21st Century Dead vs Conjure Wife: Which Should You Read?

Both live on shelves: American Paranormal fiction, American Horror tales, Fiction

21st Century Dead Christopher Golden · 2012 ★★★☆☆ 3.5 352 pages · ≈ 6 h 31 m · Moderate

The Stoker-award winning editor of the acclaimed, eclectic anthology The New Dead returns with 21st Century Dead, and an all-new lineup of authors from all corners of the fiction world, shining a dark light on our…

Kurzgeschichte American Fantasy fiction Amerikanisches Englisch American Short stories

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Conjure Wife Fritz Leiber · 1953 ★★★★☆ 3.8 190 pages · ≈ 3 h 31 m · Moderate

"Professor Norman Saylor considered magic nothing more than superstition. Then he learned that his wife was a practicing sorceress. But he still refuses to accept the truth: that in the secret occult warfare that…

1 film adaptation

American Occult fiction Married people Witches Romance & Relationships

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Side by side

The verdict

Readers rate Conjure Wife highest: Conjure Wife 3.8 · 21st Century Dead 3.5.
Conjure Wife is the quickest read — about 3 hours vs 6 for 21st Century Dead.
21st Century Dead has the widest readership — 809 ratings behind its score.
21st Century Dead runs the darker storyline; Conjure Wife stays the lighter read.

How to choose

Want a one-evening read? Conjure Wife ≈ 3h vs 6h for 21st Century Dead In the mood for something dark? 21st Century Dead a darker storyline than Conjure Wife Want something lighter? Conjure Wife an easier tone than 21st Century Dead

Scores by source

	21st Century Dead	Conjure Wife
Goodreads	3.5 (809)	4.1 (10)
Hardcover	3.0 (4)	3.4 (19)
Apple Books	—	4.0 (16)

Reception

	21st Century Dead	Conjure Wife
Ratings	809	19
Editions	4	18
Film adaptations	—	1
Want to read	941	3
Reading it now	36	2
Written reviews	135	2
Wikipedia attention	—	669
Pages	352	190

Questions readers ask

Which is rated higher: 21st Century Dead or Conjure Wife?

Conjure Wife has the higher combined reader rating across sources (Conjure Wife 3.8/5, 21st Century Dead 3.5/5).

Which is shorter to read: 21st Century Dead or Conjure Wife?

Conjure Wife is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: Conjure Wife (190 pages, ≈ 3 h 31 m); 21st Century Dead (352 pages, ≈ 6 h 31 m).

Which is harder to read: 21st Century Dead or Conjure Wife?

Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — 21st Century Dead: Moderate; Conjure Wife: Moderate.

Have both books been made into films?

21st Century Dead: no film adaptation on record; Conjure Wife: 1 film adaptation.