I really love fantasy in general, and dark fantasy in particular; however, I have the impression that authors and readers often confuse dark fantasy with violence, gore, nihilism, or sexuality.
The definition of dark fantasy deserves its own post (here is one attempt), but for now it's enough to remember that dark fantasy is an intersection of fantasy with horror — capable of evoking tension and fear — and tragedy, which in turn frequently portrays the fall (moral, physical, social, etc.) or suffering of its protagonists and supporting characters. Nihilism and moral ambiguity appear frequently but are not in themselves defining features of the genre.
The books below are some of my favorites in dark fantasy, which I consider not only very well written, but also examples of a deeper understanding of the genre.
Stormbringer, by Michael Moorcock. This is my favorite book from the saga of the albino prince Elric, which in turn is one of the most important works of dark fantasy, influencing countless subsequent works, like The Witcher, A Song of Ice and Fire, The Chronicles of Amber and so on.
However, this book is (in a way) the conclusion of the saga. So, my recommendation would be to start with the first book (Elric of Melniboné) and, if you like it, continue reading the entire saga. If you don't like it, skip to this final cycle, which is essential.
Worms of the Earth. Robert E Howard, author of Conan, has a darker edge in several stories, although Conan himself is a heroic character. This tale, one of Howard's darkest ones, narrates the story of the tragic hero Bran Mak Morn, the last king of the Picts, in a desperate struggle to save his people from Roman hordes or at least guarantee his revenge.
It's a perfect choice if you want to start with a shorter story.
Black God's Kiss, by C.L. Moore, is a tale about Jirel of Joiry, a (seemingly) French warrior, who finds herself defeated in her own realm and imprisoned by an evil enemy eager to humiliate her. Consumed by hatred, she decides to descend into the hellish Abyss beneath the castle to find a useful weapon against her rival... The plot resembles Worms of the Earth, and the writing is also similar to Howard's in tone, mixing action with fantasy and cosmic horror.
Jirel is not exactly a "female Conan" (nor the stereotypical princess, damsel, or amazon); she is strong and fierce, but has distinct enough characteristics to be interesting. For example, she is Christian and painfully aware that she's not just risking her life, but also her soul, even if she succeeds in her mission. Additionally, she is apparently the first notable female protagonist in the sword & sorcery genre.
Another excellent short story.
The Shadow of the Torturer, by Gene Wolfe, is one of the best dark fantasy books (and fantasy in general) I've ever read. The reading is a bit difficult because of the elaborate vocabulary, but it's incredibly rewarding.
The Broken Sword, by Poul Anderson (seek out the original 1954 version) is one of the best books in the appendix N, and it's been a huge influence on Moorcock and others.
Darkness Weaves by Karl Edward Wagner is one of the darkest of the bunch - or at least it has one of the darkest protagonists I've read recently. If you want Conan with a darker vibe, Kane is your guy.
Other books and authors.
I should mention Clark Ashton Smith here; some of my favorite stories are The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis, The Beast of Averoigne, The Tale of Satampra
Zeiros, The Empire of the Necromancers, The Isle of the Torturers, The
Abominations of Yondo.
There are other authors like Poe and Lovecraft that I think fit more comfortably in the horror genre than dark fantasy, although some stories would certainly fit. Borges and Kafka have their own thing going on, that is not the same kind of dark fantasy found here.
I haven't enjoyed The Blade Itself. The Black Company is good but not great IMO; same for The Witcher. A Game of Thrones is great but has no ending so far.
On the more modern side (post 2010s), I enjoyed the Lost Gods by artist Brom and Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman.
I really like dark fantasy, so you'll probably see other reviews here in the future (and some I've already reviewed in the past and didn't mention here). I welcome suggestions!
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