Dark Fantasy

Friday the Thirteenth! For superstitious people, it is a day of bad luck. It is a good day for an article on the sub-genre of Dark Fantasy. This sub-genre has many debatable definitions which I won't go into here. The Encyclopedia of Fantasy defines Dark Fantasy as a story that incorporates a sense of horror but is clearly Fantasy(1). The definition doesn't include the supernatural. From my reading and observation, I intend to use this definition but include works of the supernatural as well as fantasy books that have a dark edge to them. Many good books fall under this sub-genre.

Some of Mercedes Lackey's titles come under this category. Her books about the romance writer and magic user Diana Tregarde and her partner, a vampire named Andre LeBrel have provided interesting tales. Chilidren of the Night tells about how these characters meet and fight a psychic vampire. In Burning Water, Diana Tregarde combats a manifestation of Aztec magic. Jinx High takes place in a high school, combating a vicious teenage witch. Unfortunately for readers, there won't be any more of these books.

The recent fantasy novel, A Cavern of Black Ice by J.V. Jones, can be in this sub-genre as well as Epic Fantasy. This book is full of dark images and magics. The main character can kill by making heart shots. There are brutal assassins and vile evil characters. (For more information, check out my book review in a previous article.)

Resurrection Man by Sean Stewart is a Dark Fantasy with its tale of spiders, dissections, open graves and such. It takes place in an alternate reality where angels and demons wage war in our time. There are many scenes on the edge of horror. It is a novel not to be missed.

British author Tanith Lee writes many books in this sub-genre. The Secret Books of Paradys are set in a huge city like Paris but full of demons and other nasty creatures. The Blood Opera series is about a woman who undergoes torture in a hidden mansion in this tale of vampires. Many of Ms. Lee's short stories are very dark and scary.

The books discussed above are just a few of the many available in this sub-genre. In this day of cynicism there are a lot of authors who are infusing their works with frightening images and darkness. Readers, feeling a need for something different, can check out Dark Fantasy for a touch of horror and fright. Good luck!

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic