Dark Fantasy

At its most basic, dark fantasy is a term used to describe a fantasy story with a pronounced horror element. A stricter definition is difficult to pin down, as authors, publishers, and readers have used "dark fantasy" in various contexts throughout the years.

Dark fantasy is often used as a synonym for supernatural horror. Some authors and critics also apply the term to high fantasy stories that feature anti-heroic or morally ambiguous protagonists. Fantasy works by writers typically associated with the horror genre are sometimes described as "dark fantasy." Conversely, the term is also used t
...more

The Girl with a Thousand Faces
Verity Guild
Bone of My Bone
Death's Daughter (Children of the Old Ones, #1)
All Hail Chaos (Time of Iron, #2)
Mortedant's Peril (The Trials of Irody Hasp, #1)
A Queen Crowned in Flames (Bonded to Beasts #2)
A Dark and Wild Wood
A Mark Cursed by Stars (The Cursed Celestials Book 1)
Crown Me Dead (Heartstring Duet, #1)
The Wicked Sea (The Wicked Sea, #1)
Deathbringer (Deathbringer, #1)
An Arcane Study of Stars
Honor & Heresy
Bloodsinger (The Fire That Binds, #2)
Crown Me Dead (Heartstring Duet, #1)
Alchemised
One Dark Window (The Shepherd King, #1)
Two Twisted Crowns (The Shepherd King, #2)
Bonds of Hercules (Villains of Lore, #2)
The Poet Empress
Blood Over Bright Haven
Anathema (The Eating Woods, #1)
The Bond That Burns (Bloodwing Academy, #2)
Rose in Chains (The Evermore Trilogy, #1)
The Devils (The Devils, #1)
Rain of Shadows and Endings (Legacy, #1)
Storm of Secrets and Sorrow (Legacy, #2)
The Ascended (Aesymarean Duet, #1)
The Shattered King (The Shattered King, #1)
The Cavalier by Israh AziziThe Legacy of the Key by S.L. MorganWhen Secrets Bloom by Patricia  FurstenbergThe Uninvited by S.L. MorganMy Eyes Are Black Holes by Logan Ryan Smith
Neat Covers
142 books — 115 voters
The Dark Wife by Sarah DiemerThe One Who Eats Monsters by Casey MatthewsThe Midnight Hunt by L.L. RaandWitch Wolf by Winter PenningtonSanta Olivia by Jacqueline Carey
F/F Paranormal and Urban Fantasy
448 books — 612 voters

The Way of Shadows by Brent WeeksThrone of Glass by Sarah J. MaasGraceling by Kristin CashoreAssassin's Apprentice by Robin HobbPoison Study by Maria V. Snyder
SF/F Assassins!
317 books — 813 voters
Neverwhere by Neil GaimanAmerican Gods by Neil GaimanThe Graveyard Book by Neil GaimanStardust by Neil GaimanCoraline by Neil Gaiman
Best of Neil Gaiman
119 books — 510 voters

The Blade Itself (The First Law, #1)
Prince of Thorns (Broken Empire, #1)
Alchemised
One Dark Window (The Shepherd King, #1)
Before They Are Hanged (The First Law, #2)
Last Argument of Kings (The First Law, #3)
Empire of the Vampire (Empire of the Vampire, #1)
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
The Gunslinger (Dark Tower, #1)
The Black Company (The Chronicles of the Black Company, #1)
Daughter of the Blood (The Black Jewels, #1)
The Last Wish (The Witcher, #0.5)
Ninth House (Alex Stern, #1)
Gardens of the Moon (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #1)
King of Thorns (Broken Empire, #2)

Related News

Need another excuse to treat yourself to a new book this week? We've got you covered with the buzziest new releases of the day, according to early...
Presidents, Senators, Congressmen, Governors, Mayors, Judges and Justices all fall prey to the Hitman.
RB Le `Deach, My Graphic Bipolar Fantasies: & Other Short Stories

K.  Ritz
How can one man emit such noise by simply breathing?

K. Ritz, Sheever's Journal, Diary of a Poison Master

More quotes...
A safe, warm, and friendly space for book lovers of all kinds. Whether you’re into heartwarming …more
1 member, last active 10 months ago
﹒    † swords, intellectualism, and dark fantasy ✶ ˚    ✦   .  for lovers of vivid dark fantasy laced with shadows of intellectualism, philosophy, …more
14 members, last active 2 months ago
A dark romance book club to meet new book besties, share our opinions and discover new dark roma…more
1 member, last active 4 months ago
The We Drink and We Read Things Book Club A book club based in Central Mississippi that orbits around works in the Fantasy, Science Fictio…more
29 members, last active 4 months ago