📖 Overview
Amanda Downum is an American fantasy and horror author best known for writing The Necromancer Chronicles trilogy, which began with The Drowning City in 2009.
Her work frequently incorporates elements of dark fantasy, supernatural horror, and noir, often featuring LGBTQ+ characters and themes of identity. The Necromancer Chronicles follows protagonist Isyllt Iskaldur, a necromancer and spy, through richly detailed secondary worlds influenced by Southeast Asian settings.
Beyond novels, Downum has published short fiction in various magazines and anthologies including Weird Tales, Nightmare Magazine, and Strange Horizons. Her writing explores themes of death, politics, and cultural identity while building immersive fantasy worlds.
Downum lives in Texas where she works as a bookstore employee in addition to writing. Her standalone novel Dreams of Shreds & Tatters was published in 2015, drawing inspiration from Robert W. Chambers' The King in Yellow.
👀 Reviews
Readers note Downum's strong atmospheric writing and detailed world-building across her Necromancer Chronicles series. Her portrayal of LGBTQ+ characters and relationships receives frequent mentions in reviews for feeling natural rather than forced.
Positives from readers:
- Rich descriptions of settings, particularly in The Bone Palace
- Complex political intrigue and espionage elements
- Diverse cast of characters with nuanced relationships
- Unique magic systems that avoid standard fantasy tropes
Common criticisms:
- Pacing issues, especially in early chapters
- Plot threads that don't fully resolve
- Character motivations that can feel unclear
- Dense political narratives that some find hard to follow
Ratings across platforms:
Goodreads:
The Drowning City: 3.44/5 (2,300+ ratings)
The Bone Palace: 3.78/5 (1,400+ ratings)
Kingdoms of Dust: 3.82/5 (700+ ratings)
Amazon averages 3.9/5 across her titles, with readers particularly praising the atmospheric noir elements blended with fantasy.
📚 Books by Amanda Downum
The Drowning City (2009)
A necromancer spy navigates political intrigue in a Southeast Asian-inspired fantasy city on the brink of revolution.
The Bone Palace (2010) A murder investigation leads necromancer Isyllt Iskaldur through the dangerous underbelly of Erisín, where she must confront ancient magic and royal conspiracies.
Kingdoms of Dust (2012) Necromancer Isyllt travels to a desert kingdom where she becomes entangled in magical warfare and the politics of immortal beings.
Dreams of Shreds & Tatters (2015) A woman searches for her missing friend in Vancouver, uncovering supernatural horrors connected to the mythical King in Yellow.
The Poison Court (2019) Set in the world of the Necromancer Chronicles, this novel follows a witch caught between warring magical factions in a decadent royal court.
The Bone Palace (2010) A murder investigation leads necromancer Isyllt Iskaldur through the dangerous underbelly of Erisín, where she must confront ancient magic and royal conspiracies.
Kingdoms of Dust (2012) Necromancer Isyllt travels to a desert kingdom where she becomes entangled in magical warfare and the politics of immortal beings.
Dreams of Shreds & Tatters (2015) A woman searches for her missing friend in Vancouver, uncovering supernatural horrors connected to the mythical King in Yellow.
The Poison Court (2019) Set in the world of the Necromancer Chronicles, this novel follows a witch caught between warring magical factions in a decadent royal court.
👥 Similar authors
N.K. Jemisin writes secondary-world fantasy with detailed cultural worldbuilding and complex political intrigue. Her work similarly explores themes of power and identity through magic users navigating dangerous political landscapes.
Elizabeth Bear creates fantasy worlds that blend noir elements with magic and features protagonists who operate in morally gray areas. Her Range of Ghosts series demonstrates comparable attention to non-Western cultural influences and complex magical systems.
Aliette de Bodard writes fantasy incorporating Southeast Asian and Vietnamese influences with noir elements and political intrigue. Her Obsidian and Blood series combines supernatural elements with detective work in ways that mirror Downum's approach.
Caitlín R. Kiernan produces dark fantasy and horror focusing on LGBTQ+ characters and supernatural elements. Their work shares Downum's interest in necromancy, death themes, and noir atmosphere.
Kameron Hurley crafts fantasy with politically complex worlds and protagonists who blur moral lines while dealing with magic and intrigue. Her worldbuilding incorporates non-Western influences and features characters who must navigate both political and supernatural dangers.
Elizabeth Bear creates fantasy worlds that blend noir elements with magic and features protagonists who operate in morally gray areas. Her Range of Ghosts series demonstrates comparable attention to non-Western cultural influences and complex magical systems.
Aliette de Bodard writes fantasy incorporating Southeast Asian and Vietnamese influences with noir elements and political intrigue. Her Obsidian and Blood series combines supernatural elements with detective work in ways that mirror Downum's approach.
Caitlín R. Kiernan produces dark fantasy and horror focusing on LGBTQ+ characters and supernatural elements. Their work shares Downum's interest in necromancy, death themes, and noir atmosphere.
Kameron Hurley crafts fantasy with politically complex worlds and protagonists who blur moral lines while dealing with magic and intrigue. Her worldbuilding incorporates non-Western influences and features characters who must navigate both political and supernatural dangers.