Wealth. Power. Murder. Magic. Alex Stern is back and the Ivy League is going straight to hell in this sequel to Ninth House, the smash bestseller by Leigh Bardugo. Thick with history and packed with Bardugo’s signature twists, Hell Bent brings to life an intricate world full of magic, violence, and all too real monsters. These ten books are just the tip of the iceberg of dark academia in science fiction and fantasy, but they’re a perfect example of why this sub-genre works so well in the world of SFF. Dark academia is all about atmosphere and there is nothing more atmospheric than a magical university, libraries full of grimoires, or necromantic armies. Crack open any one of these dark academia SFF books to enter a world of curiosity, danger, and intrigue at the hands of renowned wordsmiths who might as well be mages themselves. But be forewarned: I can’t promise you won’t come through the experience unchanged. Falling down the dark academia rabbit hole? Here are some more dark fantasy and dark academia recs:
The Best Dark Fantasy Books
10 Sapphic Dark Fantasy Books
YA Dark Fantasy Books For Your Winter TBR
