Use these mood cues to decide whether this path feels dark, cozy, romantic, emotional, or easier to save for later.
Follow these trope cues when you want the same emotional engine in a different book or guide.
Fast answer
Paranoid mood picks on Sort By Cravings: 3 books, average spice 0.7/5, from 0/5 Clean (Authority) to 1/5 Sweet (A Scanner Darkly), 220–341 pages. Start with A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick (1/5 Sweet, 220 pages).
Ratings are Sort By Cravings' own 0–5 spice scale. Reading order, audiobook and Kindle Unlimited status are only shown when verified — see how we rate.
Choose by fit
These branches use visible local profile data so the page helps you decide, not just scroll.
A Scanner Darkly is the first visible path in this mood guide.
Open A Scanner DarklyA Scanner Darkly has the highest visible spice signal at 1/5 Sweet.
Open A Scanner DarklyA Scanner Darkly is the quickest visible commitment at 220 pages.
Open A Scanner DarklyCategory profile
This page helps readers compare books connected by Paranoid without pretending the tag tells the whole story.
Spice, genre, page count, and linked profiles are used when visible. Missing data stays out of the copy.
Book profiles and related guides are crawlable links, so a reader can keep narrowing the craving instead of hitting a dead end.
Visible picks
A Scanner Darkly is a visible Paranoid mood pick with 1/5, 1/5 Sweet, and 220 pages, quick commitment. Open the profile before deciding if series context, format availability, or content fit matters.
Authority is a visible Paranoid mood pick with 0/5, 0/5 Clean, and 341 pages, moderate commitment. Open the profile before deciding if series context, format availability, or content fit matters.
Ubik is a visible Paranoid mood pick with 1/5, 1/5 Sweet, and 224 pages, quick commitment. Open the profile before deciding if series context, format availability, or content fit matters.
Comparison table
| # | Book | Lane | Spice | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick | 1/5 | 1/5 Sweet | 220 pages |
| 2 | Authority by Jeff VanderMeer | 0/5 | 0/5 Clean | 341 pages |
| 3 | Ubik by Philip K. Dick | 1/5 | 1/5 Sweet | 224 pages |
FAQ
Start with A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick: 1/5 Sweet, 220 pages. It is the strongest Paranoid match on this list; the table below compares all 3 by spice, genre and length.
On Sort By Cravings' 0–5 scale, Paranoid books here average 0.7/5. The gentlest is Authority at 0/5 Clean; the hottest is A Scanner Darkly at 1/5 Sweet.
Yes. Authority is 0/5 Clean and the gentlest Paranoid pick here.
A Scanner Darkly at 220 pages. The longest is Authority at 341 pages.
No. They share one mood, but genre, spice, pacing and series context vary; each row links to a full profile with content heads-ups before you buy.
One mood-profiled paranoid book pick. Spice shown when available. Content warnings included. The kind of book you finish at 3 AM and text your friend about.
No spoilers. No spam. Just books worth losing sleep over.
Disclosure: Some outbound links are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Sort By Cravings earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Use the craving quiz to sort by mood, spice, trope, and time commitment.
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