Best grimdark fantasy books

1. Lord Foul's Bane by Stephen Donaldson
Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever: Book 1
Score: 116
Our rating: 9.5 | 21 positive reader reviews

2. The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks
The Night Angel Trilogy: Book 1
Score: 113
Our rating: 8.7 | 26 positive reader reviews

3. Half a King by Joe Abercrombie
Shattered Sea #1
Score: 102
Our rating: 9.7 | 5 positive reader reviews

4. The Black Company by Glen Cook
Chronicles of the Black Company: Books of the North, Book 1
Score: 101
Our rating: 9.0 | 11 positive reader reviews

5. The Wheel of Osheim by Mark Lawrence
Red Queen's War #3
Score: 100
Our rating: 9.9 | 1 positive reader reviews

6. Half the World by Joe Abercrombie
Shattered Sea #2
Score: 99
Our rating: 9.8 | 1 positive reader reviews

7. King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
Broken Empire: Book 2
Score: 98
Our rating: 9.7 | 1 positive reader reviews

8. Emperor of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
Broken Empire: Book 3
Score: 98
Our rating: 9.8 | 0 positive reader reviews

9. Red Sister by Mark Lawrence
Book of the Ancestor #1
Score: 98
Our rating: 9.5 | 3 positive reader reviews

10. The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
The First Law: Book 1
Score: 97
Our rating: 8.5 | 12 positive reader reviews

11. Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
Broken Empire: Book 1
Score: 97
Our rating: 9.0 | 7 positive reader reviews

12. The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch
The Gentleman Bastard Sequence: Book 3
Score: 95
Our rating: 9.3 | 2 positive reader reviews

13. The Liar's Key by Mark Lawrence
Red Queen's War #2
Score: 95
Our rating: 9.5 | 0 positive reader reviews

14. Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie
The First Law: Book 2
Score: 94
Our rating: 8.9 | 5 positive reader reviews

15. Acacia by David Anthony Durham
War with the Mein: Book 1
Score: 94
Our rating: 9.3 | 1 positive reader reviews

16. The Other Lands by David Anthony Durham
War with the Mein: Book 2
Score: 94
Our rating: 9.4 | 0 positive reader reviews

17. The Black Prism by Brent Weeks
Lightbringer: Book 1
Score: 94
Our rating: 9.0 | 4 positive reader reviews

18. Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence
Red Queen's War #1
Score: 94
Our rating: 9.4 | 0 positive reader reviews

19. The Blinding Knife by Brent Weeks
Lightbringer: Book 2
Score: 93
Our rating: 9.1 | 2 positive reader reviews

20. The Sacred Band by David Anthony Durham
War with the Mein: Book 3
Score: 92
Our rating: 9.2 | 0 positive reader reviews

21. Blood Song by Anthony Ryan
Raven's Shadow #1
Score: 92
Our rating: 9.0 | 2 positive reader reviews

22. Blackwing by Ed McDonald
The Raven’s Mark #1
Score: 92
Our rating: 9.1 | 1 positive reader reviews

23. Last Argument Of Kings by Joe Abercrombie
The First Law: Book 3
Score: 91
Our rating: 9.0 | 1 positive reader reviews

24. The Grey Bastards by Jonathan French
The Lot Lands #1
Score: 91
Our rating: 9.0 | 1 positive reader reviews

25. Shattered Dreams by Ulff Lehmann
Light in the Dark #1
Score: 91
Our rating: 9.1 | 0 positive reader reviews

26. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
The Gentleman Bastard Sequence: Book 1
Score: 90
Our rating: 8.3 | 7 positive reader reviews

27. Tomorrow the Killing by Daniel Polansky
Low Town: Book 2
Score: 90
Our rating: 9.0 | 0 positive reader reviews

28. The Fell Sword by Miles Cameron
The Traitor Son Cycle #2
Score: 90
Our rating: 9.0 | 0 positive reader reviews

29. The Autumn Republic by Brian McClellan
The Powder Mage Trilogy #3
Score: 90
Our rating: 9.0 | 0 positive reader reviews

30. Beyond Redemption by Michael R Fletcher
Manifest Delusions #1
Score: 90
Our rating: 9.0 | 0 positive reader reviews

31. The Court of Broken Knives by Anna Smith Spark
Empires of Dust #1
Score: 89
Our rating: 8.9 | 0 positive reader reviews

32. Scourge of the Betrayer by Jeff Salyards
Score: 88
Our rating: 8.8 | 0 positive reader reviews

33. The Darkness That Comes Before by R Scott Bakker
Prince of Nothing: Book 1
Score: 86
Our rating: 8.5 | 1 positive reader reviews

34. The Warrior Prophet by R Scott Bakker
Prince of Nothing: Book 2
Score: 86
Our rating: 8.5 | 1 positive reader reviews

35. Heroes Die by Matthew Woodring Stover
The Acts of Caine: Book 1
Score: 85
Our rating: 8.5 | 0 positive reader reviews

36. A Crown for Cold Silver by Alex Marshall
Score: 85
Our rating: 8.5 | 0 positive reader reviews

37. The Red Knight by Miles Cameron
The Traitor Son Cycle #1
Score: 85
Our rating: 8.5 | 0 positive reader reviews

38. The Incorruptibles by John Hornor Jacobs
Score: 85
Our rating: 8.5 | 0 positive reader reviews

39. Where Loyalties Lie by Rob J Hayes
The Best Laid Plans #1
Score: 85
Our rating: 8.5 | 0 positive reader reviews

40. Straight Razor Cure by Daniel Polansky
Low Town: Book 1
Score: 83
Our rating: 8.3 | 0 positive reader reviews

41. Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan
The Powder Mage Trilogy #1
Score: 83
Our rating: 8.3 | 0 positive reader reviews

42. Half a War by Joe Abercrombie
Shattered Sea #3
Score: 82
Our rating: 8.2 | 0 positive reader reviews

43. The Thousand Scars by Michael R Baker
Counterbalance #1
Score: 82
Our rating: 8.2 | 0 positive reader reviews

44. Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch
The Gentleman Bastard Sequence: Book 2
Score: 80
Our rating: 8.0 | 0 positive reader reviews

45. The Grim Company by Luke Scull
Score: 80
Our rating: 8.0 | 0 positive reader reviews

46. The Crimson Campaign by Brian McClellan
The Powder Mage Trilogy #2
Score: 80
Our rating: 8.0 | 0 positive reader reviews

47. The Last Mortal Bond by Brian Staveley
Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne #3
Score: 80
Our rating: 8.0 | 0 positive reader reviews

48. Jade City by Fonda Lee
The Green Bone Saga #1
Score: 80
Our rating: 8.0 | 0 positive reader reviews

49. A Ritual of Bone by Lee C Conley
Score: 77
Our rating: 7.7 | 0 positive reader reviews

50. The Providence of Fire by Brian Staveley
Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne #2
Score: 70
Our rating: 7.0 | 0 positive reader reviews

51. The Dread Wyrm by Miles Cameron
The Traitor Son Cycle #3
Score: 70
Our rating: 7.0 | 0 positive reader reviews

52. Black Sun Rising by Celia Friedman
Coldfire Trilogy #1
Score: 67
Our rating: 6.7 | 0 positive reader reviews

53. The Emperor's Blades by Brian Staveley
Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne #1
Score: 63
Our rating: 6.0 | 3 positive reader reviews