Until you’ve consumed all of the best Grimdark Fantasy books, can you even claim to be a true fan?
1. Brutal: An Epic Grimdark Fantasy (2017)
The Sellsword knows an opportunity when he sees one. When herides into the border city of Aldreth, he can tell that the power strugglebetween two feuding wizards needs a solitary spark to ignite into all-out-war.As he sets the corrupt paladins and demonic adepts against each other, he's notsurprised when the blood begins to flow… But after the alluring duchess catches his eye, theSellsword puts himself in harm's way to protect her and the innocent people ofAldreth. To save the noble few, spells and blades won't stop the Sellsword fromleaving a swath of righteous carnage in his wake… is an action-packed…
2. Blackmark: An Epic Fantasy Adventure Sword and Highland Magic (The Kingsmen Chronicles) (Volume 1) (2016)
A nation’s elite warriors vanished. A throne in jeopardy on the heels of murder. War flamed by a shadowy magical cabal. And the five friends who can stop it, banished as traitors.Accused of treason, Kingsman Elohl den’Alrahel seeks the truth of a betrayal that caused his people to disappear a decade ago. Now, he must give everything to shatter a hidden sect that usurps power from the throne. Nations burn and kings are brought to their knees in this dark and gritty sword and sorcery series from Amazon bestselling and award winning author Jean Lowe Carlson. A complex world of…
3. Necropolis: The Necromancer Thanatography Book One (2017)
“Dying is easy. It’s staying dead that’s hard.”Ancient prophecies, vile creatures of the abyss, and sardonic wit abound in this epic supernatural-suspense thriller about Rip Eulogy, a modern-day necromancer bridging the gap between the living and the dead for a fee.When the police ask Rip for his help identifying a homicide victim, it’s the body of a past client he finds lying on the morgue slab with no clothes, no ID and no brain. An old case of post-mortem retribution against an escaped war criminal has come back to haunt the freelance necromancer at the worst possible moment, just when financial problems,…
4. Benjamin Ashwood: Benjamin Ashwood Book 1 (2016)
Life is simple in Ben’s village until an unexpected attack brings the arrival of exciting strangers. Before he understands what is happening, the strangers have recruited his sister to go with them on an adventure. Ben leaves with them to ensure her safety. Soon, they venture into a more dangerous world than he ever imagined. Mages, demons, thieves, and assassins are just a few of the perils they will face on an epic journey to a city shrouded in myth and legend. As the story unfolds, the stakes get higher, and much more than Ben’s life is at risk. Against the backdrop of warring…
5. Before the Crow: A Grimdark Epic (Overthrown) (2019)
The five provinces of Denoril are in peril. A dark force rots the realm from within, gathering strength and preparing for an assault that will topple it into chaos.Only a handful of people stand between Denoril's annihilation and salvation. Roman and his friend Dennah are accused of vicious crimes they did not commit. One man can prove their innocence, but their desperate quest to find Frenin leaves them crushed between men seeking justice and an unforgiving blizzard. With nowhere else to run, their only salvation may lie with the law's darkest agent, the Crow.Julian, the former initiate of the…
6. The God King’s Legacy (God King Chronicles) (2019)
Once just an illiterate tribal chief, Marsun trapped an ancient evil within his mighty soul, united scattered tribes, then retreated from the world. But his sacrifice is all but forgotten. Technology marches on; new ambitious powers rise; unhappy lords plot rebellion; and from every corner of civilization, savage enemies gather. The God King’s legacy has just begun…From the author of Kings of Paradise comes two tales in a world of knights and demons, muskets and cannon fire. Johann Planck, bastard and scribe of the god-king’s tower, is yanked from his peaceful life of…
7. Fire (The Six Elements) (2017)
Kai Sera is the greatest asset of war that exists. In a world where most mages only have the ability to wield one element, she wields them all: fire, earth, water, air, life, and death. Though she is raised as royalty by an adoptive father at the prestigious Seran University of Magic, he refuses to put her skills to use in his army, so Kai breaks free of her bonds to go on a quest of adventure and self-discovery.One simple quest will turn into a life-changing phenomenon for Kai and her companions. Beliefs are challenged. Old secrets are unearthed. Legal lines are crossed. Loyalties are divided. The seeds of…
8. The Axe and the Throne (Bounds of Redemption) (Volume 1) (2016)
-Chris of BestEpicFantasy.comIt is a fool's errand and Tallos knows it, but against his own better judgment and the pleading of his wife, Tallos has committed himself to a voyage north. His lifelong friend's eldest sons are said to have been taken by Northmen, a raiding people ill-reputed for their savagery. The boys are already dead, Tallos knows, and in that dark place of grim reasoning he wishes only to find their corpses quickly so he can fulfill his promise and return to his wife. Instead, he finds something far worse. -Goodreads…
9. The Winter of Swords: A Grimdark Epic (Overthrown) (2019)
An intelligent, six-limbed beast snatches a girl away from her family.An orphan confronts the darkness in his past, while a menace stalks his small town.A young woman cast into servitude tries to forge her own path in an unforgiving world.And an inexperienced soldier following the path of honor and duty comes face to face with a foe born from his worst nightmares.Seemingly unconnected, this small group of normal folk will fight to survive, for an ancient evil has awakened, and Denoril will need heroes if it is to endure the WInter of Swords….
10. Dangerous To Know: The Chronicles of Breed: Book One (2018)
Sentenced to five years bonded servitude to a one-handed priest magician, Breed must find the hammer of the ancient hero known only as The Hammer of the North within a year and a day…Or Else.So, with only a drug-addicted vagrant, a rat-faced child, and a timid priest for backup, Breed sets out for the mighty city of Valen and the tomb of the Hammer.What could possibly go Wrong?…
11. Beyond Redemption (2015)
Faith shapes the landscape, defines the laws of physics, and makes a mockery of truth. Common knowledge isn’t an axiom, it’s a force of nature. What the masses believe is. But insanity is a weapon, conviction a shield. Delusions give birth to foul new gods.Violent and dark, the world is filled with the Geisteskranken–men and women whose delusions manifest, twisting reality. High Priest Konig seeks to create order from chaos. He defines the beliefs of his followers, leading their faith to one end: a young boy, Morgen, must Ascend to become a god. A god they can control.But there are many who would see this…
12. Water (The Six Elements) (Volume 3) (2017)
The War of Necromancers has begun.After her first victory in battle against her former home, Kai Sera and the Seran Renegades are now a force to be reckoned with. They plan to garner support from far away lands, and set off across the ocean in search of more allies.Word of Kai’s identity and her actions in Nahara have spread across the world, however. The gods are on her trail and angry with her transgressions, and their powers equal hers in strength. The Seran Renegades are thrown vastly off course, and must quickly rethink their plans. A chance encounter with an audacious man with his own desire…
Best Grimdark Fantasy Books You Must Read
We highly recommend you to buy all paper or e-books in a legal way, for example, on Amazon. But sometimes it might be a need to dig deeper beyond the shiny book cover. Before making a purchase, you can visit resources like Genesis and download some grimdark fantasy books mentioned below at your own risk. Once again, we do not host any illegal or copyrighted files, but simply give our visitors a choice and hope they will make a wise decision.
Please note that this booklist is not errorless. Some books are truly best-sellers according to The New York Times, others are composed by unknown authors. On top of that, you can always find additional tutorials and courses on Coursera, Udemy or edX, for example. Are there any other relevant resources you could recommend? Leave a comment if you have any feedback on the list.