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I'm really looking for more media to consume, and I'd really like to start reading again. I have absolutely fallen in love with the genre, though I was more introduced to dark fantasy through shows and video games.
(In addition to books, recommendations for shows/movies/games/graphic novels/manga/etc are also cool)
I think His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman could be considered dark fantasy and it’s one of my favourite series ever. It incorporates some biblical elements, common fantasy elements, some science-fictiony effects, and so many liminal ideas and epic characters. One of the what villains ever written also, in my personal opinion.
Also, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs and the rest of the series has a really twisted sort of aesthetic with awesome photos as part of the story. Love the characters, love the universe, love the overall effect.
There’s this one-off that, in all fairness, I read when I was eleven, but I remember loving it. It’s called the Path of Names by Ari B. Goelman and I think it is described as a children’s novel. It had elements of Judaism and horror I think. Anyway, look into if you think it could be good.
There’s a book I studied in class called The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carter, super gothic and weird and so so so good, it’ll leave you confused and thinking about for weeks, I loved it so much.
Dark is a show that I didn’t finish because it wasn’t my thing but it fits perfectly into the dark fantasy genre, it’s a bit about time travel, a bit about death, I don’t quite remember but anyway.
Inception is a movie that’s maybe limited in fantasy but still really good, and I’d call it dark in the gothic sort of sense with its reliance on obscurity and confusion and liminal ideas.
There’s The Haunting of Hill house and The Haunting of Bly Manor that are really, really excellent. It’s basically horror but I found it more emotional than scary, and the fantasy elements are really well-scripted and I just love them both (maybe hill house more).
I won’t bother recommending The Magnus Archives podcast as in I’m sure you’ve heard of it.
That’s what I’ve got so far. I’ll see if I think of anything else by the time I get home. Hope this was useful :)
I'm not sure if these count as dark fantasy, but here's some SFF stories with darker undertones that I really like:
Also here's a Goodreads list; no idea how accurate any of it is but it might help?
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/dark-fantasy
Thank you guys! I'll definitely see what I have the time to check out!
I'd also recommend the Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo but I feel like you've mentioned reading that before? I might be wrong though
I didn't read it, but one of my friends is really into it.
But you know what's REALLY hard to find? Good dark medieval fantasy.
Like I've considered reading the GOT series bc it kind of fits that, but there's just so much sex-
I'm like hahaha no way, not interested
I really want to read the GOT series but I'm trying to hold out until the final books are actually published so that I don't get invested and then end up not having payoff at all.
(These are all graphic novels. I've read most of them and really enjoyed them.)
American Vampire
Nailbiter
Nailbiter Returns
The Dollhouse Family
Basketful of Heads
The Low, Low Woods
Daphne Byrne
Plunge
Locke & Key