What is Grimdark?

Grimdark fantasy is a sub-genre of fantasy that revolves about stories that are thematically grim (in terms of settings and worldbuilding) and very dark (in terms of styles and characters). There tends to be a focus on realism in the grimdark genre; even when set within a fantastic world. Life in these tales is often cruel and unforgivable, the world is harsh, unfair and tragic, and plots rarely unfold smoothly.

Grimdark fantasy is set in a dark and hopeless world. There is no hope for anything except fighting back. Characters are unpleasant and cruel. The world is full of violence and cruelty.

Grimdark is a genre of fiction that takes place in an alternate history or fantasy setting. This story was written in the style of grimdark.

Why Read Grimdark Fantasy?

Grimdark is an interesting sub-genre of fantasy. It is dark and gritty, but it also includes some lighthearted moments. There are many different types of grimdark fiction, such as epic fantasy, high fantasy, urban fantasy, and steampunk.

Grimdark is an interesting genre because it offers a realistic view of the real world. Life isn’t always easy, and there are some things that are unpredictable. Fantasy novels tend to be unrealistic, and they may not reflect reality as well as grimdark.

Characters in grimdark stories are often very realistic. They are usually flawed because of the harsh realities of life. Realistic characters allow writers to explore themes such as corruption, power struggles, and betrayal. These themes are explored without being overly preachy or moralizing.

In grimdark, the antagonist is often more relatable than the protagonist. You never know if the villain will be defeated or the story will end with the world being in a worse shape than before.

Grimdark is about dark fantasy. Authors use this genre to explore themes such as death, loss, and hopelessness. This type of story is often told from the point of view of the main character who is struggling to survive.

The “Darker” Subgenres of Fantasy

There are several subgenres of fantasy literature. Some of the most popular ones include epic fantasy, high fantasy and dark fantasy. Each one has its own unique characteristics. Here are descriptions of each subgenre of fantasy literature:

Epic Fantasy – Epic fantasy is a subgenre that focuses on large scale battles, magic, dragons, and other mythical creatures.
High Fantasy – High fantasy is another subgenre of fantasy that focuses on larger-than-life adventures. In high fantasy, you can expect to find swords, sorcery, magical items, and heroes going through trials and tribulations.
Dark Fantasy – Dark fantasy is a subgenre which explores darker themes and ideas. You may encounter themes like murder, suicide, torture, rape, and cannibalism.
Horror Fantasy – Horror fantasy is a subgenre where the focus is on horror. Usually, the plot involves supernatural forces, monsters, ghosts, demons, and other evil beings. Think the Brother’s Grimm.
Grimdark Fantasy – Grimdark fantasy is a combination of the genres above. It combines elements of epic fantasy, high fantasy, and dark fantasy. The overarching theme of a grimdark is that there is a lack of hope, other than to fight back against all forces. An unending sense of strife that doesnt exist in other subgenres of fantasy.

How to Write a Grimdark Fantasy Novel

Writing a novel is hard work. If you want your book to be successful, you have to put a lot of effort into writing. Writing a good novel takes time, research, and practice. However, once you’ve written a few books, you’ll start to get better at it.

You should write a rough draft first. A rough draft is a version of your manuscript that doesn’t look perfect. You can use this draft to make changes and improve your writing skills. Once you’re finished with the rough draft, you can go back and edit it. Don’t worry too much about grammar and spelling errors. Focus on making your sentences flow smoothly.

If you want to write a grimdark fantasy novel, you need to do two things:

Read a lot of grimdark novels
Learn how to write a good synopsis.

Ok so it’s not precisely that easy, you still need to understand the basics of fantasy or sci fi writing, but it does get this simple when breaking into other genres like Grimdark. Rather than drown yourself in trying to research the subject, just dive into other books in the series and see how other authors are tackling the themes that surround Grimdark.

Reading grimdark fiction is essential for any aspiring writer. Reading different types of fiction helps us expand our horizons. We learn new ways of thinking by reading different perspectives.

When you read grimdark fiction, you’ll notice certain commonalities between authors. For example, many authors tend to use the same tropes over and over again. These tropes can help you understand what makes grimdark fiction so compelling, as well as what mould you can start attempting to break with your works.

Grimdark Themes

Death – Death occurs frequently in grimdark fiction. Characters die constantly throughout the story. Sometimes they die just because they were born. Other times, characters die tragically.
Loss – Loss is something that happens very often in grimdark fiction. People lose their loved ones, people lose their homes, people lose their jobs, people lose their freedom. Loss is a constant theme in grimdark fiction.
Torture – Torture is also a frequent trope in grimdark fiction. In fact, many grimdark authors will include torture scenes in every chapter. Often, torture is used as a means of punishment.
War – War is another common theme in grimdark fiction, especially in epic fantasies. Many grimdark novels revolve around war.
Strife – Strife is another common theme in most grimdark fiction. This includes civil wars, political conflicts, and interpersonal conflict.
Darkness – Darkness is another common theme in almost all grimdark fiction. Whether it’s literal darkness or metaphorical darkness, the main point is that darkness is prevalent in grimdark fiction. Dark places, dark creatures, dark magic…it’s all part of the grimdark experience.
Dystopia – Dystopias are another common theme in grim dark fiction. Often, dystopias are created through some sort of totalitarian government. However, dystopian societies aren’t always bad. Some authors create utopian societies.
Humor – Humour is another common theme in many grimdark novels. It’s usually done in a subtle way.

The Best Grimdark Fantasy Books

There are tons of great grimdark novels out there. If you’re looking for more grimdark fiction, check out this list of the best grimdark novels.

The Black Library – Warhammer 40,000

This book series has been going on since 1990. It started off as a tabletop roleplaying game called Warhammer 40k. Now, it’s turned into a whole slew of grimdark stories.