The Fantasy Review’s List of 6 Dark Fantasy Books That Will Make You Believe in Heroes Amidst Darkness.
The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower, #1) by Stephen King
From the blurb:
‘The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.’ The iconic opening line of Stephen King’s groundbreaking series, The Dark Tower, introduces one of his most enigmatic and powerful heroes: Roland of Gilead, the Last Gunslinger.
Roland is a haunting figure, a loner, on a spellbinding journey toward the mysterious Dark Tower, in a desolate world which frighteningly echoes our own.
On his quest, Roland begins a friendship with a kid from New York named Jake, encounters an alluring woman and faces an agonising choice between damnation and salvation as he pursues the Man in Black.…
Gardens of the Moon (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #1) by Steven Erikson
From the blurb:
The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting and bloody confrontations with the formidable Anomander Rake and his Tiste Andii, ancient and implacable sorcerers. Even the imperial legions, long inured to the bloodshed, yearn for some respite. Yet Empress Laseen’s rule remains absolute, enforced by her dread Claw assassins.…
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1) by George R.R. Martin
From the blurb:
Winter is coming. Such is the stern motto of House Stark, the northernmost of the fiefdoms that owe allegiance to King Robert Baratheon in far-off King’s Landing. There Eddard Stark of Winterfell rules in Robert’s name. There his family dwells in peace and comfort: his proud wife, Catelyn; his sons Robb, Brandon, and Rickon; his daughters Sansa and Arya; and his bastard son, Jon Snow. Far to the north, behind the towering Wall, lie savage Wildings and worse—unnatural things relegated to myth during the centuries-long summer, but proving all too real and all too deadly in the turning of the season.…
Homeland (Legend of Drizzt, #1) by R.A. Salvatore
From the blurb:
As the third son of Mother Malice and weaponmaster Zaknafein, Drizzt Do’Urden must be sacrificed to Lolth, the evil Spider Queen, per the traditions of their matriarchal drow society. But with the unexpected death of his older brother, young Drizzt is spared—though still at the mercy of his abusive sisters.
As Drizzt grows older, and proves himself to be a formidable warrior at Melee-Magthere Academy, he realizes his idea of good and evil does not match up with those of his fellow drow, who show only cruelty to the other races of the Underdark . . . Can Drizzt stay true to himself in a such an unforgiving, unprincipled world?…
Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1) by Leigh Bardugo
From the blurb:
Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price―and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone. . . .
Beyond Redemption (Manifest Delusions, #1) by Michael R. Fletcher
From the blurb:
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.…
