Dark Fantasy Books: Three Great Series For You To Enjoy

Fantasy Books
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Generating a definitive list of the top dark fantasy books is impossible due to the sheer volume of outstanding works available. The selections presented below were chosen because they are relatively recent contributions, each serving as an excellent representation of the genre and showcasing the author’s skills. While they provide an excellent starting point for readers new to the genre, they are also highly recommended for veterans.

Brent Weeks – The Night Angel Trilogy: Dark and gritty, these books follow the story of Azoth, an orphan and guild-rat who becomes an apprentice to the wetboy (a magically-enhanced master assassin) Durzo Blint. Azoth must now transform into Kelsier Stern, a wetboy-in-training. He must leave his old life behind, immerse himself in a world of dangerous magic and deadly politics, and, above all, embrace his role as a harbinger of death.

Weeks’ characters are expertly crafted, and his dystopian world is so vividly realized that you can almost smell it. If you enjoyed Christopher Nolan’s take on Batman, you will love this trilogy.

The Keys To The Kingdom Series by Garth Nix: Arthur Penhaligon is in the midst of a life-threatening asthma attack when a stranger saves him by handing him a large clock’s minute hand. This stranger is the enigmatic Mister Monday (the title character of the first book), and the clock hand Arthur now possesses is no ordinary object. It is the first Key to the House, a multidimensional realm inhabited by mythological figures and other bizarre characters. However, something has gone awry with the Architect’s creation, and young Arthur must overthrow the ruling Lords of the House, claim their Keys, and use them to save the universe.

Although geared toward young readers, older audiences should not overlook this series. Nix delights in allusions, with cameos from characters of Greek and Norse mythology, religious texts, and other classic literature What is Anglo-Welsh Literature and why Should Anyone Care? - Ceri Shaw is a former college lecturer from Cardiff, South Wales. Currently he attempts to make a living as a Web Designer and as a freelance writer on a range of topics including Literature. He is a regular contributor to Americymru.com. Ceri wrote this article about Anglo-Welsh literature and its exploration of the themes of… that add depth for those who grasp the far-reaching thematic implications. The series’ irony and humor are also sophisticated and engaging.

The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson: Set in a harsh world where ash falls from the sky and ominous mists shroud the night, the Mistborn series is the result of an epic battle between good and evil that occurred a thousand years ago. Evil prevailed, and the Dark Lord still reigns with an iron fist. While the rest of the world waits for a prophesied hero, a group of magic-wielding thieves decides to take matters into their own hands, attempting a daring heist on the Dark Lord himself.

Sanderson, known for continuing the Wheel of Time series (the legacy of the late, great Robert Jordan), is a master storyteller, and the above paragraph does not do justice to this exceptional trilogy of dark fantasy books.

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