Dark fantasy or fantasy horror is a type of fantasy found in books, art, and movies that includes scary or unsettling ideas. The term is sometimes used to describe stories that mix horror with common types of fantasy stories.
Definition
A clear definition for dark fantasy is hard to find. Gertrude Barrows Bennett is often called "the woman who invented dark fantasy." Charles L. Grant and Karl Edward Wagner are both credited with introducing the term "dark fantasy," but they were describing different types of stories. Brian Stableford suggests that dark fantasy can be defined as a type of story that mixes horror elements with typical fantasy stories. He also explains that supernatural horror set in the real world is called "contemporary fantasy," while supernatural horror set in imaginary or non-real worlds should be called "dark fantasy."
Other authors, critics, and publishers have used the term "dark fantasy" to describe many different stories. However, these stories usually only share a few common features, such as supernatural events and a serious or somber mood. Because of this, dark fantasy is not linked to a specific set of common themes. The term may be used to describe stories that are either based on horror or based on fantasy.
Some writers use "dark fantasy" or "Gothic fantasy" as another way to describe horror stories, because they believe the word "horror" is too intense or vivid.
Concept and history
Charles L. Grant is often credited with introducing the term "dark fantasy." He described dark fantasy as a type of horror story where humans face dangers they do not understand. He used dark fantasy as an alternative to horror because horror was becoming more associated with stories that focus on physical or shocking experiences.
Dark fantasy is sometimes used to describe stories told from the perspective of monsters or that show supernatural beings in a more kind or understanding way. Early examples of this style include Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's Saint-Germain, and Neil Gaiman's The Sandman. This is different from traditional horror, which usually focuses on the people who are harmed or survive.
In a more general sense, dark fantasy is sometimes used as a synonym for supernatural horror, to describe stories with supernatural elements compared to those without. For example, a story about a werewolf or vampire could be called dark fantasy, while a story about a serial killer would be called horror.
Stableford suggests that the horror in stories like William Beckford's Vathek and Edgar Allan Poe's The Masque of the Red Death is more about beauty or style than about physical fear or deep existential questions. He argues these stories should be called "dark fantasies" instead of "supernaturalized thrillers," which is a term used for traditional horror fiction.
Karl Edward Wagner is often credited with creating the term "dark fantasy" when used in a fantasy-based context. He used it to describe his stories about the Gothic warrior Kane. Since then, "dark fantasy" has sometimes been used to describe sword and sorcery or high fantasy stories with characters who are not clearly good or bad. An example of this is Michael Moorcock's story about the albino swordsman Elric.
The works of H. P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and their followers are described as "dark fantasy" because the imaginary worlds they created include many horror elements.
Dark fantasy is sometimes used to describe fantasy works by authors who are mainly known for horror stories. Examples include Stephen King's The Dark Tower series, Peter Straub's Shadowland, and Clive Barker's Weaveworld. It is also used for "darker" stories written by authors known for other types of fantasy, such as Raymond Feist's Faerie Tale and Charles de Lint's novels written as Samuel M. Key.
Roald Dahl's novel The Witches (and its film versions) is described as dark fantasy. Dahl's version of "Cinderella" in his poetry collection Revolting Rhymes changes the traditional happy ending.
According to Adam Roberts, grimdark is a style of fantasy writing that contrasts with the work of J.R.R. Tolkien. George R. R. Martin's popular grimdark series A Song of Ice and Fire is described by Roberts as reacting against Tolkien's optimistic ideas, even though it is influenced by Tolkien. Jon Garrad says grimdark is connected to the gothic movement of the 1990s, which focuses on sadness and loss.
In 2016, Damien Walter wrote in The Guardian that grimdark had become very popular in fantasy stories, with more fighting, blood, and weapons. He believed this trend focused on appealing to young male readers and opposed a more emotionally complex type of fantasy storytelling.
Grimdark fantasy has been written since the 1980s by authors such as Michael Moorcock, Glen Cook, George R. R. Martin, Joe Abercrombie, Richard K. Morgan, Paul Kearney, Mark Lawrence, Michael R. Fletcher, and Anna Smith Spark. In a broader sense, the bleak and pessimistic worldview of grimdark fiction appears in many popular stories from the 2000s, including Batman comics, the TV show Breaking Bad, and the The Walking Dead media franchise.
Other media
Berserk, a manga and anime series created by Kentaro Miura in 1989, is often used as an example of the dark fantasy genre. It includes extreme violence, unclear moral choices, end-of-the-world stories, and main characters who are not traditional heroes.
Attack on Titan is a dark fantasy story because it features intense violence and takes place in a world where society is in danger and hope is limited.
The 1985 movie Legend, directed by Ridley Scott, is described as a "dark fairy tale" fantasy. The 2006 film Pan's Labyrinth, directed by Guillermo del Toro, is compared to a "dark version of Alice in Wonderland."
The 2013 video game Dragon's Crown includes many dark fantasy elements, such as werewolves, vampires, zombies, tiny human-like creatures, and characters that are part human and part monster.
Games created by the Japanese company FromSoftware are known for being great examples of dark fantasy. These include the Dark Souls series, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring.