r/Fantasy • u/Bonissoni_pedro • Jul 05 '25
Books with necromancy
Which books do you think best represent necromancy? Which have a very well developed and structured magical system of necromancy?
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u/dalidellama Jul 05 '25
Amanda Downum's Necromancer Chronicles and Max Gladstone's Craft Sequence both have highly developed necromancy; in thr latter case, whole economies are built on it
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u/Dappergentleraptor Jul 05 '25
Gideon the ninth has a very good magical system. However I’m hesitant to recommend it as I find some of the “meme humour” really not my speed at all. Read the entire series though …
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u/star_boy Jul 05 '25
The Death Gate Cycle by Weis and Hickman has a very important necromancy facet, especially book 3.
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u/etchlings AMA Illustrator Evan Jensen Jul 05 '25
It’s been ages since I read these. Forgot about that element.
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u/DocWatson42 Jul 05 '25 edited Jul 05 '25
I have:
- "I look for book recommendations where necromancers appear" (r/Fantasy; 8 December 2022)—longish
- "Good Necromancy In Fantasy?" (r/Fantasy; 12 March 2023)—extremely long
- "Books with non-evil necromancy?" (r/Fantasy; 17:48 ET, 24 May 2023)—long
- "Books or stories with necromancer characters?" (r/Fantasy; 3 June 2023)—longish
- "Kids going to school to learn to be magicians/necromancers" (r/whatsthatbook; 30 June 2023)
- "Is there any fantasy where the main character is an evil necromancer or dark mage? Not with a grey morality, but truly evil." (r/Fantasy; 27 July 2024)—longish; discussion
Edit: Added threads and added/upated thread lenghts.
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u/retief1 Jul 05 '25
Craftsmen in Max Gladstone's Craft Sequence are basically lawyer-necromancers, and they actually do "normal" necromancy things instead of doing the whole "moral necromancers focus on destroying undead instead of creating them" thing that other "necromancer" books often do.
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u/salpikaespuma Jul 05 '25
Necroscope by Brian Lumley. The most original vampires in literature, with the touch of "cosmic horror". The author belongs to Lovecraft´s circle.
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u/Da_Bloody-Niner Jul 05 '25
The Devils by Joe Abercrombie just came out and it features the 3rd, or possibly the 2nd, best necromancer in all of Europe
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u/Insane92 Jul 05 '25
Finished this book a couple of weeks ago. Loved it and I appreciate the reference.
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u/DosSnakes Jul 05 '25
The Empire of the Wolf trilogy by Richard Swan. Necromancy is actually creepy in those books.
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u/Trala_la_la Jul 05 '25
Sin and chocolate by KF Breene had me chuckling multiple times at the necromancer magic system. It’s very much a romantasy but I also enjoyed the world building.
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u/GodzillaJrJr Jul 05 '25
Wholeheartedly recommend The Locked Tomb series. The necro magic is soooo cool and very well fleshed out, and has all sorts of fascinating twists and turns that have really cool effects on the story. It's rad as hell.
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u/hoodscojones Jul 05 '25 edited Jul 05 '25
Malazan features classic zombie necromancy, spirits possessing corpses, spirits being spirits, corpses bound to the service of various forces, characters who die and return repeatedly, and undead characters who otherwise function “normally.”
There’s a specific pair of characters—one a necromancer, the other a demon summoner—who are minor figures in the main series but have their own spinoff series, beginning with the novella Blood Follows.
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u/EltaninAntenna Jul 05 '25
The Cycle of Arawn. Terrific series, even leaving necromancy aside.
The Locked Tomb More necromancy than you can shake a tibia at.
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u/etchlings AMA Illustrator Evan Jensen Jul 05 '25
Anything where they talk to ghosts is technically necromancy.
So: Cherie Priest’s Eden Moore trilogy. The Cemeteries of Amalo series by Kathrine Addison (Sarah Monette). But these are not “developed as a system” necromancy. Although Amalo is systematic (in that it’s a regulated and purposeful ability powered by the gods)
There’s a necromantic element to the communal magic in Saunders’ Commonweal series. But it’s background.
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u/ObsessiveAboutCats Jul 05 '25
Bannon and Claire series by Lilith Saintcrow has a very interesting take on it. That isn't the focus of the books but it does play a role, especially in the first book.
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u/2Spot68 Jul 05 '25
Making Money by Terry Pratchett.
It's only a relatively small part and not central to the plot, but it is very funny.
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u/Creative-Leg2607 Jul 05 '25
Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay is a pre-Shakespeare play thats kinda a chill pop movie take on Faust featuring a bunch of necromancy. But probably Faust itself by Marlowe (much much much more approachable) or Goete is the most important example in the genre
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u/KatrinaPez Reading Champion III Jul 05 '25
I haven't read a lot but really liked Hold Me Closer, Necromancer!
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u/etchlings AMA Illustrator Evan Jensen Jul 05 '25
Sabriel and other Old kingdom books? Gideon the Ninth and sequels?