20 Best Dark Fantasy Books and Series

Fantasy novels are frequently filled with evil wizards, dark powers, black knights and hellish monsters. This genre explores the dark side of nature—our lust for power, need for revenge, our weakness in the face of despair or temptation. So, in a sense, the emergence of “dark fantasy” as a specific sub-genre was inevitable. Agreeing on a precise definition of what dark fantasy is or isn’t is probably impossible; there is a fine line between the normal darkness of a fantasy universe and the grimmer, more violent versions. If you’re looking to explore the genre, these are the 20 best dark fantasy books and series you can start with, in no particular order.