Fantasyis often characterized by magic, mythical creatures, and the forces of good triumphing over evil, but this isn’t always the case.Plenty of dark fantasy books are so gruesome and grim that they could be considered part of the horror genreas well. This doesn’t mean that the story won’t end somewhat happily for the characters, but it does mean that more gore and difficult situations will be described than in a typical fantasy novel. Additionally, the tension and stakes hold a creepy sensation of terror and foreboding that are impossible to escape.
Grimdark and horror-esque works aren’t thebest fantasy book series for beginners, as they can be emotionally difficult to read because of the intense subject matter. However, for readers who are more interested in horror and haven’t explored speculative fiction in-depth, these novels are great transitory materials that might pique their interest. Whileevery narrative must have conflict and darkness in order for it to be compelling,some are so scary that the villains and events of the projects would give anyone nightmares.
10Fairy Tale (2022)
Written by Stephen King
Manyunderrated Stephen King books need adaptations, and this recent fantastical addition to his oeuvre fits the bill.Fairy Talefollows the story ofCharlie, a boy in his late teens who discovers a portal to a secret world, Empis,thanks to his mysterious neighbor. However, this land is full of danger and turmoil, and Charlie is put into terrifying situations and eventually takes it upon himself to rescue the kingdom of devastation. Though there are many aspects of the narrative that follow the typical adventure story format, the terrible creature controlling Empis and Charlie’s brutal trials are unsettling.
There’s a familiar undercurrent throughoutFairy Tale, as Charlie is grappling with realistic human grief, which drives him to help others and appreciate his life on Earth.
King has often imbued his horror works with elements of sci-fi and fantasy,and this has only added to the chilling atmosphere he’s fostered in his writing. At this point in his career, King is well-established, so he can experiment even more with form and genre, stepping further into fantasy than he has in the past. However, there’s a familiar undercurrent throughoutFairy Tale, as Charlie is grappling with realistic human grief, which drives him to help others and appreciate his life on Earth.
Every Unpublished Stephen King Short Story & Book
Stephen King has written many books over the course of his career, but for various different reasons, they haven’t all been published yet.
9Weaveworld (1987)
Written by Clive Barker
Weaveworldtakes place in the Fugue, a land unlike our own in which all magical and supernatural creatures reside. However, to the human eye, it looks like a carpet that must be protected, and after its human steward passes on, it falls to Cal and Suzanna to protect the Fugue from harm. There’s a horrible beast called the Scourge and plenty of monsters that humanity only dreams of. Despite this,the most threatening characters in the story are humans themselves.
The author, Clive Barker, is best known for his works of horror,and this skill only makes the stakes ofWeaveworldfeel all the more immediate. It’s easy for the reader to feel as though they’re with the characters in dangerous and violent situations. Cal and Suzanna make excellent protagonists who are brave enough that the reader will follow them into the most dire situations. However, they’re not impervious to harm and are deeply concerned with the fate of the Fugue.
8His Dark Materials (1995–2000)
Written by Philip Pullman
The protagonist of Philip Pullman’sHis Dark Materialsseries, Lyra, might begin the story as a young girl, but that doesn’t stop the plot from putting her in intense and dangerous situations. Whilethe books might be meant for younger audiences, the antagonists in the novels will stop at nothing to get their way,including experimenting on children. One moment that cements the works as dark fantasy comes at the end of book one,Northern Lights, when Lyra’s mother, Mrs. Coulter, funds an operation that separates children from their daemons, which are their souls.
Lyra and her later companion Will go through a lot for people so young, but they face every challenge with bravery and strength.
Eachseason ofHis Dark Materialsin the recent TV adaptations does a good job of faithfully recreating the book’s story onscreen and balancing the light aspects of the story with the dark. Lyra and her later companion Will go through a lot for people so young, but they face every challenge with bravery and strength.Fear is what drives the villains inHis Dark Materials,and they use this as a tool to prevent the spread of knowledge, but Lyra and Will fight against this.
7The Last Tale Of The Flower Bride (2023)
Written by Roshani Chokshi
While gothic and horror elements often go hand-in-hand,The Last Tale of the Flower Brideleans more into its gothic influences, which characterizes how the aspects of fear populate the story.The Last Tale of the Flower Brideuses more subtle build-up and increasing tension to make the reader afraid rather than overt gore and jump scares.Romance, mystery, and family secrets flesh out the world of Indigo and her new husbandas they’re forced to take an unexpected journey into Indigo’s past.
Roshani Chokshi is better known for her children’s literature, withThe Last Tale of the Flower Bridebeing her first foray into adult fiction.However, Chokshi proves that she’s more than capable of weaving a tale that connects with older audiences, as the central relationship between Indigo and her husband is enormously compelling. Additionally,The Last Tale of the Flower Brideshines the most in its visual descriptions and the lurking ghosts of the past that haunt the reader and characters.
6House Of Hollow (2021)
Written by Krystal Sutherland
Iris, the main character inHouse of Hollow, knows that her childhood contains a secret, but she and her sisters have never unpacked what happened to them. However, it’s clear from the start of the novel that the people in Iris' family are hiding something and that the mysterious and malevolent forces that follow her everywhere aren’t targeting her out of nowhere. It soon falls to Iris to face her deepest trauma when her older sister, Grey, goes missing.
House of Hollowunravels like a dark, updated fairytale that incorporates plenty of twists and turns, so the audience never knows what’s coming next.
From there, the story only becomes more creepy and unsettling, andIris grapples with her desire to learn the truth about when she went missing as a child and the damage it could doto her. Iris teams up with her other sister, Viv, who has also been searching for answers in the quest to find their sister.House of Hollowunravels like a dark, updated fairytale that incorporates plenty of twists and turns, so the audience never knows what’s coming next.
5Gallant (2022)
Written by V.E. Schwab
V.E. Schwab has written many great works of contemporary fantasy, and her style has always leaned toward the mysterious and dangerous within her story’s imagined worlds. ThoughGallantisn’t her most popular book, it’s one of the most unique and blends horror elements into its narrative seamlessly.Olivia Prior returns to her family home, the titular Gallant, after many yearsto find that the place calls to her, but not everything is as it seems. There’s a hidden world in the shadows of Gallant that Olivia can access, but it’s no sanctuary.
Gallantis one of Schwab’s YA books, so while there are still plenty of spooky themes, the plot doesn’t go too far in scaring Olivia or the audience. Olivia is mute, which is an exciting representation within the YA fantasy genre, and her journey to discover who she is and understand what happened to her family is relatable. Her world is filled with shadowy ghouls who she can always see, butthe scariest part of the series is undoubtedly the villain who attempts to control both Gallant and Olivia.
4House Of Leaves (2000)
Written by Mark Z. Danielewski
The complex and genre-bendingHouse of Leavesincorporates elements of academic writing, film criticism, and horror fantasyinto a work that needs to be read to be fully understood. Most of the novel is told from the perspective of the narrator, Johnny Truant, who is editing a manuscript a deceased man wrote about a documentary that Truant believes doesn’t exist. Within the documentary, a family encounters a maze that appears within their house that’s infinite and leads to nowhere, trapping one of them inside and leading to the deaths of others.
The truth of the house’s maze and the dangers within it are up to the interpretation of the reader, but they remain vividly engaging and well crafted.
There are several stories within the story inHouse of Leavesthat can be difficult to keep track of, especially since none of the multiple perspectives are reliable narrators or experts in their field. However, this makes readingHouse of Leavesan exciting challenge for the reader to piece together the information Mark S. Danielewski provides and uncover why certain aspects of the story are withheld. The truth of the house’s maze and the dangers within it are up to the interpretation of the reader, but they remain vividly engaging and well crafted.
3The Godblind Trilogy (2017–2019)
Written by Anna Stephens
Beginning withGodblind, the trilogy by Anna Stephens follows the story of Rillirin, a young woman who escapes servitude from the Mireces. They are a sect that worships ancient and evil Red Gods and plans to invade the central land of Rilpor. However, Rilliran isn’t the only strong character in theGodblindnovels, as the story is populated by excellent characters who work through their trauma, grapple with their faith, and grow as people throughout the narrative. WhileGodblindis labeled as a Grimdark fantasy most often, plenty of moments can be considered horror.
The Godblind Trilogydoesn’t hold back when it comes to descriptions of violence and assault, making the fantasy series quite dark. Reading theGodblindbooks can be emotionally devastating, but the novels include great LGBTQ+ representation and expand upon the narrative with each installment.The sequels,DarksoulandBloodchild, increase the action and incredible world-buildingthat Stephens begins inGodblindand conclude the series in unexpected but satisfying ways. Stephens isn’t afraid to put the characters and reader through the wringer in each installment of the story.
2The Prince Of Nothing Series (2003–2006)
Written by R. Scott Baker
All three books inThe Prince of Nothing Seriesillustrate what R. Scott Baker does best, which is to imbue high fantasy writing with niche elements of darkness and horror.There are clear connections to great sci-fi and fantasy works likeDuneandThe Lord of the RingswithinThe Prince of Nothingbooks. The character, Anasûrimbor Kellhus, is a prophesized leader with incredible abilities who may not be the messiah his people were hoping for. Though most of the characters within the story are human, there are gods, monsters, and aliens who flesh out the world.
While the story takes place in another world, there are many comparisons to be drawn between the events of the books and the warring factions who try to destroy each other and real life.
Kellhus' teacher, Drusas Achamian, comes to worry that he shouldn’t have imparted his knowledge to the young man and that fate might have other plans for him. While the story takes place in another world, there are many comparisons to be drawn between the events of the books and the warring factions who try to destroy each other and real life. Much of the darkness and violence that are described inThe Prince of Nothingis similar to historical events and reflects both the goodness and evil that humanity is capable of.
8 Books That Perfectly Blend Fantasy & Horror
While any good fantasy book has its thrilling moments, certain novels go so far that the entire story is just as much horror as it is fantastical.
1The Book Of The New Sun (1983)
Written by Gene Wolf
The Book of the New Sunis a compilation of the entire series in one volume and allows the reader to experience all of Gene Wolf’s epic story in one place. It’s considered one of the best sci-fi andfantasynarratives of all time.The Book of the New Sunis set in the distant future on an unrecognizable Earth that’s both blossomed in beautiful ways and reverted to acts of cruelty and subjugation.The book begins with Severian, a master of torture and execution,being banished from his homeland.
He travels the world with nothing but himself and his fearsome sword and finds himself in terrifying and intriguing situations.Knowing only violence and existence in a dying world, Severian has to discover himself,the meaning of his life, and his hidden powers.The Book of the New Sunremains an iconic work of fiction for a reason, and its dystopian setting is still terrifying and relatable today. As a protagonist, Severian is morally ambiguous and imperfect, but it’s impossible not to connect with his journey.
