As heroines go, Askari isn’t the most lovable—she’s downright antisocial sometimes. But in a world where megafauna rule the day AND the night, humans have to stick together. Even when they don’t like each other much. Zero sexy times in this YA action romp, despite the opportunities presented by the titular tentacles and/or teeth. FunContinue reading “Tentacles, Yeah, but Beware the Bite”
Tag Archives: horror
Why People Read Dark Fantasy
What do you read when you’re tired of all the bright, happy stuff? When you’re tired of everything going as it should for the chosen one, the hero saving the day, and everything rainbows and butterflies and unicorns? What do you read when it’s all just too bright and happy all day, every day? AndContinue reading “Why People Read Dark Fantasy”
Six Magical & Monstrous Winter Movies to Watch
That fuzzy Omen Punxsutawney Phil has declared we’ve got six more weeks of winter ahead. Whether you believe in groundhog shadow magic or not, February can be a little… blah. So let’s escape together with a movie marathon in the Grimdark. 😈🎬 Note: I’m not including The Thing or The Shining in this lineup, becauseContinue reading “Six Magical & Monstrous Winter Movies to Watch”
Trauma as Power: A Dark Epic Fantasy Trope
Stark Contrast If I had to pick one and only one defining difference between vanilla high fantasy and dark [chocolate—sorry!] high fantasy, it’s in the core modus operandi of the protagonist. Heroes in vanilla fantasy grow to overcome their trauma, or at least succeed despite their inner wounds. Not so in dark fantasy: antiheroes embraceContinue reading “Trauma as Power: A Dark Epic Fantasy Trope”
“I Bought It Because of the Cover”
You’ve all been there. That trip to the bookstore where you wander the stacks, no definite book in mind, but you know you’re in the mood for something…different. Something that doesn’t pull its punches. Something that will live up to everything it promises. Where the gore is gory and the sex is sexy and theContinue reading ““I Bought It Because of the Cover””
Fear is the Anticipation of Evil
Aristotle said, “Fear is pain arising from the anticipation of evil.” One of the reasons dark fantasy gets compared to horror is because of the unrelenting darkness and brutality of its worlds. Where it’s not just a matter of IF something terrible will happen but WHEN. But the most terrifying element of dark fantasy isContinue reading “Fear is the Anticipation of Evil”
Literary Fantasy Weapons that You Don’t Want to Mess With
Most dark fantasy epics or high fantasy have an assortment of magic systems, languages, and even fighting arts. But what about weapons? What could be better than having a sword that could blast through walls, set fire to enemies, and be destined to only you? Nothing really. Yet some weapons in dark fiction can beContinue reading “Literary Fantasy Weapons that You Don’t Want to Mess With”
Starting an Occult Library
Occult knowledge has been around since the beginning of time, but unknown to the masses and sometimes the topics are avoided altogether. For someone who is interested in beginning to learn about the occult, it may be difficult to decide where to start. Whether you’d like to learn about the phases of the moon andContinue reading “Starting an Occult Library”
Cults in Dark Fantasy vs. Reality
Cults have been a topic of interest and a popular theme within movies, literature, and television. Throughout history cults have risen and fallen, most recently, notable cults being the Manson family, Children of God, Peoples Temple, Heaven’s Gate, and Order of the Solar Temple. The psychological structure of cults have inspired ideas in many darkContinue reading “Cults in Dark Fantasy vs. Reality”
10 Top Dark Fantasy Novels of the Last Decade (Part Two)
In Part One of my dark fantasy faves list, I covered a few of my favorite recent reads in the dark fantasy genre. I enjoy the writing in this genre because the rules are a lot more loose, and delving into topics that speak on a deeper level of society is so refreshing! In thisContinue reading “10 Top Dark Fantasy Novels of the Last Decade (Part Two)”