This post shares 26 of the best dark fantasy novels and series for adults and men wanting to get back into reading.
Whether you're getting back into reading, searching for your next binge, or just need some good old escapism - this post will give you what you need.
You'll also get a list of 46 potentially great fantasy books and series I've got on my reading list.
That's 72 fantasy novel series in total - with a few interesting books falling outside the genre.
These are adult fantasy books, but not the kind with all the sex - that's called Romantasy. These are the best dark fantasy novels with mature themes, gritty action, and morally grey characters.
You won't find mature scenes focused on unusual sex with monsters in these books.
I'm sharing three lists of dark fantasy novel series with you in this post.
- 14 Best Dark Fantasy Series I've read and recommend
- 9 Okay Fantasy Series/Books I DNF'd or disappointed me - but you might enjoy
- My reading list of 49+ books I wanna read next.
The first two lists offer a short summary of the story, complete with what I liked or disliked about it. You can skip to the lists you're interested in using the table of contents above.
Before I get into the lists, I'm sharing definitions of Dark Fantasy and Grimdark - so you know what kind of novels I'm referring to. Different people have different definitions for these genres, so I'm providing a general definition that makes the most sense to me.
I'm also sharing a summary of my reading journey and preferences so you'll understand how similar or different our tastes are. This will help you know if you'd enjoy a book I thought was mediocre, or if you'll love the same stories I love.
What is Dark Fantasy (Definition)?
Dark fantasy is a sub-genre of fantasy that blends fantasy elements with horror, gothic, or noir themes.
It differs from traditional fantasy by exploring complex morality instead of good vs evil narratives.
Key Features of Dark Fantasy Literature
- Darker atmosphere and tone: Dark Fantasy literature often features brooding, gothic, or eerie atmospheres. A tone of dread or unease permeates the narrative. Settings are often decaying, corrupt, or include an undercurrent of supernatural menace.
- Horror elements: Dark fantasy includes horror tropes like supernatural threats, body horror, psychological terror, or disturbing imagery.
- Moral complexity: Characters face morally ambiguous situations, and the line between good and evil is often blurred. Heroes may be flawed antiheroes, and villains may have sympathetic motivations.
- Darker themes: Common themes include corruption, loss of innocence, the price of power, existential dread, and the darker aspects of human nature. Stories often explore death, decay, and transformation.
- Twisted fantasy elements: Traditional fantasy elements like magic, monsters, and quests are present but often corrupted, dangerous, or come with terrible costs.
What is Grimdark Fantasy (Definition)?
Grimdark fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy. Stories include a bleak worldview, moral ambiguity, and rejection of traditional heroic fantasy tropes. The term 'Grimdark' originated from the tagline of the Warhammer 40,000 universe: "In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war."
Key Features of Grimdark Fantasy Literature
- Moral ambiguity: In Grimdark fantasy literature, there are no clear heroes or villains - all characters exist in moral grey areas. They make questionable decisions driven by survival, self-interest, or necessity. Traditional concepts of honour and heroism are either absent or deconstructed.
- Cynical worldview: Settings are harsh, unforgiving worlds where corruption, violence, and suffering are the norm. Institutions are often corrupt, and society is usually brutal or oppressive.
- Pyrrhic victories: When protagonists achieve their goals, the victories come at a cost. Often leading to new problems or revealing that the struggle was meaningless.
- Realistic consequences: Violence has lasting physical and psychological effects. Actions have realistic, often brutal consequences that traditional fantasy novels might gloss over.
- Absence of hope: Grimdark offers little optimism. The world is fundamentally broken, and efforts to improve it typically fail or backfire.
- Subversion of tropes: Classic fantasy tropes like prophecies, chosen ones, and noble quests are absent or twisted into darker forms.
Dark Fantasy vs Grimdark Novels
The key difference between Grimdark and Dark Fantasy literature is this:
- Grimdark focuses on moral nihilism and the absence of traditional heroism
- Dark Fantasy uses darker themes and atmosphere within fantasy storytelling
General descriptions claim Grimdark stories lack hope, but I disagree with this. Some of my favourite Grimdark fantasy series have hope in them: A Song of Ice and Fire, The First Law Series, etc.
The hopeful outcome may not pan out in the end - but some characters strive for better.
Many Grimdark stories can be classified as dark fantasy, and the reverse is also true.
I see these genres as mostly interchangeable terms - with grimdark being a shade darker, with more focus on cynical realism and moral ambiguity.
The focus on gritty, cynical realism, and moral ambiguity makes me prefer Grimdark stories. But I also enjoy the elements of dark fantasy.
For this post, I'm gonna refer to most books as dark fantasy.
What I Look For in Dark Fantasy Novels and Series
Here's what I want from a dark fantasy or Grimdark series:
- Dark themes
- Political intrigue
- Power with a cost
- Competent characters
- Harsh, unforgiving worlds
- Fantasy elements like magic
- Morally grey characters/world
- Realistic combat and consequences
How I Got Back Into Reading As An Adult
I stopped reading fiction as a teenager. My aunt gave me the fourth Harry Potter book for my birthday or Christmas.
Most of my birthday gifts ended up being a combination of both - the harsh reality when your birthday's close to Christmas and your family's poor.
I had enjoyed the earlier Harry Potter books, but the fourth one bored me. Even worse, the large tome intimidated my childish brain.
After that, I exclusively read non-fiction books for over a decade. I saw reading as a tool for learning and didn't see the point of reading fiction.
Why read a novel when I can watch a movie or TV show with less time and effort?
In March, 2024, I started reading again. Dune: Part 2 had just released in the cinema, and a workmate was singing its praises. Since watching Avengers: Endgame forced me to hold my pee for hours, I'd vowed never to visit the cinema again.
I watched the first Dune movie at home; I loved it and wanted to see what happened next. Lucky for me - I still had over 10 audible credits sitting in my account. I downloaded the Dune audiobooks and took my first step back into reading.
After a few months of listening to audiobooks, I found an interesting story without an available audiobook. That forced me to graduate to reading the words instead of listening to them. I bought a Kindle, cranked the text size to a ridiculously large font and put my flawed, ageing eyes to work.
I've since read over 95 books, mainly fantasy and sci-fi (over 100 if you count multiple arcs of long-ass webnovels). And I'm gonna share the best fantasy fiction books for adults with you in this post.
These fantasy series are perfect for men who wanna get back into reading and anyone interested in Grimdark or dark fantasy novels.
14 Best Dark Fantasy Novel Series For Adults
1. Beyond Redemption (Manifest Delusions Trilogy) by Michael R. Fletcher
A series of dark fantasy novels set in a world where severe mental illness gives you superpowers. Narcissists awe everyone; kleptomaniacs steal without being noticed.
Reading this was a compelling journey from start to end. The characters and world are morally bankrupt, and the exploration of each messed-up MC's psychology was a pleasure to experience. The last book dragged a bit, but the overall experience was well worth it.
The ending was both satisfying and emotionally impactful.
This is a top tier Grimdark fantasy series.
2. Death God's Gambit Series By Jay Cartere
Grimdark progression fantasy series set in a world where almost dying gives you superpowers.
The story follows a smart, villainous MC on his journey of vengeance against his mafia boss and adoptive father. Full of morally-grey characters in a terrible world, political scheming by gods, nobles, and mobsters.
The combat's brutal, the powers are intriguing, and the twists are satisfying.
I'm the author, so my opinion might be a little biased.
10/10 series, you should read it ASAP.
3. Kings of Paradise (Ash and Sand Trilogy) by Richard Nell
Dark fantasy series set in world inspired by Norse mythology.
The story follows a deformed but smart MC who's shunned from birth. He turns his disadvantages into political power as he leads his people to a promised paradise.
Some of the alternate POVs slowed the story in the first book, but everything came together well in the end.
This is one of the best, most underrated fantasy series I've ever read. The smart MC claws his way to power through ruthless pragmatism. The world is fascinating, and the twists are satisfying.
This is a compelling dark fantasy trilogy that showcases the journey from weak to powerful with a satisfying story.
4. The Blade Itself (First Law Series) by Joe Abercrombie
Grimdark fantasy novel series deconstructing traditional fantasy tropes.
The characters are morally grey, terrible people. Heroes don't exist and everyone has dark motives. The political intrigue is handled well, the action feels grounded, and the character writing is impeccable.
However, the plot of the first book is thin, the magic is soft as cotton, and the ending is bitter as hell. The ending of the second trilogy left me depressed for two days. It takes a lot to get me emotionally invested in fictional characters - I even shed a man tear. This speaks to the quality of the beautiful and engaging writing within these books.
Even now, I'm craving more books in the series. Both trilogies give us bitter endings for the main characters, but the last trilogy leaves the door open for more books. This series made Joe Abercrombie my favourite author.
The audiobooks are the best I've heard - Steven Pacey is now my favourite narrator.
I recommend this series to anyone with ears and eyes - read/listen to this ASAP.
5. Red Rising Series by Pierce Brown
Science fantasy novel series set in a Roman-inspired futuristic world with a totalitarian government.
Humanity is split into a hierarchy of different genetically-modified classes, categorised by different colours. The MC is at the lowest tier: red, forced to mine for fuel on Mars. He infiltrates the ruling class, joins their school and enters an exam where murder is a viable option.
The first half of the first book was a drag, but the story hits the ground running in the second half and doesn't slow down. The world and hierarchy system are fascinating, the characters are interesting, and the story includes well-integrated political intrigue.
The first book in the sequel series drags a bit, but the rest of the series makes up for the initial slog.
I dislike the first-person POV, but this story was great enough to win me over.
6. Jade City (Green Bone Saga Trilogy) by Fonda Lee
A Mafia/Yakuza themed urban fantasy book series set in a world where asians get superpowers by wearing jade.
The story follows members of a crime family. It dives into family drama, politics, organised crime and gang wars.
I didn't expect to enjoy this book because I'd never read urban fantasy before - but I was pleasantly surprised. The mafia dynamics were interesting, the political landscape added a deeper layer of conflict, and the gang wars were something I couldn't help but love.
If you enjoy gangster stories like I do - you'll love this novel trilogy.
7. Priest Of Bones (War For The Rose Throne Series) by Peter McLean
Grimdark fantasy novel series following a part-time priest, full-time crime boss.
The MC returns from war and finds his gang's territory stolen. He doesn't like that one bit. The first book details his journey to reclaim his old businesses.
This is an easy, fast read with a compelling character voice. The supporting characters are almost as interesting as our MC, and the progression from street level crime to political manoeuvring is well executed.
These books are short and sweet. I used them as a palate cleanser between denser series - but it was still a fun read.
Again, if you like gangster stories - you'll love this.
8. Blood Song (Raven's Shadow Trilogy) by Anthony Ryan
Epic fantasy novel series with a familiar fantasy world.
Our MC is raised in a warrior order and has a mysterious song guiding him. The first book has strong brotherhood vibes, with most of it set within the warrior order. It's kinda like a harsh academy - I admittedly have a soft spot for academy arcs. There's also a dash of my beloved political intrigue and a well-written romance in the background.
This was a fun series, but I disliked some revelations at the end. The main series villain was an evil-for-the-sake-of-evil piece of cardboard. There was also a period where they de-powered the MC - that was a slog. I hate that trope with a passion.
Overall, it was a fun series with some flaws. Worth reading for fantasy fans.
9. The Deathless Trilogy by Peter Newman
A post-apocalyptic fantasy novel series with an interesting concept.
In this world, old bastards use arcane rituals to gain immortality by stealing the bodies of their descendants. Seven noble families have this tradition, their 'deathless' members holding back the spread of demons.
The story follows two Deathless, and the mother of a Deathless descendant. There are many twists, turns and revelations. There is well-executed political intrigue and interesting, horrific abominations.
This was a stellar series - the story wraps up well, but it ends on a huge world-building cliffhanger. I want to know what happens next! This proves how enjoyable this series was.
10. The Vagrant Trilogy by Peter Newman
Another post-apocalyptic fantasy novel series set in another world invaded by demons. Though this time instead of seven families, there are seven angel-like beings.
This story follows a mute MC. That scared me away at first because I had no idea how a mute MC could work. The good news is Peter Newman is a great writer and weaved an interesting and gripping dark fantasy world.
The mute MC has a sentient sword (always a plus for me). The trilogy spans multiple generations, which I also enjoyed. There are a bunch of twists and turns with a satisfying resolution.
Peter Newman is a great author with whom I have a love/hate relationship with. I enjoyed the Vagrant series, then moved to the Deathless series. Now I'm frustrated because he hasn't released a book in either series since 2020.
I strongly recommend both of these trilogies if you enjoy dark fantasy and morally grey characters.
11. The Way Of Kings (Stormlight Archive Series) by Brandon Sanderson
An epic fantasy series with multiple POVs and some political intrigue.
It's set in a world where nobles have magical armour and magical swords they summon.
Fair warning - these are huge books. But if you're like me, that's a plus. Because when I find a good story, I want more of it.
I enjoyed most of these books, but there were pacing issues and boring parts that could've been cut to improve the story. There's a lot of whining that didn't hit the mark for me. The fifth book was especially disappointing.
However, the first four books kept me reading regardless of the slow parts. I was interested in the world, the lore and looking forward to what came next.
I'm not sure if I'm going to continue with the series, but your mileage may vary.
There was a fair amount of political intrigue, and I was consistently interested in learning more about the world and mysteries. But the fifth book left the series on a sour note.
The fact I'm still considering reading the next book should speak volumes. I still want to see the conclusion to the story - and that's why it's on this list.
12. The Grace Of Kings (The Dandelion Dynasty Series) by Ken Liu
Another fantasy series inspired by Asian culture. This time it's Chinese history and mythology.
It's an epic tale that spans over multiple generations with a focus on technology, innovation, political intrigue, and gods meddling in mortal affairs.
This story was a bit different from my usual reading because it uses an omniscient POV. It takes a bird's eye view of a historical situation and adds fantasy elements into it. I ended up loving the series because I enjoy a good plot, and the first book focuses on the intriguing plot of unifying China.
The rise to power and political dynamics kept me hooked. The latter books kept things interesting and still had a variety of political intrigue. But the abundant focus on technology and engineering made my eyes glaze over.
I skimmed many paragraphs in the third book. The author has a background in engineering - which shows, and not in a good way. There were deep explanations of how specific technological innovations worked, and I didn't care at all.
Apart from that, this was a great series that showed the rise and maintenance of an empire over many years. It delved into policy changes, laws and all sorts of fun empire management stuff. This is a great fantasy series for readers who love political intrigue and Asian history.
It's filled with morally grey characters doing wrong things for the right reasons.
13. The Justice of Kings (Empire of the Wolf Trilogy) by Richard Swan
A fantasy mystery series set in a world where an empire has conquered the world and implemented the rule of law.
We follow a supernatural judge, jury, and executioner - like a medieval Judge Dread. He investigates the crime of a murdered woman in the first book.
But here's the bad news:
This medieval Judge Dredd is a prominent character, but he's not our MC. Instead, our MC is his student/intern who's much less interesting. Although we see this judge going about his investigations, we don't get inside his head.
To be honest, I don't remember what happened at the end of the first book. I know there was political intrigue leading to consequences that sets up the later books, but I only read book one, and I don't remember the mystery's solution at all.
That's not to say this isn't a good book. I enjoyed the story and the world. It's well-written, the mystery was interesting (if not memorable), and I wanted to see what happened next.
I trust the author to deliver on the next books, but I haven't read them, so I can't speak to their quality. This is a fun series that I'll return to and complete at some point.
If you like law, mystery, and mild political intrigue, this is one to check out.
14. Winter Warriors (Drenai Saga) by David Gemmell
A heroic dark fantasy about aging heroes who must defend a pass against overwhelming odds.
I don't remember what happened in this book because I read it when I was a teenager, but I remember the feeling it gave me. I was engrossed and I loved it.
Though I still think I was too young to fully appreciate it. But I enjoyed it even at my tender young age. So I've added this to the list as a bonus.
It's part of a series, but I haven't read the other books, and this story can be read as a standalone. David Gemmell is a legendary fantasy author and I look forward to reading more of his stories.
Bonus political Intrigue Historical Fiction Novel
The Iron King (The Accursed Kings Series) by Maurice Druon
This is the historical fiction novel series that inspired Game of Thrones.
It chronicles the downfall of the Knights Templar and a curse befalling the French royal line. This book is filled with politics, nobles and royal schemes - it's all about power and politics. If you're a fan of political intrigue like me, you'll love this book. However, it has no fantasy elements except for the aforementioned curse.
This series has some of the best political intrigue I've read. Though I can only recommend books 1-5 because book 6 veers in a different direction and style.
Books 1-5 were amazing, especially a particular character who you'll see throughout the entire series. His pettiness and constant scheming made him one of my all-time favourite characters.
I highly recommend this series if you're itching to read some deep political intrigue.
Best Fantasy Novels For Adults (Standalones)
The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang
A standalone fantasy novel following a mother who must confront her past in a cold world.
Most of what I remember of this book is a huge spoiler, so I'm gonna skimp on the details. But this book defied my expectations in a huge way and kept me hooked.
Lexicon by Max Barry
A contemporary fantasy novel about the magic of words.
Every avid reader should read this book because it's a story about words. It's sure to appeal to anyone who reads and is fascinated by word craft.
The story focuses on a secret organisation that wields words as weapons. It's told in an interesting way from multiple perspectives, resulting in satisfying twists and turns.
It's a quick, smooth read. Easy to pick up and easy to finish.
9 Okay Dark Fantasy Books
These are the stories I read and thought:
"This isn't great, but it isn't terrible."
These stories had aspects I enjoyed, but they also had things that detracted from the story or disappointed me - preventing me adding them to my best books list.
Or they're fantasy series that had great potential, but I didn't finish reading because they didn't grip me enough. Your mileage may vary - you might find your new favourite novel series in this list.
1. Promise Of Blood (Powder Mage Trilogy) by Brian McClellan
A flintlock fantasy novel series set in world where new-age mages sniff gunpowder and shoot people.
I went into this series expecting political intrigue and left disappointed. It starts with a massive political setup, then flounders without diving deep into the consequences.
Every book's third act was anticlimactic. But it remained an interesting world with interesting characters. There are two trilogies. I DNF'd the sequel series because I stopped caring. You may enjoy it more than I did.
2. Of Blood And Fire (Bound and the Broken Series) by Ryan Cahill
An epic fantasy series focusing on a dragon rider in a world where all the dragon riders work for the evil empire.
I found the MC and his dragon interesting. The supporting characters weren't too bad, and there were plot points that intrigued me. But these books didn't grab me and force me to keep reading. I dropped off around book two.
But these are well-written books, and you'll likely enjoy them if you love epic fantasy.
3. Son Of The Black Sword (Saga of the Forgotten Warrior Series) by Larry Correia
A dark fantasy in a world where demons in the sea, and humans are segregated by a strict caste system. It's inspired by the Indian caste system.
I found this book while I was searching for more stories to scratch the hierarchy itch I got from Red Rising. This series was okay.
I got three books deep and didn't care enough to keep going. The main character was okay. Pretty much everything about this book was okay.
These books didn't hook me. They're okay enough to read, but not good enough to make me interested in what happens next.
4. City of Stairs (The Divine Cities Trilogy) by Robert Jackson Bennett
A fantasy trilogy set in a world where gods once ruled before alt-history India murdered them and took over.
In this story, an agent of not India investigates a city that has suspicious god-related activity. It's an interesting series filled with espionage, politics, religion, colonialism, and mystery.
I read the first two books, enjoyed them, then something happened in the third book that killed my enthusiasm. But I'm sure if I go back and finish that book, I'll probably enjoy it and have a satisfying resolution to the story.
The author clearly knows what he's doing, so I'd recommend this series even though I stopped reading a quarter through book 3.
5. Black Stone Heart (The Obsidian Path Trilogy) by Michael R. Fletcher
A grimdark fantasy series with mystery, dark themes and moral ambiguity.
These books kept me hooked because they had an interesting mystery I wanted the answers to. I was also invested in the promise of the main character attaining his former power.
The MC starts with amnesia, and we find out he used to be super powerful. I devoured these books, but ended up emptier than before I started. The answers to the mysteries were disappointing and lacklustre.
We never see the main character regain his former power, and it felt like I spent 3 books going around in circles to get a whole load of nothing.
The resolution was terrible, so I can't recommend this series. Though I begrudgingly applaud the author for a great setup and keeping me hooked enough to finish the series - even if I got to the end and felt like I'd wasted my time.
I kept on expecting another twist to show me something interesting, but it never arrived.
6. The Pariah (Covenant Of Steel Trilogy) by Anthony Ryan
A dark epic fantasy set in a world of political intrigue and war.
This story seemed perfect for me; it followed a character who became a political advisor. It even started with him in a gang.
Political Intrigue and Gangsters: where could it go wrong?
The thing is, 90% of this story was amazing - exactly what I wanted. But there's a reveal at the end that fell flat and ruined everything for me. It was such a boring and unsatisfying resolution that didn't feel like it made sense.
However, you may think differently, and, as I said - 90% of the journey was gripping and interesting. But that ending reveal was so bad I had to demote it from 'best' to 'okay'.
7. We Are The Dead (The Last War Trilogy) by Mike Shackle
A dark military fantasy series focused on an occupied city and how civilians fight back against the Empire oppressing them.
I was mildly interested in this concept because I had read some great books with sieges, like the Blood Song series, and I wanted more of that. But it proved difficult to find dark fantasy books with sieges.
This book was the next best thing, though an occupation isn't a siege. I read the first book, which was okay, and dropped this series after the second book.
I may go back and finish reading this series because there were many interesting threads I'd like to see to their conclusion. But at the time of reading, there were shinier, more interesting books that gripped my attention. That's why this sits on the okay list.
But again, the books on this list aren't bad; they're okay at worst. You might even think they're great, so I recommend giving them a chance. Just because I dropped them doesn't mean you will.
8. Will of the Many (Hierarchy Series) by James Islington
Fantasy novel set in a Roman-inspired empire built on a magical hierarchy system where everyone is forced into a pyramid scheme.
The story follows the prince of a conquered country as he hides his identity and enters an academy to solve a mystery. I found this book because I wanted more stories like Red Rising. The Roman-inspired world and the pyramid-style magic intrigued me. I also enjoy an academy setting (as long as it's not drawn out and overdone).
When I first started reading the first book, I thought it was slow, boring, and I dropped off. I eventually returned because I was still itching for a Roman-inspired world. I finished the first book, and now I'm looking forward to see what comes next.
Unfortunately, at the time of writing this, the series isn't complete and there's only two books out. The first book is an okay start, and I have high hopes for the rest of the series. I initially had this on my "best books" list, but I realised it hasn't earned that place yet.
I ended up enjoying it, and I think you might too. The world's interesting, the mystery's interesting (though it ends on a cliffhanger), and I can't conclude whether the resolution will be satisfying yet. I'm looking forward to seeing how the rest of the trilogy concludes.
9. Prince Of Thorns (The Broken Empire Trilogy) By Mark Lawrence
A grimdark fantasy series following an exiled prince on a path to reclaim his kingdom.
I picked up this book because I was looking for political intrigue and a Grimdark world. The intrigue didn't hit as well as I hoped, but the world was grim. The plot had an interesting setup but the ending fell flat.
The story was okay. I saw the twist ending coming from a mile away, so it disappointed me. But nothing was bad enough to completely ruin my enjoyment of the series - that's why it's here on the okay list.
You may enjoy this more than I did. It had some interesting characters, but the main villain was unfortunately crap.
Reading List Of Fantasy Novel Series
Next up is my reading list.
I'm not including a review for any of these books because I haven't read them. But I thought it'd be useful to share this list for readers with similar tastes to mine who find it hard to discover books that meet their tastes.
That's what led to me writing my own book. But writing all the time leaves me with little time to read, so my reading list grows longer and longer.
Check out the books on this list and you might find your next favourite series.
Dark Fantasy Books/Novels For Men (Next Up On My Reading List)
- Dreamer's Throne by Seth Ring
- Blood and Fur by Seanan McGuire
- The Second Apocalypse by R. Scott Bakker
- Vampire Crusader by Dan Davis
- Devil's Foundry by Django Wexler
- Craft Sequence by Max Gladstone
- The First Great Game by Pierce Grey
- Book of the Dead by RinoZ
I was disappointed that the author of Kings of Paradise didn't have more books. But while writing this list, I stumbled upon a bittersweet discovery.
Richard Nell has a pen name (Pierce Grey) where he's writing LitRPG - a genre I'm writing and recently fell in love with. The bitter part is that he's writing a harem story - something I'm not into.
But I'm willing to give his harem series a chance because the Kings of Paradise series was top tier, and it's been difficult to find well-written LitRPGs I can sink my teeth into.
Kingdom Builders/Political Intrigue Novels To Read
- Spellmonger by Terry Mancour
- Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
- Apocalypse Reborn by L.M. Kerr
- Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold
- Demesne by Tom Lloyd
- Elder Lands by Bruce Blake
- Ten Realms by Michael Chatfield
- Legend of the Arch Magus by Michael Sisa
- Imperium by Robert Harris
- Emperor of the Borderland by Alex Toxic
- The Wounded Kingdom by RJ Barker
Vampire Novels To Read
- The Lesser Dead by Christopher Buehlman
- Sunshine by Robin McKinley
- Lost Souls by Poppy Z. Brite
- Anno Dracula by Kim Newman
- Fledgling by Octavia Butler
- Memnoch the Devil by Anne Rice
- The Passage Trilogy by Justin Cronin
- Necroscope by Brian Lumley
- The President's Vampire by Christopher Farnsworth
- Nightlord Series by Garon Whited
- The Demon Accords by John Conroe
- The Noble Dead Saga by Barb and J.C. Hendee
- The Immortal Empire Series by Kate Locke
- Bury Our Bones by V.E. Schwab
- The Empire of Fear by Brian Stableford
- Joe Pitt Casebooks by Charlie Huston
Dark Fantasy/Grimdark Novels To Read
- Artificial Wisdom by Thomas Pluck
- Engines of Empire by R.S. Ford
- Fireborne by Rosaria Munda
- The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
- Empire of Exiles by Erin M. Evans
- Godblind Trilogy by Anna Stephens
- The Grey Bastards by Jonathan French
- The Demon Cycle by Peter V. Brett
- Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma
- Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames
- The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
- The Devil's Detective by Simon Kurt Unsworth
Sci-Fi Novels To Read
Non-Fantasy Novels To Read
Have you read any of the books above?
What are your favourite Dark Fantasy novel series?
Comment your answer below.
