The Top 10 Dark Fantasy Novels (Ranked) for 2024

Although there is disagreement about what constitutes a dark fantasy novel, readers can generally tell when they are reading one. The dark fantasy genre is characterized by grim atmospheres, antiheroic characters, and a more macabre attitude to the supernatural. These elements combine to create an experience that leans more toward horror than fantasy.

Because dark fantasy defies categorization, it may explore an almost infinite variety of storylines, concepts, and character arcs. The 10 works I've selected for this list are great starting points for readers who are interested in delving into the murky realm of dark fantasy, even if I'm not an authority on the subject.

10. Anne Rice's Interview with a Vampire

Vampire Interview is one of those novels whose cover discloses the plot. Vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac accepts an interview with a reporter he only ever refers to as "the boy," writing about the lengthy, brutal existence he was forced to endure as a result of his choice to become a vampire.Using what amounts to an excessively lengthy interview, Anne Rice makes the most of her unusual staging method to craft a complex story about the terrifying ways that time can transform a person without end, all delivered in Louis' exquisite but brutally honest voice.

9. Gene Wolfe's The Shadow of the Torturer

The Torturer's Shadow takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where torture is rated as one of the "worst things that can happen to someone"—a startlingly low ranking. We follow Severian, a member of a guild of torturers who, after showing mercy on one of the gang's captives, is sent into a torturous exile.In Severian's desolate world, morality is a malleable concept, and as he travels through dirty cities and sun-baked deserts, he is forced to choose his allegiance to his guild and the corrupt government it serves. By the conclusion, both Severian and the reader are left wondering whether he is the protagonist of the last chapter of history's hero or villain.

8. Steven King's The Gunslinger

The first book in Steven King's Dark Tower series, The Gunslinger , is perhaps the horror genre's first serious attempt at epic fantasy. We follow Roland, a gunslinger trapped in an apparently never-ending showdown with the "Man in Black," his adversary. Roland journeys through a wasteland overrun by mutants, demons, and madmen. When he meets Jake Chamber, a youngster from Earth—a place the gunslinger has never heard of—his destiny is irrevocably altered.While connections to Steven King's body of work abound in later Dark Tower parts, The Gunslinger keeps things straightforward. You won't want to put the book down because of the heartwarming relationship that develops between Roland and Jake and the macabre but magnificent Wild West-inspired universe they explore.

7. Patrick Rothfuss, "The Name of the Wind"

The The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss begins with The Name of the Wind , and it's off to a great start. The book, a narrative inside a story, tells the tale of Kvothe, an innkeeper who, for the most part of his life, was an accomplished magician who met with a combination of notoriety and acclaim after killing a monarch.A very outstanding dark fantasy world with one of the most original magic systems ever written is brought to life by Rothfuss's brilliant writing. As we eagerly await the release of the third and last chapter in the series, The Name of the Wind will captivate you till the very end of the page.

6. Siobhan Dowd and Patrick Ness's A Monster Calls

There aren't many novels that have made me cry, but A Monster Calls is one of the few that has. We follow thirteen-year-old Conor O'Malley as he receives a visit from a massive monster in the middle of the night. The monster gives Connor three tales that, while they don't always make sense, allude to the struggles the young man is going through and help him prepare for the catastrophe he already knows is coming.The concluding tale from Siobhan Dowd's perspective is told by Patrick Ness in the same sympathetic style as his amazing Chaos Walking trilogy. Conor's experience will resonate with a lot of readers, and the catharsis he achieves throughout his time with the monster will make even the most heartless readers cry.

5. Philip Pullman's "Northern Lights"

Northern LightsEven if it can be intended for children, it nonetheless ventures into dangerous areas. We accompany Lyra Belacqua in her search for her closest friend and lost uncle, who disappeared after speaking out against the theocracy that governs their society.In this fascinating universe created by Phillip Pullman, children are born with the ability to change their form, ships fly across the sky, and a dominant organized religion controls much too much of the planet. Lyra's journey through that universe raises challenging concerns about religious fanaticism, the struggles of puberty, and the ways in which knowledge may help us navigate our identity and discover our place in the world.

4. Bram Stocker's Dracula

Dracula introduces itself without necessity, but I'll do my best. This classic gothic horror book uses letters, diaries, and newspaper clippings to tell the story of the unfortunate attorney Jonathan Harkens' horrific meeting with Dracula and the ensuing turmoil when the Transylvanian lord pursues him to London.Although it wasn't the first vampire novel, the main antagonist of Dracula has come to represent all vampires. In literary circles today, the novel's original examination and dissection of gender roles, sexuality, and Victorian morals are still hot topics.

3. Andrejz Zapkowski's Blood of Elves

Andrejz Zapkowski begins Blood of Elves Saga of The Witcher with a loud boom. As he defends Ciri, the heir to the vanished country of Cintra, from both monsters and operatives of the powerful Nilfgardian Empire, we follow Geralt of Rivia.Elves' Blood creates The universe of The Witcher is one in which the conventions of epic fantasy have been subverted almost to the point of being unrecognizable. Undead and trolls run rampant, rulers often turn on one another to thwart conquest, and elves and dwarves have turned into fanatical terrorists engulfed in their hate for humans.

2. Neil Gaiman's novel Coraline

A contemporary fairy tale, Coraline recognizes that fairy tales were never the vivid, colorful tales that Disney and other businesses present them as. We follow Coraline as she finds a magical world inhabited by "another" version of her family, where everything is a little too perfect, via a hidden door she finds in her new home.One of the darkest children's tales ever told is told by Neil Gaiman, who uses his recognizable, approachable style to blend a hearty dose of wonder and terror. If my description of this eerie tale isn't enough to get you to read it, the fact that it has been turned into a graphic book, a stop-motion animated movie, and two theatrical adaptations probably will.

1. George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones

More than just the commencement of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Game of Thrones marks the start of one of the most well-known media franchises in history. The noble Warden of the North, Ned Stark, goes south to King's Landing to take up the role of second in command under his old friend King Robert. By doing this, he started a chain of events that led to the start of a violent succession battle on the continent of Westeros.Although blood magic, dragons, and the undead are all common in Westeros, the main focus of the narrative is the gripping political intrigue. A Game of Thrones is ranked #1 on this list because it has all the elements that make up a dark fantasy book.