Best Anti-Hero Fantasy Books

Best Anti-Hero Fantasy | Best Fantasy Books
Shadows and Valor: The Best Anti-Hero Fantasy Books Unveiled

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.

Lord Foul's Bane begins the epic Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, a series in which a leprosy-stricken man in the real world is transported to a stereotypical fantasy world. However, what ensues isn't a cutesy Narnia-like adventure, but something far… less cutesy. To say the least. The darkness in this book isn't primarily in the world, or the action, but in what an utter son of a bitch the protagonist it. Thomas Covenant isn't like other anti-heroes in that he's a bastard with a heart of gold. He's a bastard through and through, and utterly unlikeable. Despite this, he's a well-drawn character grappling with the crippling disease of leprosy, refusing to believe that the fantasy world he's found himself in is even real. Covenant is so despicable at times, that on my first read of the book, I found myself doing something that I haven't done before or since; putting the book down because I was too appalled to continue. Offsetting this is the flowery, poetic, old-fashioned way in which the book is written. Lord Foul's Bane isn't fun to read, nor will it probably be your favourite book, but it's an experience important to fantasy as a genre. Read this book if: you like classic fantasy but hate goody-two-shoes protagonists. Or even protagonists that aren't complete assholes.

Books in The Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant The Unbeliever Series (9)

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The Sequel Books

If you like his Donaldson's first trilogy, then you should read his Covenant trilogies listed above. His new trilogy (Last Chronicles ) is a riveting read that will please both old and new fans. Thomas' old lover, Linden, returns to The Land, only to find it changed beyond recognition... And Thomas the Unbeliever? Read the books to find out! 

Mordant's Need
Starts with Mirror of Her Dreams. Oh yes, read this. Not as anti-heroish as the Thomas Covenant, but some strong characterization and a well developed world. I'd say it's arguably his funnest read without all the sorrow and misery of his Covenant books. 

Gap Series


Donaldson also has a very interesting (and dark dark) Science Fiction saga (Gap) that you will like if you liked the anti-hero aspect of Covenant.

Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn

If you like the characterization of Thomas Covenant, you may like Tad William's epic fantasy Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn saga which really follows the transformation of the protagonist over the course of the series. 

The Farseer

Read Robin Hobb's The Farseer Trilogy for another story with magnificent characterization set in a fantasy landscape (though Farseer is not exactly epic fantasy). Donaldson is unique in fantasy because his character is whole an whole an anti-hero instead of a hero. You may like 

A Song of Ice and Fire

George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire saga; there are some detestable main characters (anti-hero types) that become more agreeable as the series progresses; You see a slow evolution of these characters. 

If You Like the Anti-Hero Aspect of this book, check out our Best Anti-Hero Fantasy Books list.

Mark Lawrence doesn’t use an abundance of technical explanations and diagrams, but that doesn’t make his magic system any less interesting. In fact, it lets him focus on his astonishing world-building and its unusual elements. The world in this series is, in essence, a never-ending cycle. Reality is created by what citizens believe in. Their beliefs create gods, and those gods influence their beliefs, altering them once more. This hole, in reality, lets humans influence the world and use magic. Traditional magic users appear. Those who can control fire, necromancers and seers; but all have a price. Each time magic is used the barrier between life and death gets weaker, potentially opening the floodgates. However, despite these elements, there are hints of a relatively normal past. Lawrence’s world is just as compelling in its discovery as it is its execution, and his magic system is a huge part of that.

Books in The Broken Empire Series (2)

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The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever

We can't talk about antiheroes in a fantasy world without mentioning The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever. The series is older (a few decades) but a fantasy classic, with one of the original fantasy antiheroes who just does bad shit part of the time and is a general dick. Then he gets better with time.

The Black Company

A similar kind of vibe: a dark and gritty dilapidated world that feels like it's dying; a cast of morally gray characters (though on the darker shade of gray) who do bad shit over and over because 'they like it'; and a company of mercenaries. See some of the similarities? I would hazard a guess here and say Lawrence was heavily inspired by Cook. It's a guess that was wrong. Mark Lawrence recently tweeted us saying he's not yet read Cook. Either way, if you like The Black Company, you'll find yourself at home with Lawrence's The Broken Empire books. 

Scourge of the Betrayer 

This one by Jeff Salyards takes a lot of the same gritty tendencies of Lawrence's work. There's a company of amoral solders on a quest to just fuck shit up in other kingdoms on orders from their emperor. This book is the closest I've come so far to Lawrence's style of story telling. Salyards is one of my new favorite authors and a rising star in the genre. Absolutely read him if you love Lawrence's Broken Empires.

First Law

Joe Abercrombie's books, oh yes very similar. Start with First Law trilogy. Gritty world, sharp, witty, and sarcastic prose with the same type of characters. Abercrombie's protagonists are more heroes though than villains, for the most part, though you can find a few that fit the role of an antihero. Best Served Cold and Heroes are books that feel the closest in style and tone, with Best Served Cold featuring a band of mercenaries seeking to overthrow a government -- somewhat similar of a plot to Prince of Thrones.

Elric of Melinbone

Give Elric of Melnibone by Michael Moorcock a read. A classic that's criminally ignored. One of the original fantasy antiheroes, way back decades ago. Dark fantasy, lyrical prose, and a bad ass hero who's partly a villain.

Among Thieves

Among Thieves (Tales of the Kin, #1) . One of the best assassin/thief/spy fantasy books right now. It's got the ghettos and grittiness of Prince of Thorns, though the hero is not an antihero. I suspect you will like this series if you like Prince of Thorns.

A Promise of Blood

Flintlock fantasy with a bang. Not the same style story, but full of violence, blood, and grit. You'll probably like A Promise of Blood. I do.

Heroes Die

Caine, a bad-ass antihero assassin. Dirty world without hope. Lots of death and violence. Great writing. Read it and be wowed. Heroes Dieis some of the best fantasy you'll read.

A Song of Ice and Fire series

Starts with A Game of Thrones. Yea, I had to drop this in. The gritty setting, the troubled characters, the struggle for power among kingdoms. The undead coming back to haunt the living. See some of the similarities here? Word is though, book 6 is coming out 2016 NOT 2015.

The Acts of Caine series takes adventure fantasy and drags it sixteen miles through the mud, and then tortures what's left. In a dystopian future, humanity has discovered a way to travel to parallel dimensions. One of those worlds just happens to be a pretty close approximation of the stereotypical fantasy world, and our protagonist, Caine, is sent there to get into as many cool fights as possible, which is then all broadcast back to Earth as entertainment. Caine is essentially a gladiator, and the book, beyond being a pulse-pounding, adrenaline-fueled adventure filled with violence and testosterone, questions why we are so entertained by depictions of violence. Somehow, the book manages to be both pulpy entertainment and a crash-course in philosophy at the same time. It's insanely dark, and Caine, a bare-knuckles brawler, comes up against armoured, sword-wielding opponents and dismantles them by breaking their bones, tearing their tendons, or just popping a handy knife through an eyeball. He's a fantastic anti-hero, and will discuss the moral implications of violence even as he tears through a contingent of guards. The 'heroes' of the story, on the whole, totally fuck up in their seemingly selfless endeavours to play hero. The fantasy world is completely lacking in any of the idealism or wonder that makes lighter fantasy books so wondrous, and the dystopian sci-fi world Caine comes from is far, far worse. Read this book if: you want your 'elves' running brothels, your 'orcs' figuring out how guns work, and your hero with his hands inch-deep in some poor bastard's chest cavity.

Books in The Acts Of Caine Series (4)

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For similar recommendations, I'm give books that fuse action, blood, grittiness, flawed humanity, and anti-heroes. Some books may also feature assassins. All these books also explore the idea of 'the hero.'

Caine Sequels

The sequels of course! There are 3 of them as of 2014 and it's more of the same with Caine's story fleshed out more and more. Each book does something new though. The books are all good, but the first books is the best and the second book nearly as good. There rest may be a dissapointment though, depending. The direct sequel to Heroe's Die is The Blade of Tyshalle.

The Steel Remains

The Steel Remains by Richard Morgan. Some elements of Heroes Die here: you have a dark and unforgiving world with a misunderstood hero who's not afraid of being a serious bad ass to those who fuck him over. This is one of the darkest fantasy books you'll read. But oh so good and something unique in the grim dark genre. It's a trilogy with the final book released by the end of 2014 making this trilogy a complete one.

The Heroes

The Heroes. When all villains are really just misunderstood heroes and heroes turn out to be villains. Abercrombie's best book so far, which is saying a lot since every book he's written is some of the best works in the genre. Tons of action, awesome and compelling characters, and vicious battles. Abercrombie is one of the best writers of violent scenes that just pop out of nowhere. If you love the action and blood of Heroes Die and you like the character of Caine, I think you'll like The Heroes. Note Heroes is more of a subversion of the idea of heroes, politics, and war. Heroes Die is more of a straight bad-ass anti-hero guy murdering everything around him rather than a sly statement about the state of humanity.

The Night Angel Trilogy

If you like the Assassin factor of Heroes Die, read Brent Weeks' The Night Angel Trilogy. It's a good read and Weeks is a rising star in the Fantasy world. The series is much, much lighter reading than the Acts of Caine, and the prose is not half as good. Good for light reading though.

Prince of Thorns

For some compelling anti-hero reading about an assassin king, you should read Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence. Right up your alley if you like the violence and amorality of Stover's Caine character. Honorable Jorg Ancraft, the hero villain of Prince of Thorns, is an immoral and vicious bastard. Even so, you can't stop rooting for him to win.

The Farseer Trilogy

Also read Robin Hobb's The Farseer Trilogy -- an epic tale about an assassin-in-training in a fantasy landscape, but with one of the best drawn characters ever to grace the Fantasy scene. As for being bad-ass, Fitz has nothing on Caine though and if you are expecting a heroic amount of violence and kickass-ness on the part of Fitz, expect to be disappointed. The whole kick ass that happens is to Fitz who gets ass whooped over and over. Really, he's kind of a bitch. But fabulous read, nevertheless.

The Folding Knife 

The Folding Knife by KJ Parker's might just be up your alley. Dark, gritty, filled with flawed heroes with realistic motivations. Not everyone appreciate's Parker, but if you want a slower-paced 'rich' fantasy that's all about the characters, man Parker knows how to do it right.

The Red Knight

The Red Knight. Knight heroes, monstrous elves, and damsels in distress all clash in this remarkable book released in 2013. The tale is a different one than your normal fantasy with a highly detailed and realistic medievil world built by the author who is a legit medievil historian. There's a huge cast of characters (though the focus remains on The Red Knight, the titular hero of the story and series) rather than a single one. However, like Heroes Die there's a lot of sizzling energy to this series, with brutal action, action, and lots of war. You'll probably like it if you like gritty violence and lots of fighting.

Talion: Revenant

Talion: Revenant is the best work by prolific fantasy author Michael A Stackpole. Heroic fantasy with a lot of energy. One of the best 'boy becomes a man and then a hero' tales I've read and certainly Stackpool's best work.

Legend

Legend, the book that made Gemmell's career and certainly his career defining work about what it means to be a hero. He also explores the same idea in many works -- including a couple books about a bad-ass assassin turned hero (Waylander).

The Name of the Wind

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss -- just about one of the best fantasy books in the genre. Another sort of heroic fantasy, but a tale that focuses on a character-driven narrative about the life of a hero. This is not a subversion of the heroic tale, but an expansion of it. It's frame story that's told after-the-fact, and we are never sure if the tale of Kvothe, a larger than life hero, is truth or exagerration. The writing is lyrical and gorgeous -- showing itself to be a perfect intersection between a powerful narrative and strong writing.

In an era when fantasy was about honorable farm boys with magic swords and a noble destiny, Glen Cook said 'fuck that mess; let's have some amoral pricks doing bad deeds in a dark world, that's way cooler'. And you know what? I believe he may just have been right. The Black Company is about the titular band of mercenaries simply doing their jobs and, well, killing people for coin. It just so happens that the person supplying said coin is the sort of dark lord that, in any other story, would be the arch-villain. But why should the Black Company give a shit? They get paid either way. The writing is unremarkable and to the point, which reflects the points of view of the grunts whose stories we follow. None of the characters are nice, and the combat is never glorified. It's all in a day's work for these sorry bastards, and the epic conflicts of the god-like figures they fight for and against are far above their pay-grades. Gritty humour also abounds, and reading the book is entertaining, and fun, even if the characters are having the most miserable times of their lives. The world is dark as hell, and made darker by the exploits of the Black Company and their masters. Read this book if: you're pissed about fantasy heroes always taking down the dark lord and leaving thousands of good, hard-working grunts unemployed.

Books in The Chronicles Of The Black Company Series (10)

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Instrumentalities of the Night

If you like Black Company, you should definitely read his other fantasy series, The Instrumentalities of the Night. It combines an ancient evil coming-back-into-the-world plot, a military genius hero, plenty of conflicts between worldly powers, political scheming, all filtered through Cook's military narrative. The closest you'll find to The Black Company in style and form. And duh, it's by the same freaking author. How much closer CAN you get?

Bloodsounder's Arc

Starts with Scourge of the Betrayers. About as close as you are going to get to Cook -- the narrator is even an archivist and the tale is told in first person. There's a LOT of similarities and the Bloodsounder books are gritty gritty grimdark dark. Delicious and some of the best fantasy to come out the past couple years. Do NOT pass this series by if you want something similar to The Black Company. It's the best of the similar recommendations I can give.

Malazan Book of the Fallen

For another "dark" military fantasy, you should read Malazan Book of the Fallen. It's more epic in scope than The Black Company, but there are enough similarities that you'll find yourself right at home. Steven Erikson has even stated that Glen Cook's books were an influence on his own writing, so there you have it.

The Dagger and the Coin

You may want to give Daniel Abraham's The Dagger and the Coin series a good go at it. Books one and two are out and they are seriously good -- some of the best epic fantasy that's come out. Abraham's work is a good mix of epic and military fantasy with some smart writing and a cast of compelling characters (some which are anti-heroes). Both are character driven, though Black Company has a hell of a lot more action and angst while The Dagger and the Coin is far more about the characters. It can be somewhat plodding and slow at times. However, if you like Black Company, and military fantasy with strong characters, you may just like this series. 

The Ten Thousand

Paul Kearney's The Ten Thousand is a superb military fantasy by a much underrated author. If you like Black Company, you'll dig this one hard. 

The Way of Kings

Sanderson's awesome The Way of Kings is also another book you might want to read (it's first in the Stormlight Archive series). The main character (Kaladin) has a few basic similarities to The Black Company main character (Croaker). Both are retired physicians who've given up their profession to become soldiers. Both lead a squad of men (and there is the squad dynamics). Cook's work is more gray and his style more dry, however. The narrator (Croaker), is not a crazy badass super hero, while Sanderson's work is more heroic in nature as is the character. So don't get the idea that The Way of Kings is anything like The Black Company as a whole, but as stated there are some similarities.

Heroes Die

Heroes Die by Mathew Woodring Stoover. Dark and gritty world. Check. An anti-hero character who ends up working for the bad guys most of the time? Check. Explosive and brutal action? Check. Strong characterization. Check and Check. Heroes die is MORE about a singular hero than a company of characters, as is The Black Company, but there's enough that you'll probably love it if you like Glenn Cook's work.

The Darkness That Comes Before

The Darkness that Comes Before. Ah, grimdark epic fantasy at it's best, but not your standard epic fantasy: this shit is deep and philosophical. Lots of wars and grand military battles and dark gods taking over the world. There's nothing else quite like it to be honest, but ignoring all the philosophy sprinkled between the chapters, there's a hell of a lot of bloody action, gratuitous sex, character development, and political intrigue to keep you turning the pages. Oh and there's a world-ending apocalypse coming. 

The Coldfire Trilogy

Black Sun Rising is a different sort of work. But it's a very dark and grim world featuring an anti-hero character and side kick heroes that are all flawed individuals. One of the best fantasy books in the genre. You'll probably like it, even if it's about a couple characters solving a quest rather than a military band caught up in incessant warfare.

The Thousand Names

The Thousand Names by Django Wexler. This is a new series that came out in 2013 with two books out so far (the last one was out a few months ago, mid 2014). If you like large scale battles and the story of a squad/company facing extreme survival odds in a foreign country, you'll love this series. It's one of the better fantasy books to come out the past few years. And it's certainly one of the best military fantasy series since Erikson's Mazalan. If you like Black Company, you'll love this series.

Legend

Legend by David Gemmell. A classic, but one all about a hero fighting an endless war against endless odds. There's something of beauty in this heroic treatment of an old washed up hero who's pressured by the need of his people to come back from retirement to kick some ass.

The Red Knight

For a very medieval fantasy with magic and monsters and knights, Miles Cameron's The Red Knight. This was one of my favorite reads of 2013. There's a lot of military battles and squad/company warfare against foes with superior numbers. It's not as dark, on a whole, as The Black Company, but it's a stellar read. If you like might and magic and battles and warfare, this is one for your.

A military fantasy where there is no real definition of good and bad. These books center on the exploits and struggles of The Black Company, a famous badass mercenary company that gets stuck on the wrong side of a war, working for what you might typically call “the bad guys.” What’s the anti-hero aspect found in these books? The so-called “heroes” of the Black Company are sometimes downright villainous, committing some pretty heinous acts – murder, rape, robbery, torture -- in the name of war and profit. By far, one of the more interesting characters is The Lady – a female version of Sauron (or more accurately, Sauron’s wife). She’s a well-developed character in her own right, though with some complex motivations. Croaker, the protagonist-narrator of the story (at least for the first few books), is also an anti-hero, quite often doing bad things just for the sake of survival.
Elric is the prince of a dying race, a pale, morose champion of right, despite the cards stacked against him. He's a physical weakling who needs to take drugs and relies on evil magic to survive. This puts him at odds with just about every other standard fantasy hero in the genre. In any other book, Elric would be closer to a villain than a hero. Elric may not be that "popular" these days (as evinced by the limited comments these books get on this website), but Elric has had a lasting influence on the entire fantasy genre.

Books in Elric Series (24)

There are few things harder to control than emotion and this makes magic in The Cold Firetrilogy immensely difficult. The planet Erna is controlled by a force known as the fae, which makes humans subconscious emotions and fears real. Often, it’s as much a fight against magic as it is with it. After centuries, people’s thoughts have manifested strongly enough to create the planet’s own gods, but also to create demons and faulty technology. The fear that tech won’t function correctly has knocked its inhabitants back to the medieval days, but there are also some who can control the fae. Fae manifests in four ways. Earthcomes from the planet’s seismic activity, Solar from the sun’s light, Tidal from its moons, and Dark from those places devoid of light. By using symbolism and sacrifice, sorcerers have learned to manipulate these forces, with some able to see and shape it instinctively. The intelligent way C.S. Friedman has built the world means magic is prevalent in every aspect of the story. It blends fantasy, sci-fi, and horror,while suggesting thatlimitless imagination isn’talways a good thing.

Books in The Coldfire Trilogy Series (3)

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Magister Trilogy

You might like Friedman's newer series (Magister Trilogy) which has some darker elements to it (one must suck the life out of a person to use magic). It's not nearly as dark as The Coldfire trilogy though and there is no anti-hero.

The Crooked Letter

Read The Crooked Letter (Book One of the Cataclysism) by Sean Williams for a story set in a horror tinged world with a magic system that's sort of similar to that of The Coldfire Trilogy. It's not the same plot or anything, but it's one of those books that introduces deeper human issues into the fabric of the story and the setting is somewhat reminiscent of the weird world of The Coldfire Trilogy -- a place where monsters and creatures of the dark just lurk around the corner.

The Warded Man

If you like the horror aspect of The Coldfire Trilogy where creatures of the dark wait just around the corner out of sight, waiting to pounce on unsuspecting humans, give Peter V. Brett's The Warded Man a read. Not the same style plot and the writing is not as good, but the world portrayed is quite interesting with demons coming out at night prowling the landscape and killing any humans not behind special wards. Only the first book is good, however; the other 2 books were absolute disappointments.

The Abhorsen Trilogy

Look at The Abhorsen Trilogy; the world portrayed is one with dark creatures lurking in practically every nook and cranny of the landscape. 

Spook's Apprentice

Also read Joseph's Delany's Spook's Apprentice series which is a YA story about a young apprentice who works as a sort of exorcist in a landscape filled with creatures of the night.

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever

The Coldfire Trilogy has a very strong anti-hero. For epic fantasy with a strong anti-hero, you probably can't more anti hero than The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever.

The Prince of Thorns

For a strong anti-hero tale about a prince who decides to take back his throne by fair means or foul (and mostly foul), read The Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence. Nothing is similar about the plot, but there may be some overlap between one of the anti-hero characters' in both novels, willing to do anything at all to achieve their goal of power. 

The Black Company

You should also read Glenn Cook's The Black Company books -- I would count these books as dark fantasy. The characters are morally ambiguous and in fact fighting for a side that many would consider "evil" or the "dark lord" (in this case, a "dark lady"). His new series, The Tyranny of the Night, also has some of those dark fantasy elements too -- like the ColdFire world, dark spirits come out at night to attack humans. 

The Warded Man

For one more recommendation that features a world somewhat like the Coldfire one (in that monsters come creeping out of the shadows at night), read The Warded Man.

The First Law trilogy

For another epic fantasy series that's character- and plot-driven with some anti-hero elements and morally ambiguous characters, Abercrombie's The First Law series comes to mind. 

A Song of Ice and Fire

The same goes for Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire -- a huge cast of completely amoral "hero" characters. Good and evil are not clearly delineated.

The Talisman

I would also suggest Steven King's The Talisman, which is about a young boy who must enter into a dark fantasy world to save his mother. There is a strong delineation between good and evil, but the world itself is pretty dark. Of course, if you like the Talisman, then King's The Dark Tower (which has some dark fantasy elements to it) is a given read too.

The Scar

If you don't mind novels that are not your standard heroic fantasy, but have a strong element of "Gothic" to them and a cast of bizarre characters you might find in any horror novel, you can check out some of China Mieville's works (The Scar).

Fevre Dream

Finally, if you like the whole partial "vampire" aspect of the main hero, you might want to read George Martin's stunning Fevre Dream.'

Solaris

Solaris by Stanislaw Lem. For a read about a place where people have their desires and whims fulfilled, read the classic Solaris by Stanislaw Lem. It's the same sort of premise (different setting and story of course) as the Cold Fire, just the science fiction version of it on a spacecraft.

Murderous conspiracies rise to the surface, old scores are ready to be settled, and the line between hero and villain is sharp enough to draw blood. Unpredictable, compelling, wickedly funny, and packed with unforgettable characters, The Blade Itself is noir fantasy with a real cutting edge.  This series throws epic fantasy on its head. On the surface we have all the conceits present in standard epic fantasy: a band of heroes, a Gandalf-like wizard, a dark lord who must be defeated, etc. However, Abercrombie doesn't just twist these cliche fantasy conventions, he completely shatters them. If you're jaded from all the hackneyed epic fantasy crap out there, I highly suggest this incredible series. The writing's witty, the plot is original, and the characters are absolutely fascinating. Read it!What's even better is that every single one of Abercrombie's books are great reads. His best is The Heroes, but even his newest 2015 YA series, The Shattered Sea, is a fine read indeed. You won't do any bad by picking up his first book in The First Law series, The Blade Itself.

Books in The First Law Universe Series (3)

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The Blade Itself is a new style of Fantasy that's gaining swift momentum. The quality level demanded of a good Fantasy novel is now very high. Readers are no longer satisfied with the dark lords versus farm boy conceit. This new style of Fantasy takes the old staples of Fantasy and remakes them into something more sophisticated. Strong, witty writing, dry humor, twisted plotting, and full of contrasting elements, this new style makes for some intelligent reading. In this new world of noir Fantasy, shades of grey are the new black and white. 

If you like this 21st century upgrade to the Fantasy genre in the gritty style of Abercrombie, check out books by R. Scott Bakker, Mark Lawrence, Luke Sculls, Jeff Salyards, Scott Lynch , Joe AbercrombieGeorge R.R. Martin, and Steven Erikson.

This book and the Prince of Nothing trilogy, as well as the other books that follow, are so dark that you'll need a shower after reading them. And therapy. This bad-boy was nominated for the Locus Award for Best First Novel. It's a deep, philosophical read that demands your full attention, rather than being a light, pacey read like, for example, some of the young adult entries on this list. The prose is deep and enthralling, thick as rich chocolate but with the mental nutritional value of, like, kale or something. , the content of the book is deeply philosophical and intellectual, not in an 'everyone sits around and discusses the meaning of life' way, but in that the underpinnings of the characters and plot draw from eastern and western philosophies. The plot is epic and with many threads that play out across the series. Both monstrous and human entities within the book are horrifying, and the way magic-users operate is particularly unsettling. Read this book if: you like more intellectual novels, but don't want to miss out on all the sex and violence either.

Books in The Prince Of Nothing Series (6)

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Mazalan Book for the Fallen

The vast scope of The Darkness That Comes Before is very redolent of Steven Erickson's Malazan Book of the Fallen saga, though the characters are less gray, and the story more focused.

A Song of Ice and Fire

Also try George R.R Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, which is very epic and very gritty but way less philosophical. I'd also say it's more "character driven" as a whole than is The Darkness that comes before.

The Steel Remains

Another series that does that is Abercrombie's First Law series (starts with The Blade Itself) and Richard Morgan's The Steel Remains

Acacia

I'd say you'll also probably find Acacia by David Anthony Durnham a good read too -- there are gray characters, an exotic landscape, and world-ending powers at play in the background.

Tyrants and Kings

For another fantasy about war, look at John Marco's Tyrants and Kings trilogy. It's a great read with a cast of grey characters.

The Black Company

Another gritty military fantasy you'll probably like (though it's less cerebral than The Prince of Nothing) is The Black Company by Cook.

The Godless Word

The Godless World series by Brian Ruckley is dark, atmospheric and very gritty, though it lacks some of the polish of the other series. The series never full lives up to it's potential, however.

The Long Price Quartet

For a deep character-driven fantasy you might try Daniel Abraham's The Long Price Quartet.

Monarchies of God

For a gray fantasy with lots of politics, different kingdoms going to war, a cast of ambiguous characters, adventure and magic, check out Paul Kearney's Monarchies of God.

The Broken Empire

Like pointed philosophical bits about the state of mankind thrown out by the hero? Try Mark Lawrence's The Broken Empire trilogy. It has a gritty and dark world it's probably the closest in theme and style you'll find to Bakker's works.
 

There's so much about this wonderful series that's right. From a thrilling Robin Hood caper story (think a magical Oceans 11), compelling and complex characters, deep and expansive world-building, fascinating mythology and lore, and a gripping tale. This is epic fantasy meets underworld fantasy, with the stakes the fate of the world and the heroes a band of brilliant thieves.With four books out now and some of the books uneven (the first couple books are the best), Lynch has managed to weave together a compelling tale that starts off rather straightforward with a  band of thieves in a single city with a single, yete simple goal, but becomes complex and empire spanning a few books in.The strength though is in the brilliant prose, the strong characters, and compelling characterization. And of course, the over-the-top robberies the characters inflict upon those who deserve it.Look, if you haven't read this series yet, do it. It's not only one of the best assassin/rogue / thieve tales in the genre, it's one of the best fantasy stories/books in the entire genre. We are all still waiting for the release of the 4th book in the series, which has been delayed for at least a year and a half.

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The Sequel Books

Of course, it's a given that you should read the sequel books to Lies of Locke Lamora. The third book Republic of Thieves was released in the later part of 2014 and book four is due sometime this year (2015).

The Name of the Wind

Give The Name of the Wind a try for another book with a very strongly characterized protagonist. The protagonist is not a scoundrel type, however.

The First Law Trilogy

If you like the dry, sarcastic tone of the narration and dark humor of the Locke books, you should give Joe Abercrombie's novels (starting with The Blade Itself) a read -- both the trilogy and the stand alone books. Probably the closest you'll find that matches the style and pacing found in Lynch's books, though Abercrombie is darker.

The Crown Conspiracy

You might enjoy Michael Sullivan's The Crown Conspiracy which is the story of a falsely accused criminal trying to set his name right. It's a light-hearted, over-the-top fantasy tale about a pair of roughish thieves; not as dark as Scott's books and Sullivan is not as talented a wordsmith as Lynch. A fun romp though and Sullivan is one of the more active authors on forums, reddit, and social media platforms.

Vlad Taltos

You might give Steven Brust's Vlad Taltos series a read. Like Locke, the main character is a criminal, and the setting the action takes place is an urban one. All the supporting characters are well developed -- something that Lynch does well when writing about Locke's sidekicks.

Retribution Falls

Give Chris Wooding's Retribution Falls (Book 1 of the Tales of the Ketty Jay) a read; it's got some of similar elements: a motley crew of somewhat unsuccessful sky pirates, interesting characters, adventure fantasy on the high seas (or shall I say, high skies), and wise-cracking characters. Similar in a lot of ways to Scott Lynch's work, though not as dark. The plot follows the crew of the Ketty Jay, a down-and-out sky ship to which fate has not been kind -- both the captain and the crew are running from past demons of some sort. When the captain schemes to commit a robbery that will make them all rich, things take a turn for the worse when it all goes horribly wrong; the crew and captain find themselves running for their lives with only once chance only: to find the pirate city of Retribution Falls.

The Farseer

Robin Hobb's The Farseer Trilogy is also coming-of-age story which features some of the same conventions used by Lynch, such as a strong protagonist, flashbacks to younger years, a troubled childhood, the journey from nothing to something, etc. The plot is completely different, however.

Tigana

If you like the whole "band of merry adventurers against the world" sort of thing, then you might give Tigana a try; it's the story of a band of musicians who double as revolutionaries seeking to overthrow and evil sorcerer.

Nights of Vilijamur

You might also like the Mark Charan Newton's Nights of Villjamur for a similar style of fantasy (in tone, not plot).

Tome of the Undergates

Along the lines of gritty fantasy made into a non-epic fantasy, read Sam Sykes' Tome of the Undergates.

Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser

Another recommendation you might find interesting is Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser if you are a fan of the Gentlemen Bastards books. Jean is a much less raunchy version of Fafhrd and Locke is a far more risk taking and reckless version of Gray Mouser.

Among Thieves

If you like Lies of Locke Lamora, you are almost sure to like Among Thieves (Hulick's work is first person while Lynch does 3rd person). It features that sort of roguish misunderstood man with a chip on his shoulder vs the greater world theme of Lynche's books.  The protagonist, Drothe, is a low level criminal in a sort of thieves guild. His best bud is a master swordsman. You should start to see some parallels here. The city setting itself mixes the baroque with the filthy, with the city sort of a Ventian reflection of Lynch's Camorr.

Prince of Thorns

The Broken Empire series by Mark Lawrence. A broken world with remnants of a more advanced civilization scattered about. An anti-hero character who ends up on the wrong side of justice. Witty and sarcastic dialogue. You may just like reading about Honorable Jorg Ancraft if you are a fan of Locke.

Ballad of the Whiskey Robber

The Ballad of the Whiskey Robber -- a book that's as shocking as it is true. Sometimes art imitates life and life imitates art. I'm not sure which is the case here, but this is a TRUE story about a gentleman rogue, a real life version of Locke.

The Count of Monte Cristo

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas is an absolute classic of literature, but if we are going to talk about rouges becoming gentlemen for a mission of revenge, this book has to be mentioned. And hey, if you have never read this book, then shame on you. Start. The count is the original Locke.

'The Shadow of the Torturer' is the first book in Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun tetralogy. Narrated by Severian, a member of the Guild of Torturers, the story follows his adventures as he is cast out for showing mercy to a deserving client. The setting for the story is Earth (or Urth) in the far future where civilization has regressed, and the sun is red and dying. Severian is an outstanding young apprentice in the Torturer's guild. He falls for a beautiful prisoner and is forced to leave his lifelong home to seek his destiny, in the first volume of Wolfe's "Book of the New Sun" series. Why it's on the list While the plot is in many ways pretty ordinary, there are plenty of unusual touches that take this fantasy beyond the run of the mill. Wolfe's language helps create the other-worldly locale for his story, and he often employs archaic or invented words to describe objects that are common enough on "Urth", but are unfamiliar to us. Almost every other page describes some incredible wonder.

Books in The Book Of The New Sun Series (5)

This book is a thoroughly grimdark adventure, following a world-weary PTSD sufferer on his quest to save the world he doesn't much care for. It's messy, gross, intense, brooding and also fucking awesome. Richard K. Morgan has written some kick-ass sci-fi like Altered Carbon, and his fantasy also rocks.This book is a great example of fantasy caked in mud and blood rather than shining armour and codes of chivalry. Ringil, the protagonist, is a guilt-ridden, broken psyche wrapped in battle-scarred skin. If there's even a shred of hope or goodness in my protagonists, I'm disappointed, and Ringil suits me just fine. The book is super-violent and super-sexual, and it's all about as gritty as contact lenses coated in dirt. It's quite gritty, is the point I'm trying to convey here, and there are plenty of moment where you'll feel mighty uncomfortable. But that's what you're here looking for, isn't it, you sick bastard? Ringil isn't the only viewpoint character, and the others are also well-characterized and interesting. Morgan certainly has a way with words, and the prose is a delight to read, just as the world-building is intruiging, with hints of more beyond the standard fantasy-land.Read this if: you like swearing, violence and angry sex. Or all three at once.

Books in A Land Fit For Heroes Series (3)

Mark Lawrence's newest 2014 release in his new The Red Queen's War trilogy, set in the same world as his Broken Empire trilogy. This time around he focuses his efforts on a different sort of anti-hero, a prince who is a cowardly fool. For the most part, Lawrence's effort works. The anti-hero is interesting and empathetic and funny to read about. This is no comedy though -- it's grimdark in the style of Lawrence's Broken Empires, though with more humor.Absolute a must read if you want some awesome antihero stuff.

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A new author, but one who is writing some powerful grimdark with some real zest. Scourge of the Betrayers is sort of a combination of Black Company, The Blade Itself, and Prince of Thorns, all wrapped up in one. And it's delicious indeed. A must read for any fans of some serious hardcore, bloody grimdark.It's gritty gritty good.
With 'grim' in the title, it's not hard to guess that this book is clearly camped in the grimdark sub-genre, and it hits all the right beats for gritty, amoral fantasy. The Grim Company begins with a city being destroyed. Just to, y'know, make sure you get what you're in for. From there, a cast of gritty characters romps around the world, with the interesting inclusion of a legless mage. The world finds itself in the 'Age of Ruin', jumped-up wizards killed the gods, leaving their corpses scattered around the world, leaking wild magic. Scull's imagination is great, and he manages to make his book fun without sacrificing any of the hard-fightin', hard-drinkin', sweary goodness of grimdark fantasy. It's also fun to have a setting with plenty of magic, which is relatively rare in the muddy worlds of gritty fantasy. Scull's pacing is impeccable, and after an explosive beginning, he chugs along nicely, and it's easy to find yourself up at four in the morning cursing what a bloody idiot you are for not going to sleep at a normal human time.Read this book if you like fantasy with a healthy portion of fun mixed in with the broken bones and rusted steel.

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I recommend you take a good look at our Best Grimdark Fantasy list -- you'll find a bucket load of gritty, grimdark book recommendations there.
A new author who pays some serious tribute to Abercrombie with his style of grimdark. Do read if you like depressing, action ridden fantasy with a cast of troubled heroes. Some say this author is the best new and upcoming 'grimdark' author. I agree -- between Luke Sculls and Jeff Salyards, Richard Ford is an author to keep your eye on.
The Barrow was a 2014 release of pure, unadulterated grimdark with a cast of antiheroes. Vicious, action-packed, brutal with more bad language throne in than Eminem song. And did I mention there's almost a porn-level of graphic sex tossed in as well.But there's some real thrills in this book about a group of characters from different walks of life who band together out of necessity and embark on a quest to rob an evil wizards grave. Of course, shit goes awesomely wrong for all involved.Some good stuff found in this book. Read if you want over the top...everything.

Books in The Barrow Series (1)

Anyone who plays fantasy video games will be familiar with Andrzej Sapkowski's The Witcher books, and the RPGs developer CD Projekt Red based on them. The titular 'witcher' (mutated, sorcerously-powered professional monster hunter – cool, I know) is Geralt of Rivia, the White Wolf, lover of women, slayer of monsters, and kicker of asses. He's just about the coolest protagonist a reader could ask for, and the stories he finds himself in are as horrifying as you'd expect from books based on eastern European fairytales and monster legends. The monsters Geralt hunts are the real deal. These are the sorts of nightmare-fuel that could only be generated from hundreds of years of stories told by the fire in Sapkowski's native Eastern Europe. Forget Sleeping Beauty, the princess Geralt encounters turns into a flesh-eating horror every night. Despite this, the true monsters Geralt encounters are always human ones, and he considers his mission of 'killing monsters' to include the all-too human variation. He fights with a combination of swords, potions and sorcery, and he's just plain cool. I feel like I'm gushing, am I gushing? I'll stop now. Read this book if: you want to join to throngs of fantasy fans who idolize Geralt of Rivia, the White Wolf.

Books in Saga O Wied?minie Series (7)

One of the original anti-heroes in the fantasy genre; together with the Conan stories by Howard, Wagner's Kane helped shape (even start) the Sword and Sorcery genre.Kane is arguably one of the deepest, darkest antihero's in the genre. Don't let these books pass you by -- they may be classics but there are relevant even by 2014 writing standards.

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