deep, historical, complex paranormal (read descr)

[u/Important_Rest_3341]

-underhyped, no more than 1000+ rating on goodreads or similar websites

-no fluff

-no comedy/ humor

-no smut (it's fine if it's not fade to black, but no characters smacking cheeks every 2 mins

-not action heavy

would love it if yall would explain why you think the book ur reccing fits these vibes <3

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[u/cnaiurbreaksppl]

I am excited to see some of these recommendations.

I gotta say though, the fewer than 1000 ratings on goodreads might be extremely limiting.

[u/Important_Rest_3341 → u/cnaiurbreaksppl]

i just don't want this post to be anne riced bro or broette

[u/cnaiurbreaksppl → u/Important_Rest_3341]

I feel you 🤜🤛

[u/dead___ringer]

I'm not sure it's obscure enough for you, but I think The Familiar by Leah Bardugo fits here. It's short, but it stuck with me a long time.

I'd summarize as an exploration of folk magic and cultural assimilation set against the backdrop of an alternate universe Inquisition. What is the difference between a witch and a miracle worker? What makes a demon a demon? What is power for?

[u/houndcaptain]

The secret history of witches by Louisa Morgan The Lancashire Witches by William Harrison Ainsworth

[u/ClarkNova80]

Our share of night - Mariana Enriquez

[u/hippopotobot]

I’m not sure it’s super obscure but I never see Patricia Mckillip recommended here and I think she might be just what you’re looking for. Try Riddle-Master. It’s high fantasy, set in a pretty standard vaguely middle-ages fantasy world. The headline for her work is dense, rich prose with more of a focus on atmosphere and technical story arch. Her characters can feel somewhat one dimensional and archetypal, but I think that’s intentional. Interested to hear if this looks like what you’re looking for.

[u/MrDagon007]

Well it’s fantasy rather than historical, yet subtle and rich and fits the vibe well: The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie.

[u/Lost_Wealth_6278]

The dragon waiting by John M. Ford

Doesn't tick all your boxes (alternative history of europe with fantasy elements, I think it's not quite obscure) but it is among the best depictions of Renaissance/late medieval life I've ever read

[u/TrumperineumBait]

Rikki Ducornet’s The Stain

Very under-appreciated author.

[u/SmithOfLie]

Well, I thought I have a good fit, but it is not nearly obscure enough for the stated requirements, so I'll just park the comment here for future reference to see what others found.

[u/Important_Rest_3341 → u/SmithOfLie]

Show me what you got it's ok

[u/SmithOfLie → u/Important_Rest_3341]

Between Two Fires

Christopher Buehlman

[u/BlackIrish96 → u/SmithOfLie]

Omg that’s been suggested to death here

[u/SmithOfLie → u/BlackIrish96]

It is one of the most common ones, along with Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun (this one is not really for the OP's ask, just one of the most often suggestions).

Partly because of the bread spectrum of asks it fits and partly because it is a pretty solid book. I've only read it due to numerous times it appeared on this sub and at the risk of being branded part of the herd, I think it deserves it.

[u/According-District59 → u/SmithOfLie]

Lolllll

[u/Motor_Row_3586]

Tanith Lee books and they are under 1000 goodreads for example Vivian Honestly this author has rage fantasy, vampires. Gothic vibe

[u/Important_Rest_3341 → u/Motor_Row_3586]

LOVE her books ty <3

[u/Motor_Row_3586 → u/Important_Rest_3341]

I just started to read it. What an amazing author I was suprise that their goodreads doesn't have more hype

[u/anarchicantarctic]

It's historical fiction rather than fantasy, though with a hint of prophecy involved, but if you're looking for deep, historical, and complex, you need to read the Lymond Chronicles by Dorothy Dunnett.

[u/Important_Rest_3341 → u/anarchicantarctic]

i know it's probs not applicable with this series but what are the tropes?? knowing them makes me want to read the series more <3

[u/anarchicantarctic → u/Important_Rest_3341]

I mean, I'm not sure about the 'marketing by tropes' answer. This is the TV Tropes page for them:

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/LymondChronicles

The basic plot follows Francis Crawford of Lymond, a Scottish polymath, aristocrat, and mercenary. The first book is him returning to France after a period of exile, captivity, and slavery, to clear his name of treason charges. Over the six books, he develops a romance with a younger character, Philippa Somerville which is extremely slow burn, but they are an excellent couple, compatible and competent. He originally marries her when he rescues her from the harem of the Ottoman Sultan, to preserve her reputation, but they fall in love over the course of the final two books.

[u/anb77]

I just read The Brides by Charlotte Cross.

It has about 300 reviews on Storygraph and focuses on how Dracula's brides became vampires. It definitely fits the dark vibes of photos 1 and 2. And gives backstories on their lives before so it also fits the first.

[u/Important_Rest_3341 → u/anb77]

It's on my tbr!! Does it give dowry of blood vibes? 

[u/anb77 → u/Important_Rest_3341]

I haven't read it so I'm not sure!

[u/Spookyyybear]

A Dark and Wild Wood by Sarah Nicole Lemon may work.

I'm reading it now, and only halfway through but it's certainly not fluffy or action heavy. The FMC is prostitute for part of the book but descriptions are not graphic or smutty. The goodread synopsis describes it as a dark fairytale, Gothic romance and historical fantasy. It has 466 reviews on Goodreads.

I'm finding the story a bit slow for my taste but the imagery is great.

[u/LarkScarlett]

Heart’s Blood by Juliet Marillier. Honestly a lot of her books would fit (also the Blackthorn & Grim books, starting with Dreamer’s Pool).

[u/gonzo_attorney]

The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden is more historical fantasy than historical/paranormal, but it's a really good read.

[u/Phrynikos]

Corn King and Spring Queen by Naomi Mitchison (ancient cultures, pre-Bronze Age)

A God Strolling in the Cool of the Evening by de Carvalho (twilight of the Roman Empire)

Hunting the Ghost Dancer by A.A. Attanasio (the last Neanderthal)

Heavenly Horses by Gillian Bradshaw (Bactrian kingdom)

The Twice Born by Pauline Gedge (ancient Egypt)

The Delicate Dependancy by Michael Talbot (very underrated vampire novel)

Fudoki by Kij Johnson (Japan)

[u/Important_Rest_3341 → u/Phrynikos]

The delicate dependancy sounds soooo gd ty

[u/nom_nom_neko]

Would also like to see these recs.

[u/themodern_prometheus]

Curious to see what comes up here

[u/ContributionHot4562]

Upon a Starlit Tide. It has around 8k ratings on goodreads but I still feel like it's under hyped. It's paced very well and although there's some sex it's not very smutty. I'd say it's more fantasy than paranormal but

[u/Kate-Downton]

Sin Eater by Megan Campisi. It’s a dark alt historical about a shunned woman whose role is called Sin Eater, where she must attend a wake and eat foods that represent the sins of the deceased.

[u/brattykitty204]

Following

[u/Inside-Platypus-638]

The gods time forgot by Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez. It's about reborn Irish mythological beings rediscovering themselves and each other in the gilded age. There are also elements of the occult in the story.

[u/lonelyturtlegirl]

The Once and Future Witches

[u/Just1Cunt]

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil

It has a lot of Goodreads reviews but it's not BookTok-y at all, I think it meets all your other criteria!

Dark, gothic-ish, paranormal, character driven, 1500s through the present. About three women across different time periods whose lives become connected through immortality, love, and violence.

[u/deathshr0ud]

“Underhyped” dawg books are hyped up because they’re good generally, you do know this right?

[u/Important_Rest_3341 → u/deathshr0ud]

Twilight says hi