Books in the dark fantasy genre that are most often recommended by readers

11 Mar 11:45

11 min. read

Post cover: Books in the dark fantasy genre that are most often recommended by readers

Table of contentsClick link to navigate to the desired location

The First Law — Joe Abercrombie The Black Company — Glen Cook Broken Empire — Mark Lawrence The Second Apocalypse — R. Scott Bakker The Poppy War — Rebecca Kuang The Book of the New Sun — Gene Wolfe Elric of Melniboné — Michael Moorcock The Chronicles of Nevernight — Jay Kristoff Between Two Fires — Christopher Buehlman The Universe of the Blacktongue Thief The Bas-Lag Universe — China Miéville

This content has been automatically translated from Ukrainian.

View Original

Dark fantasy is a subgenre where magical worlds combine with a grim atmosphere, brutality, morally ambiguous heroes, and a sense of danger. Here, classic noble knights and clear-cut confrontations between good and evil are rarely found. Instead, readers are presented with complex stories about power, war, survival, and the dark sides of human nature.

On thematic forums, book communities, and especially on Reddit, discussions about "what to read in dark fantasy" regularly appear. Over time, a certain list of books and series has formed, which genre fans recommend most often. Below are some of the most famous works of dark fantasy that consistently appear in such recommendations.

The First Law — Joe Abercrombie

✅ availability: all parts published in Ukrainian

The First Law series begins with the novel "The Blade Itself" and is considered one of the most well-known series in the grimdark subgenre. The events take place in a world where politics, war, and magic intertwine with cynicism and dark humor. The story unfolds through several characters: the barbarian Logen Ninefingers, the inquisitor Glokta — a former war hero who has become a cripple and torturer, and the young nobleman Jezal, who dreams of glory.

Abercrombie masterfully deconstructs traditional fantasy tropes. The heroes here are far from ideal, and victories often have a bitter aftertaste. That is why this series is often referred to as one of the best entry points into dark fantasy.

The main trilogy of "The First Law"

This is the foundation from which to start your acquaintance with the Circle of the Earth:

"The Blade Itself"
"Before They Are Hanged"
"Last Argument of Kings"

Three standalone novels (The Standalones)

These are the same three books that expand the boundaries of the world. Each is written in a different subgenre but features the same familiar characters against the backdrop:

"Best Served Cold" — a brutal tale of revenge, a sort of "Kill Bill" in medieval settings.
"Heroes" — a detailed and bloody chronicle of one three-day battle. Minimum magic, maximum iron.
"The Red Country" — a fantasy western about the wild frontier, gold, and the return of old legends.

Bonus for fans

A collection of short stories "Sharp Ends" has also been published, filling in the gaps in the stories of many characters between the main novels.

Tip: although the standalone novels can be read separately, it's better to follow the order of publication — this way, you will see how the world changes under the pressure of time and the intrigues of major players.

The Black Company — Glen Cook

✅❌ availability: the first 2 books published in Ukrainian

The Black Company — a classic of dark fantasy that emerged in the 1980s and significantly influenced the further development of the genre.

The plot tells the story of a mercenary company known as the Black Company. The story is narrated from the perspective of one of its members — a physician and chronicler who records the adventures of the company. The mercenaries serve various rulers, sometimes even openly dark forces, and are often forced to carry out dubious orders.

This is a fantasy about war without embellishments: dirt, losses, difficult moral choices, and the lives of people for whom battles have become a profession.

The "Black Company" series has a complex structure consisting of several sub-series (chronicles) that span decades of the mercenary company's history.

As of now, only the first two books have been published in Ukrainian by Nebo Booklab Publishing.

The Books of the North

This trilogy is considered a classic beginning of the series.

✅ "The Black Company" (The Black Company) — published in Ukrainian.
✅ "Shadows Linger" — published in Ukrainian.
❌ "The White Rose" — not yet published in Ukrainian (announced).

The Books of the South

The story of how the remnants of the Company set out to search for their homeland — the city of Hattovar.

❌ Shadow Games
❌ Dreams of Steel
❌ The Silver Spike

The Books of Glittering Stone

The final stage of the Company's story.

❌ Bleak Seasons
❌ She Is the Darkness
❌ Water Sleeps
❌ Soldiers Live

Standalone novels and new releases

❌ Port of Shadows — a interquel novel published in 2018.

Currently, readers only have access to the start of "The Books of the North." If you plan to read the series completely in Ukrainian, you will have to wait for new releases from Nebo Booklab Publishing.

Broken Empire — Mark Lawrence

❌ availability: books available only in the original language (English)

The main character is Prince Jorg Ancrath, who experienced tragedy in childhood and subsequently became the leader of a band of outlaws. His journey is a tale of revenge, the struggle for power, and inner demons.

The world of the series is brutal and chaotic, and the hero often acts ruthlessly. That is why Lawrence's books are often called true examples of grimdark — fantasy where there are no easy answers and a clear line between good and evil.

In bookstores (such as Bookstore "Ye" or Yakaboo), this series can only be found in the original language (English).

Here is the structure of the cycle:

"Prince of Thorns"
"King of Thorns"
"Emperor of Thorns"

The Second Apocalypse — R. Scott Bakker

❌ availability: books available only in the original language (English)

The events take place in a world where religious wars, political intrigues, and ancient prophecies intertwine with the threat of apocalypse. At the center of the story is the mysterious hero Kellhus, a man with extraordinary abilities to manipulate people and their faith.

The cycle is known for its complex philosophy, themes of fanaticism, power, and psychology. Many readers consider this series one of the darkest and deepest in contemporary fantasy.

Here is how the structure of this universe looks if you want to explore it in the original:

The Trilogy "The Prince of Nothing"

The Darkness That Comes Before (2003)
The Warrior-Prophet (2004)
The Thousandfold Thought (2006)

The Tetralogy "The Aspect-Emperor"

The Judging Eye (2009)
The White-Luck Warrior (2011)
The Great Ordeal (2016)
The Unholy Consult (2017)

The Poppy War — Rebecca Kuang

✅ availability: all parts published in Ukrainian

The trilogy The Poppy War combines epic fantasy with the dark pages of China's history.

The main character Rin is an orphan who enters a prestigious military academy. Later, she discovers her shamanic abilities and a connection to dangerous deities.

The plot gradually becomes darker: war, political intrigues, moral dilemmas, and terrible consequences of power over supernatural forces.

In Ukraine, the entire trilogy was released by the publishing house "Zhorzh" in a wonderful translation by Hanna Lytvynenko.

The complete structure of the series:

"The Poppy War" — the story of the orphan Rin, who enters an elite military academy and discovers a terrible gift of shamanism.
"The Dragon Republic" — the war becomes more extensive, new political players emerge, and the heroine struggles with her addiction and the voice of a vengeful god.
"The Burning God" — the final part where the stakes rise to the limit, and Rin must decide what price she is willing to pay for her people's freedom.

The Book of the New Sun — Gene Wolfe

❌ availability: books available only in the original language (English)

This is one of the most original series in the dark fantasy genre, combining fantasy and science fiction elements.

The story follows Severian — a student of the guild of torturers, who is exiled for showing mercy. His journey transforms into a strange and mysterious odyssey through a world of the distant future, where technologies have long come to resemble magic.

Gene Wolfe's books are known for their complex structure, symbolism, and an unreliable narrator. Because of this, the series often reveals itself to readers anew even after re-reading.

Here is the structure of the tetralogy (often published in two volumes):

The Shadow of the Torturer
The Claw of the Conciliator
The Sword of the Lictor
The Citadel of the Autarch

There is also a fifth sequel novel — "The Urth of the New Sun".

Elric of Melniboné — Michael Moorcock

❌ availability: books available only in the original language (English)

A classic cycle about Elric — one of the most famous anti-heroes in fantasy.

Elric is the emperor of the fallen empire of Melniboné, an albino with weak health, who relies on magic and the demonic sword Stormbringer. This sword gives him power but simultaneously feeds on the souls of its victims.

The stories about Elric are filled with tragedy, fatalism, and dark magic. This character has greatly influenced the development of dark fantasy and many later authors.

Here is the structure of the main saga (the order may vary depending on the edition, as these are collections of novellas and novels):

Elric of Melniboné
The Sailor on the Seas of Fate
The Weird of the White Wolf
The Sleeping Sorceress
The Bane of the Black Sword

The Chronicles of Nevernight — Jay Kristoff

✅ availability: all parts published in Ukrainian

The series begins with the novel "Nevernight" and tells the story of Mia Corvere.

After the execution of her father and betrayal by friends, she seeks revenge and enrolls in an assassin school. There, she is taught the arts of killing, espionage, and survival.

The books are known for their grim atmosphere, dark humor, a great deal of violence, and an unusual narrative style.

The cycle includes:

Nevernight — Mia Corvere, the daughter of an executed rebel, becomes a student of the Red Church, the most dangerous assassin school in the world, where the sun almost never rises.
Godsgrave — the path of revenge leads Mia to the gladiatorial arenas, where she must become a legend to get closer to her enemies.
Darkdawn — the finale, where ancient secrets of the gods and the nature of Mia's shadows are finally revealed, and the stakes rise to a global scale.

Published by Nebo BookLab Publishing, translation by Ksenia Sokulska

Between Two Fires — Christopher Buehlman

✅❌ availability: this book is not available in Ukrainian, but soon the first part of another cycle by the author will be on sale

The novel Between Two Fires is often mentioned among the most atmospheric works of dark fantasy.

The events take place in France in the 14th century during the Black Death epidemic. A former knight, along with a mysterious girl, embarks on a journey through a devastated country, where people face not only the plague but also demons and supernatural horrors.

The book combines historical fiction, fantasy, and elements of horror.

However, the author has another major cycle that is currently being actively developed and often interests fans of dark fantasy.

The Universe of the Blacktongue Thief

✅ "The Blacktongue Thief" (The Blacktongue Thief, 2021) — the first book in order of publication. It tells the adventures of the thief Kinch in a world recovering from wars with goblins (coming soon, published by Vivat).
"The Daughters' War" 2024 — a prequel novel released later. It focuses on the heroine Galvi and the events of the great war that occurred before the beginning of the first book.
"The Thrice-Bound Fool" — a direct continuation of the first part, with the original release expected on October 13, 2026.

The Bas-Lag Universe — China Miéville

✅ availability: all parts published in Ukrainian

This is one of the most famous novels in the new weird genre — dark and strange fantasy.

The action takes place in the gigantic city of New Crobuzon, where humans, strange creatures, magic, and quirky technologies coexist. The scientist Isaac is working on an experiment that accidentally releases dangerous creatures into the world.

The book is known for its complex world, unusual races, and a very dark atmosphere of a large industrial city.

The publishing house "Bohdan" released the complete set of the series titled "The Bas-Lag Universe".

What is included in the cycle:

✅ "Perdido Street Station" — a grand introduction to the world of New Crobuzon, where a scientist tries to restore the ability to fly to a garuda creature but accidentally unleashes a nightmare that devours the dreams of an entire city.
✅ "The Scar" — a journey to Armada, a gigantic floating city built from thousands of captured ships. This is a story about the ocean's horrors, ancient monsters, and the search for the legendary Scar on the body of the world.
✅ "Iron Council" — the final chord about a rebellion, the construction of a railway through wild lands, and a magical guerrilla war against a corrupt government.