they travel around the Milky Way meeting strange new cultures and having many entertaining adventures in the search for the meaning of life. ---------- Contains: [The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy](https://openlibrary.org/works/OL2163649W/The_Hitch_Hiker's_Guide_to_the_Galaxy) [The Restaurant at the End of the Universe](https://openlibrary.org/works/OL2163720W/The_Restaurant_at_the_End_of_the_Universe) [Life, the Universe and Everything](https://openlibrary.org/works/OL2163716W) [So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish](https://openlibrary.org/works/OL2163719W/So_long_and_thanks_for_all_the_fish) Mostly Harmless Young Zaphod Plays it Safe
science fiction satirical science fiction absurdist deadpan cosmic
Pacing
85
Tone
30
World
95
Prose
45
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
Kensukes Kingdom 📖
29. Kensukes Kingdom
Michael Morpurgo
Michael's parents buy a yacht, and take him off to sail round the world. Washed overboard in a fierce storm, Michael finds himself on the shore of a remote island - and soon discovers he's not alone. Kensuke, a former Japanese soldier, survived the war and the bombing of Hiroshima, but his family perished. As an extraordinary bond forms between the two, Kensuke faces a heart-breaking choice: can he give up the secluded life he's built for himself to help reunite Michael with his parents?
literary fiction survival fiction melancholic lyrical contemplative
Pacing
40
Tone
45
World
85
Prose
75
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop
Lord Loss 📖
30. Lord Loss
Shan, Darren
Grubbs Grady has stiff red hair and is a little big for his age, which means he can get into R-rated movies. He hates history and loves bacon, rats, and playing tricks on his squeamish older sister. When he opts out of a family weekend trip, he never guesses that he is about to take a terrifying journey into darkness. Hungry demons and howling werewolves haunt his waking nightmares... and threaten his life.
fantasy urban fantasy/horror nightmarish gruesome tense
Pacing
85
Tone
20
World
90
Prose
75
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop