10 Fantasy Books With Underground Cities
There’s something thrilling about descending into a hidden city, where shadows dance across ancient walls, secret societies thrive, and danger lurks in every corner. These underground realms are the stuff of fantasy dreams — mysterious, magical, and brimming with intrigue. Below are ten mesmerizing fantasy books that take readers deep beneath the surface, into cities that come alive with enchantment, peril, and wonder. Let’s journey underground!
1. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
🌆 A dark and twisted world beneath London’s streets.
When Richard Mayhew helps a mysterious girl named Door, he’s thrust into London Below, a shadowy city filled with strange creatures, devious villains, and unimaginable magic.
💭 Why it captivates: Gaiman’s vivid imagination and eerie yet enchanting atmosphere make this a must-read. London Below feels like a fever dream you never want to wake from.
2. The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin
🏙️ New York City like you’ve never seen it before — including its dark underbelly.
When five people across NYC manifest as living avatars of the boroughs, they must come together to protect the city from an ancient, otherworldly force. Beneath the surface lies a sinister underground reality.
💭 Why it mesmerizes: Jemisin’s storytelling is bold and unapologetically inventive. The city’s underground is as alive and complex as the characters themselves.
3. The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
🔮 A dystopian world with an eerie subterranean prison.
Paige Mahoney is captured and taken to Oxford — a city hidden underground and controlled by a powerful otherworldly race. There, she must fight to survive while uncovering the secrets of her captors.
💭 Why it grips you: The tension is relentless, and Shannon’s depiction of an underground city is both haunting and fascinating. You’ll root for Paige every step of the way.
4. The Deep by Rivers Solomon (with Daveed Diggs, William Hutson, and Jonathan Snipes)
🌊 An aquatic twist on underground cities — beneath the ocean’s waves.
Descendants of enslaved African women who were thrown overboard during the transatlantic slave trade have created a thriving society deep in the ocean. One young historian must confront the memories of her people to save their future.
💭 Why it’s unforgettable: The lyrical prose and rich world-building make this novel both heart-wrenching and inspiring. It reimagines “underground” in a profoundly moving way.
5. The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant
🎭 A gritty reimagining of post-revolution Paris, with hidden guilds beneath the city.
In the dark underbelly of Paris, secret guilds control the streets. Nina, a skilled thief, must navigate this dangerous world to protect her sister and challenge the tyranny of the city’s underworld.
💭 Why it enchants: The vivid descriptions of Paris’s underground guilds and Nina’s fierce determination make this story a captivating page-turner.
6. The Mirror Empire by Kameron Hurley
⚔️ A complex world where underground societies hold ancient secrets.
As parallel worlds collide, Lilia journeys through subterranean realms filled with danger and ancient magic. The underground passages hold the key to survival in a war-torn landscape.
💭 Why it stands out: Hurley’s intricate world-building and fierce characters create a story that’s both brutal and beautiful. The underground settings are as vivid as they are perilous.
7. City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
💡 A city built underground to protect humanity from a cataclysm.
Lina and Doon live in Ember, a city where the lights are starting to fail. As resources dwindle, they must uncover the city’s hidden secrets to find a way to the surface.
💭 Why it’s timeless: This middle-grade classic is a thrilling adventure with themes of resilience and hope. The underground city feels both claustrophobic and wondrous.
8. The Barrow by Mark Smylie
⚔️ A treasure hunt through a dangerous underground labyrinth.
When a map leading to a legendary sword surfaces, a group of mercenaries ventures into a treacherous underground city filled with traps, dark magic, and ancient secrets.
💭 Why it thrills: The gritty, high-stakes adventure and morally complex characters make this a gripping read for fans of dark fantasy.
9. Tunnel in the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein
🌌 Survival in a world that’s both underground and otherworldly.
While not a traditional underground city, this sci-fi classic features a survival test gone wrong, where students are stranded on a hostile planet with hidden underground dangers.
💭 Why it’s iconic: Heinlein’s exploration of survival, society, and human nature is as relevant today as it was when it was first published.
10. The Falling World by Ben Peek
🌍 A subterranean realm where secrets and power collide.
As war threatens the surface world, an ancient underground city becomes the last refuge — and the site of a fierce battle for control.
💭 Why it captivates: Peek’s intricate plotting and richly imagined setting make this a must-read for fantasy lovers who crave political intrigue and underground adventures.
Which Underground City Would You Explore? 🕯️
These books invite readers to step into hidden worlds filled with magic, danger, and wonder. Which one will you dive into first? And do you have a favorite underground fantasy read that didn’t make the list? Share your recommendations — let’s unearth more literary treasures together! 🌌✨
