20 Grimdark Books to Put Some Grit into Your Fantasy Reading Pile
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When we think of fantasy, certain tropes and storylines come to mind. An epic quest to save the land from an encroaching evil. A supposedly lowborn hero who’s actually the heir to a great kingdom. A wise mentor figure—often in the form of a wizard—who supports the main cast until he must sacrifice himself to allow the others to continue their journey. Series like Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and Jordan’s Wheel of Time embody these classic structures. But what if we want a little realism, a little grit, in our fantasy? That’s where grimdark books come in.
Not to be confused with dark fantasy, although there is some overlap, grimdark books are for those of us who want morally grey characters and the inevitably morally grey plot lines that ensue. In other words, the glossy romantic veneer of many traditional fantasy stories is stripped away, leaving behind violence, cynicism, and bleakness.
Despite the trappings of the sub-genre, authors can explore these themes in a variety of ways. And those plot lines don’t always involve sexual violence! While it may seem like this fantasy category is filled with only white male authors, that’s hardly the case. So here are some grimdark examples to get you started on your reading journey. And if you’re already a fan, maybe you’ll find something new.
Arguable the series that kickstarted the modern grimdark book trend, the ending of A Game of Thrones shocked many readers when it killed a viewpoint character that in another fantasy would have been the hero to overcome all difficulties and save the kingdom in peril. The series kicked off by this book subverts and comments on several tropes that were prevalent in 1990s era epic fantasy, but does so in ways that may seem dated today.
Black Sun Rising is actually stealth grimdark sci-fi. You can read it like a fantasy novel until you remember it’s about humans who originally settled a world populated by forces that manifest a person’s worst fears. This novel dares you not to be fascinated by Gerald Tarrant, the undead sorcerer who gave up his humanity for knowledge.
So if you like The Black Company but wonder what it would be like if the characters were battle-loving aristocrats, this is your book. I included this novel because it features a hero who 1) has post-traumatic stress disorder and doesn’t shy away from that and 2) is explicitly queer, which sadly is still rare in this sub-genre.
Tell me if you’ve heard this one before. There’s a threat from the icy north. A ruler dies. His children are scattered to the winds with the hope that they’ll be able to save their kingdom in the future. Definitely for the A Song of Ice and Fire series fans who want something with more diversity.
What is there to say about N.K. Jemisin at this point? If you read SFF and you haven’t picked up a Jemisin novel yet, I must insist you do so immediately. I’ve been a fan since her debut, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, but The Fifth Season is a major level-up in prose and themes. And if you love post-apocalyptic stories, this novel and its sequels feature a world that has an apocalypse every few centuries or so. Think that sounds repetitively boring? Hardly.
Don’t let the beginning fool you into thinking this is a simple coming-of-age-in-academy story. The Poppy War is a full-fledged war novel with all of the atrocities and brutality you expect in wartime. If you’re tired of grimdark books that use medieval Europe as its setting, The Poppy War takes you to a world based on China.
The Gaslight Dogs is a rare book that draws upon Inuit culture for its world-building. The book follows a female shaman and a military captain from an invading country who must work together to stop a force that may destroy both their peoples.
Don’t think grimdark books can only take place in secondary world fantasy settings. Certain Dark Things is an urban fantasy book set in Mexico City. Want a fresh take on vampires? This novel features one descended from the Aztecs.
This novel features another band of mercenaries, this time sent on a mission to kill the ruler of a rich, unconquered empire. But nothing is ever that straightforward. If you like your grimdark books to have a dose of political intrigue and maneuvering, this one’s for you.
If you’re looking for something in the vein of Abercrombie, this one might be worth a try. Due to the heroine’s age, some people have mistaken this for a YA novel. I advise against this. Otherwise, some of the brutality may shock you.
Berserk is the grimdark manga to end all grimdark manga. Fans of grimdark books will recognize all the tropes here. This is a long-running series and the plot is not the easiest to explain without some major spoilers, so let’s just say it all began when the friendship between a talented young warrior and his mercenary captain fell apart.
Not to be confused with dark fantasy, although there is some overlap, grimdark books are for those of us who want morally grey characters and the inevitably morally grey plot lines that ensue. In other words, the glossy romantic veneer of many traditional fantasy stories is stripped away, leaving behind violence, cynicism, and bleakness.
Despite the trappings of the sub-genre, authors can explore these themes in a variety of ways. And those plot lines don’t always involve sexual violence! While it may seem like this fantasy category is filled with only white male authors, that’s hardly the case. So here are some grimdark examples to get you started on your reading journey. And if you’re already a fan, maybe you’ll find something new.
