1
Lord Foul's Bane (The Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant The Unbeliever) Start here
Epic Fantasy that's also very High Fantasy. Features an antihero hero.
Tired of fantasy where the hero is always noble and good and the perfect gentleman? Want a hero that's a bit of a dick, occasionally selfish or maybe even a complete amoral bad-ass? Then this list of the best fantasy books with anti-heroes is made just for you.
What is Anti-Hero Fantasy?
Most fantasy tends to feature the perfect hero – handsome, muscular, charming (if somewhat shy), and always willing to do the right thing, even at the cost of self. This perfect vision of a hero is not the way the world works though – the line between heroism and villainy is often pretty thin. Enter the anti-hero.
Antihero vs Hero vs Villain
Anti-hero: Anti-heroes don’t always do the right thing; they may be selfish, in fact, and do the wrong thing – if not always, then occasionally. In extreme cases, anti-heroes might even qualify as the villain. In fiction, an anti-hero (feminine: anti-heroine) is generally considered to be a protagonist whose character is at least in some regards conspicuously contrary to that of the archetypal hero, and is in some instances its antithesis. One common error people seem to make is to confuse the anti-hero with the villain. In fact, they play different roles. Generally, the motives of the anti-hero are impure, yet at the same time, sympathetic. The usual motivating drive would be revenge; thus the anti-hero will commit all manner of atrocities to achieve revenge.
Hero: the good guy, often (but not always) the protagonist of the story. A hero's role (in fantasy) is to save the day and upon his or her shoulders may rest the fate of the world, a kingdom, or some other weighty responsibility to which only the hero has the means to a solution. A hero will usually commit to his duty out of a sense of responsibility, justice, or because of some emotional impetus (revenge, grief, justice, etc.). The typical hero will (usually) take the higher road, or if a moral dilemma is offered, the best of the worst choices. If a hero is driven by darker emotions or/and presented choices which are all bad, then you may see the intersection between where a hero and anti-hero meet. Anti-heroes, you see, are heroes driven by strong emotions, usually negative ones.
Villain: the villain, on the other hand, is usually driven by the thirst for unabated power – an unsympathetic motive. Anti-heroes are often portrayed as underdogs and who doesn't like to root for the underdog. So even if the anti-hero breaks laws and commits crimes to accomplish a means, we often still root for him by virtue of the underdog quality; basically, the anti-hero has the odds stacked against him and must use any means possible to overcome them.
Also make sure you check out our Best Grimdark Fantasy Books list -- there are some similarities between the two lists as a number of great grimdark fantasy books feature antihero characters.
The ranking
2
Broken Empire / Red Queens War (The Broken Empire)
The first in The Broken Empire series, this gritty and violent novel focuses on a single character, who is an anti-hero, with a very dark past.
3
Heroes Die (The Acts Of Caine) Start here
A novel about two worlds that blends Science Fiction and Fantasy. An action packed adventure filled with real danger, sorcery, and a complex social system.
4
The Black Company (The Chronicles Of The Black Company) Start here
by Cook, Glen
An elite mercenary unit is the focus of this series. It is a mix of fantasy, gritty realism, and military fiction. It is often cited as an inspiration for the Grimdark sub-genre.
5
6
Elric Of Melnibone (Elric) Start here
The first of the Elric Saga, this novel is signficant because the protagonist is a magic user and a bit frail—not quite the typical Sword and Sorcery hero.
7
The Coldfire Trilogy (The Coldfire Trilogy)
Influenced by Isaac Asimov, the magical force in these novels is derived from natural forces and governed by consistent rules, a force that humans must learn to control.
8
The First Law (The First Law Universe)
This series takes place in an epic fantasy world at war and contains gritty violence and realistic characters.
9
10
The Lies Of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastards) Start here
by Lynch, Scott
Not all Grimdark lacks humor. This series blends the darkness of Grimdark Fantasy with some lighter, comedic moments.
11
1981: The Shadow Of The Torturer (The Book Of The New Sun) Start here
by Wolfe, Gene
The sun has dimmed, the Earth is cooler and has been transformed in wondrous ways.
12
The Steel Remains (A Land Fit For Heroes) Start here
An incredibly dark and gritty epic fantasy that embodies the reaction to shiny fantasy stories. It subverts most traditional fantasy tropes.
13
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The shortlist
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