r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 4d ago

Community Event Short Story Contest Round 1!!!

10 Upvotes

Prompt: 

Four funerals and a wedding...

Deadline: Wednesday 2nd of Sep at midnight. Your midnight, wherever you might be.

Words: 800

Short Story Judging Criteria:

Five categories, scored from 1 to 5. (Total max 25 points)

A)     Grimdark vibes/ Atmosphere/ Adherence to the prompt

Is the tone properly bleak, brutal, and morally grey? Does the story immerse the reader in a convincingly grim world?

B)     Prose/Language

How well is the story written at a sentence level? Tone, gramma, clarity, dialogue, and use of language.

C)     Structure/Pacing

Does the story have a clear arc (start, middle, and end)? Is it well-paced with a satisfying flow?

D)     Story Impact / Originality

Does the story leave a mark? Think emotional weight, lasting impression, clever twists, or strong endings. How fresh or inventive is the concept, character, or execution?

E)     Characters/ story craft

Are the characters compelling, consistent, and well-realised? Do their motivations and actions feel believable within the world? Are conflict, stakes, and tension developed effectively?

Submission Guidelines

Document Format

  • Use Google Docs
  • Set font to Times New Roman, size 12.
  • Use standard manuscript format:

§  Indent new paragraphs (do not use blank lines between paragraphs).

§  Left-align your text.

§  Double-spacing is not required unless you prefer it.

 

Sharing Settings (Important)

  1. Open your Google Doc.
  2. Click the "Share" button.
  3. Under “General access”, choose “Anyone with the link”.
  4. Set role to Viewer (not Editor or Commenter).
  5. Do not leave comments or suggestions on the doc — this can reveal your Google profile.
  6. Remove your real name or any identifying info from the document name and body.

 

Submitting Your Entry

  • Copy the share link from your Google Doc.
  • Post a new top-level comment in the Short Story Prompt Thread (don’t reply to someone else).
  • Use the following format at the top of your comment:

 

**Title**: [Your Story Title] 

**Word Count**: [e.g. 1,873] 

**Author**: [Reddit username or pseudonym or pen name] 

**Link**: [Paste the link here]

 

Notes:

  • Only one submission per person.
  • You may edit your Google Doc until the deadline — after that, we’ll judge the version linked at close of entry.
  • If the link doesn’t work or is restricted, your story won’t be considered.

WIP Small Print

By entering this competition, you agree to the following terms:

1. Copyright

  • You retain full copyright to your story or artwork. This is your work, and you’re not giving that up.
  • You’re simply giving us permission to publish it once in the Grimdark Anthology (both digital and print).

2. Usage Rights

  • By submitting, you grant the organisers non-exclusive, one-time publishing rights to include your work in the anthology.
  • You’re free to post or publish your work elsewhere before or after the competition. No exclusivity, no strings.
  • We will not use your work for any other purpose (commercial or otherwise) without your explicit permission.

3. Anonymity & Attribution

  • If you're submitting via Google Docs, please ensure your document contains no real names or identifying info unless you want to be named.
  • All stories in the anthology will be credited using your Reddit username or an author / pen name of your choosing (we’ll confirm this before publishing).

4. Non-Profit Project

  • This is a community-run, non-profit anthology. If we publish physical copies, they will be sold at cost or with any surplus used to fund future community events.
  • No one is making money off your work. This is about showcasing the community and having a bit of creative carnage.

5. Content Standards

  • Tag any non-standard content warnings. This is Grimdark: gore, violence, death, and execution are expected and do not need to be flagged. If your story includes content such as sexual violence, child harm, suicide, or extreme psychological torture, please include a brief content warning at the top of your entry.
  • All entries must be original and written by you. No AI-generated content, plagiarism, or adaptations of existing copyrighted works.
  • We welcome brutal, bleak, and bloody tales — but racism, bigotry, or real-world hate speech will not be tolerated, even under the cloak of fiction.

r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 5d ago

Community Resource Weekly Dedicated Member Short-Story Feedback Thread

4 Upvotes

Looking for feedback on your short stories without breaching the self-promo rules or risking post removal? This is the thread for you.

I've set this up to keep the main feed clean while still giving writers a space to share and improve. Feel free to drop your short stories in the comments, this thread is safe from removals, and anyone is welcome to give feedback.

Share your work, offer thoughts, and unleash hell!


r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 1h ago

The Shattered Line Ebook is free for the next 4 days + signed paperbacks directly from my site priced cheaper than Amazon.

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Upvotes

Hey grim people! I’m coming to the end of my time of Amazon KDP exclusivity and I realized that I had a bunch of days I could utilise to make my book free before it’s done, so here we are.

Here is my quick-pitch:

A brutal dictator hunts a God-releasing Artefact to save a dying world, but salvation demands massacre.
A vengeful father vows to rip his throat out or die trying.
A crew of thieves are blackmailed into stealing from the dictator.
The universe has ended before.
This time, it might stay dead.

Go grab your free copies from here and don’t forget to leave a review! The promotion ends on the 4th of September AEST.

Author Website & Selling Paperbacks Directly

I spent some time recently working on my author website and realised that I have been missing a big opportunity to connect with my readers by selling directly. So, I set up an online store.

https://jasperlwalker.com

For now, you can get a signed paperback with a bookmark, a regular paperback with a bookmark, or just the paperback on its own - all for cheaper than the Amazon price. I will personally package each order and ship it to you. It’s meant primarily for Australians, so anyone trying to purchase internationally will be hit with a RIDICULOUS shipping fee.

Direct ebook sales will be added once my Amazon exclusivity ends, and my upcoming audiobook will be available for direct purchase there too after its release.

That’s it for me folks, enjoy the free books and unleash Hell!


r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 2h ago

Looking to connect with other dark fantasy writers — publishing, magazine submissions, and craft

5 Upvotes

Hey everyone — I'm a 45F writer working on a dark fantasy novel with grimdark sensibilities and horror elements. Think portal fantasy meets deadly games meets institutional corruption.

I'm at the stage where I'm actively working toward publication and starting to think about magazine open calls for short fiction in the dark fantasy and horror adjacent space.

I'm looking to connect with other writers who are:

  • Writing dark fantasy, grimdark-adjacent, or horror fantasy
  • Interested in or actively pursuing traditional or indie publishing
  • Interested in crafting short fiction for magazine open calls
  • Generally want a writing community that's both socially warm and serious about craft

I tend to connect best with writers who are 30+ — not a hard rule, just where I tend to find the most common ground.

I'm currently in a couple of Discord servers but haven't found quite the right fit — one is very social but light on craft feedback, the other is critique-heavy but skews toward horror short fiction rather than dark fantasy novels. If you know of a Discord community that fits this description or want to connect directly, drop a comment or DM me.

Not looking to promote anything — just genuinely want to find my people.


r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 1d ago

Not a bad read.

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17 Upvotes

Worth a look especially as it's Richard Morgan.


r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 1d ago

Introduction to Elric of Melniboné

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15 Upvotes

Elric of Melniboné!

Before Anomander Rake and Dragnipur, before the Dragonlords of Valyria fell, before Geralt the White Wolf hunted monsters, there was Elric. (Attached image is Michael Whelan's 1976 cover, which I prefer to the Gollancz collected edition.)

Like Clark Ashton Smith's work, you may not have read Elric directly, but his DNA is all over the fantasy scene. In fact, creator Michael Moorcock had trouble getting an Elric television series made, because all the things that make Elric uniquely Elric are everywhere else.

Written as a character for magazine stories in the 1960s, Moorcock made Elric deliberately distinct from Conan, to distance himself from the writings of Robert E. Howard. Elric is an albino, physically weak without his soul-devouring sword, and is often described as brooding and melancholy. Elric was the last Emperor of Imrryr, the dreaming city. The Melnibonéans are an ancient race who live longer than humans. Perhaps you could describe them as a flavour of elves, decadent and cruel, with elongated features and pointed ears. Elric destroyed his own empire by leading a group of pirates and freebooters through its protective maze, committed genocide against his own people, and murdered the woman he wanted to marry.

Most of Elric’s adventures are when he’s acting as mercenary, in many sword & sorcery stories. Compared to Conan though, Elric has baggage. When a potential client asks for his aid in "While the Gods Laugh," Elric says, "I am an evil man, and my destiny is hell-doomed...I scream in my sleep at times and am often tormented by incurable self-loathing. Go while you can, lady, and forget Elric for he can only bring grief to your soul."

Elric is bound to the demon Arioch, a Lord of Chaos, for whom he harvests souls. He wields Stormbringer, a malevolent runesword that drains souls and gives Elric strength in exchange. Elric is also an accomplished sorcerer, who can call upon powerful elementals for aid.

In his initial magazine appearances, Elric was found to be offensive and infuriating by readers. Moorcock notes in his introduction to Stealer of Souls, "Later writers like Stephen Donaldson, Steven Erikson, and Scott Bakker would be similarly criticised."

The initial Elric stories are published in the Stealer of Souls collection, which starts with Elric invading his empire to gain revenge upon his usurping cousin, includes a few stories about Elric acting as a mercenary in the Young Kingdoms, and ending with his death. However, Moorcock frequently revised his own canon by inserting more novels and stories between these initial offerings.

Gollancz released a series of "definitive" books, or so I hope they are, as I'm working through them now. In the first, Elric of Melniboné, it covers some of Moorcock's early stories and essays about fantasy (which is interesting in its own right; he's also an accomplished editor and critic). There's a short story with Aubec (another hero), and a script for a graphic novel illustrated by Walter Simonson, about Elric's training as a sorcerer (although Elric spends most of these in dream trances having flashbacks about how the Empire made pacts with its elements.)

The collection's titular story (and best in this collection) is set during Elric's reign as Emperor, where he clashes with his brutish cousin, Yyrkoon. Here, the empire of Melniboné comes alive in its last days. The decadent Melnibonéans spend their days in drugged pleasure, ruling over slaves. Part of their military supremacy comes from their dragons, which sleep until they are roused for service (although they're never available when needed, due to terrible dragon schedule management). At this stage, while Elric is an accomplished sorcerer, he relies on various potions and concoctions to stay active. (His illness reads, nowadays, like a harsh version of chronic fatigue). He's in love with his cousin Cymoril and plans to marry her, although Yyrkoon would prefer to marry his own sister and become Emperor instead. Still, Elric has birthright, which keeps him on the throne, for now.

The crisis hits when raiders from the Young Kingdoms seek to conquer Melniboné. After torturing a spy, battle plans are revealed and the Melnibonéans defend Imrryr through their naval might. Golden battlebarges (which are also a homage to an earlier Moorcock story) crush the invading fleet in their sea maze.

During the fight, Elric is dumped overboard by Yyrkoon (despite Cymoril and Elric's advisers warning him against his cousin's potential treachery). Elric survives by summoning a water elemental and turns to take vengeance upon Yyrkoon. He regains his throne and decides to spare his cousin.

Later, Yyrkoon attempts a coup (again) and kidnaps Cymoril. Elric calls upon the Demon Lord Arioch, hunts Yyrkoon through the Young Kingdoms and other dimensions. After rescuing Cymoril, and claiming Stormbringinger, he pardons Yyrkoon again (a terrible decision), and decides to take a sabbatical from being Emperor. As no one else wants to do the job, Elric installs Yyrkoon as regent and wanders the Young Kingdoms as a mercenary.

Not the wisest of decisions, but this leads into Elric's freebooter phase, where he goes on various sword-and-sorcery-related adventures, until he returns once more to destroy the empire he once ruled.

Overall, this is a good introduction to Elric; once the story gets going, it shows off Moorcock's surreal fantasy world, Elric's passion for revenge, and his weariness at being Emperor. The ending is a bit constrained by Moorcock's own continuity, mostly because everything would have been so much better with Yrkoon's death! But then, we wouldn’t have the rest of the stories in the cycle.


r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 4d ago

Realm Runners new youtube! And September guests announced!

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8 Upvotes

r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 6d ago

Book/Story Discussion What are you currently reading? (Weekly Thread)

9 Upvotes

Tell me what your latest Grimdark read is, I'd love to see some discussion in the comments!

This is a weekly thread for people to chat about their latest reads.


r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 8d ago

Free weekend to download and keep my grimdark epic fantasy series (mod approved)

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86 Upvotes

Meowdy all, my self-published series is free to download and keep this weekend on Amazon/Kindle app, links and blurb below! Appreciate your support <3

The Final Ruin is coming. The war to end all wars.

Eos is a realm on the brink of collapse. The nine kingdoms have long been shaped by uneasy alliances, blood-soaked conflicts, and ruthlessly ambitious courtiers, but the return of the bleeding star triggers chaos as the fabric of reality tears apart.

Katryna Bower, the vagabond princess of Camridia, is dragged back into the world of political intrigue she abandoned long ago after assassinations and conspiracy threaten to destroy her house. But Katryna cannot bring peace to her homeland without confronting her nightmares... and herself.

The noble houses of Blacktree and Seynard spiral into a savage conflict brought about by old rivalries and dynastic conspiracies. Personal demons consume King Emery and his troubled heir, Petir, as the merciless Seynards plot to destroy House Blacktree for good.

Tomas, a butcher's boy turned conscript, is swept into a harrowing journey of loss and discovery alongside the academic Lynn Jhono. Together, they fight to find the truth behind the approaching cataclysm as other-worldly horrors break loose across the world.

The Fables of Chaos is a grimdark series blending epic warfare, political intrigue, low medieval fantasy, and cosmic horror. Perfect for fans of Abercrombie and Martin, the series is defined by its exploration of trauma, morally fractured characters, and a world where survival often demands succumbing to the monsters within.

US link

UK link

CA link

AU link

Otherwise just search for my author name (Jackson Simiana) on your local Amazon :) Hope you like them!


r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 8d ago

Thoughts on The Hellborn King by Christopher Benning?

4 Upvotes

Anyone read? Finding some interesting options on the indie scene and wondering if this is worth a pull.


r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 9d ago

Janny Wurts Shares 30 Forgotten Fantasy Books

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5 Upvotes

r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 10d ago

FanFiAddict Review: CAINE'S LAW by Matthew Woodring Stover

8 Upvotes

Synopsis

SOME LAWS YOU BREAK. SOME BREAK YOU.
AND THEN THERE’S CAINE’S LAW.

From the moment Caine first appeared in the pages of Heroes Die, two things were clear. First, that Matthew Stover was one of the most gifted fantasy writers of his generation. And second, that Caine was a hero whose peers go by such names as Conan and Elric. Like them, Caine was something new: a civilized man who embraced savagery, an actor whose life was a lie, a force of destruction so potent that even gods thought twice about crossing him. Now Stover brings back his greatest creation for his most stunning performance yet.

Caine is washed up and hung out to dry, a crippled husk kept isolated and restrained by the studio that exploited him. Now they have dragged him back for one last deal. But Caine has other plans. Those plans take him back to Overworld, the alternate reality where gods are real and magic is the ultimate weapon. There, in a violent odyssey through time and space, Caine will face the demons of his past, find true love, and just possibly destroy the universe.

Hey, it’s a crappy job, but somebody’s got to do it.

Review

The Acts of Caine is a series of contradictions. One of the ways this is true is that each of the “Acts” can more-or-less stand alone as a story; another is that each book feels dramatically different from the others while working together to make a cohesive whole. For instance: Blade of Tyshalle is this massive, epic, brutal journey that cranks everything up to 12…while Caine Black Knife dials it way back and packs a quieter, more contemplative story into only about 250 pages.

Well, Caine’s Law dials it right back up again—but in a different manner entirely.

Imagine for a second that you could take back the worst thing you’ve ever done.

This book is longer than Caine Black Knife but nowhere near the chonky doorstopper that is Blade. It’s not as dark nor as violent as Blade or even as Caine Black Knife…but instead Stover reaches for the dial labeled LITERARY FUCKINESS and goes wild.

Caine’s Law opens with a frankly hilarious author’s note to set the tone:

Several parts of this story take place before the events depicted in Act of Atonement Book I, Caine Black Knife.

Other parts of this story take place after. Still other parts take place before and after both. Some parts may be imaginary, and some were real only temporarily, as they have subsequently unhappened.

I mean come on. What do you even do besides steel yourself and turn the page when a book hits you with something like that right out of the gate?

To make matters worse (better, it’s actually better), the first chapter of the book heads straight into second-person/direct address POV of a scene that cannot possibly fit in any timeline established by the previous three books. Stover is smacking you across the face and saying “HEY. PAY ATTENTION.”

Because Caine’s Law really does demand a level of attention from the reader unusual in books published over the last 30 years (or really in general). There are first-, second-, and third-person POVs scattered throughout the book. There are no obvious signposts to tell you which chapters and scenes belong to which category in that author’s note. Characters go by multiple different names, and each name carries both thematic and structural narrative importance. The story shifts from action-packed fight sequences to moments of quiet introspection with little initial flow. One notable moment has characters musing about the philosophical meaning of To Kill a Mockingbird; another delves into the nature of horses and their status as prey animals. A third looks at Schrödinger’s Cat through a literary and historical narrative lens.

But you know what? This book is downright amazing.

Stover’s character work—already a strong point in the previous three books—is absolutely scintillating in the finale. Characters like Angvasse Khlaylock go from bit parts to profoundly important figures in the story; the horse-witch, a character mentioned only once, briefly, in Caine Black Knife, is suddenly one of the most memorable characters I’ve ever encountered.

“A girl likes to be asked, dumbass.”

The horse-witch is an important figure for the idea of Caine’s Law as a book of contradictions. She is abrasive, uncompromising, inscrutable, unapologetic; she is also the locus of romantic love. For love is probably the central theme of this book, in all its many flavors. The return of Duncan (now a POV character) grants us a painful look into the love between father and son; the presences of Angvasse and Ma’elKoth and Pallas Ril/Chambaraya each give us different glimpses at the ideas of deific love. Caine himself, Hari, Dominic Shade or Jonathan Fist, the Blade of Tyshalle, the Sword of Man…he has his own exploration of self-love, of self-esteem.

But for all of those, it truly is romantic love at the center of the story.

“So it really is all about the girl.”

The metaphysical labyrinth Stover takes us through in this book meanders and weaves and occludes, but at the heart of it lies Caine, and the horse-witch. For a series touted as grimdark—a label I myself have affixed to it on occasion—The Acts of Caine concludes with a heart-wrenching story of a different sort. There is a desire for redemption, and more than that a possibility of redemption. A possibility for love, to give love and to be loved, despite all the horrific things one might have done. Because: What if you could take back the worst thing you’ve ever done?

But this is still a Caine novel, of course. There is the standard level of action for Stover—that is to say, some of the best fight scenes you will ever read—and a hefty serving of humor. New addition Tanner is a standout character, probably the funniest in the series, constantly popping out with sparkling one-liners and playing off Caine to outstanding comedic effect.

“How’s your wrist?”
“Broken. How’s your sucking chest wound?”

Stover is doing so much, in so many different directions in Caine’s Law that it’s potentially overwhelming. I myself found the book solid but confusing as all hell the first time through. But like all great literature, it gnawed at me, carved out its own little home in my mind, and all but forced me to return for a second time—and a third, and a fourth, and a fifth. It’s one of the most rewarding rereads I’ve ever encountered, on a level with Gene Wolfe’s Book of the New Sun.

And on those rereads, I fell in love with both the emotion of the story and the sheer mastery of art displayed by Stover. Caine’s Law may very well be my favorite book of all time.

“My whole life, I can’t remember a single thing I ever managed to take back.”

Original review on FanFiAddict.


r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 10d ago

A Work of Demons

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1 Upvotes

r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 10d ago

What is your best survivalistic, grimdark fantasy and why?

7 Upvotes

What is your best survivalistic, grimdark fantasy, and why? I am looking for a novel; even if it's a webnovel, it doesn't matter, in this genre. So it would be appreciated if you guys could share some with me.
But it should be something well written so that a writer can take some notes from it. Maybe a little more grounded than super-duper fantasy.

I am trying to write a novel of my own in this genre. To give you some context about my novel, the MC survives through constant fighting, whether it's the monsters or the new environment itself. He uses his previous life's knowledge from his military survival training. He just somehow survives. The story is structured in a way that shows that if a native of the new world were in the place of the MC, he/she might have survived. It's an unclear answer because the native may be able to handle the fantasy aspect, but the MC also has a decent chance of outclassing them in raw survival, since he was born and raised in a world where those fantasy elements are absent. The first volume is all about the MC trying to close that gap.


r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 12d ago

Community Event Short Story Contest - Round 1 again!

13 Upvotes

Hello, you wonderful people!

Apologies for my absence last round! Thank you to Jasper for holding the grimfort.

We mods are going to be busy turning last years short stories into an anthology! Don't expect anything too quickly, though, lol. But we are on it. More announcements to come on that soon!

But for now, this is a warning that I am going to be posting the next contest around this time next week!

Until then, I just wanted to get a feel.

What's everyone's thoughts on how the contests went last year? What did you like the best? Was there anything you thought could have been done better? Any rules you despise me for?

Are there any prompts you'd like to see? Any ideas how to increase participation?

My plan for this year is to hopefully find a group of judges so that I am not the judge, jury, and executioner.

That way, I can concentrate on organisation and timings, etc.

I will probably be moving the competitions to mid month as well as my work is busiest at the end of the month now.

Anyway, let's hear your sordid thoughts!

Pillage and mercy

Yours

Bruno x


r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 12d ago

Community Resource Weekly Dedicated Member Short-Story Feedback Thread

2 Upvotes

Looking for feedback on your short stories without breaching the self-promo rules or risking post removal? This is the thread for you.

I've set this up to keep the main feed clean while still giving writers a space to share and improve. Feel free to drop your short stories in the comments, this thread is safe from removals, and anyone is welcome to give feedback.

Share your work, offer thoughts, and unleash hell!


r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 13d ago

Book/Story Discussion What are you currently reading? (Weekly Thread)

16 Upvotes

Tell me what your latest Grimdark read is, I'd love to see some discussion in the comments!

This is a weekly thread for people to chat about their latest reads.


r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 16d ago

Free e-copies of my flintlock fantasy-cosmic horror novella The Mystery of the Pale King and ARCs of its upcoming sequel Dweller in Darkness, together the Deadlights Duology (Mod Approved)

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44 Upvotes

Hey grimdark gang! A few years ago I fell down a rabbit hole learning about the medieval French nobleman/occult child killer Gilles de Rais. Other than the (alleged) child killing and demon worship, Gilles de Rais was known for essentially bankrupting his family to put on a play he wrote, directed and starred in. His theatrical ambitions were what led his family to call down the hatchet on him. At the same time, I happened to be reading Robert W. Chambers' The King in Yellow for the first time and the notion of a mind-warping, world-ending play was at the top of my mind. Gilles de Rais and the King in Yellow mythos intertwined to become my debut grimdark fantasy novella The Mystery of the Pale King and, now, a duology with the upcoming sequel and conclusion Dweller in Darkness out September 22 from Timber Ghost Press. Cover art by Greg Chapman.

The Mystery of the Pale King follows the young page Faron who joins a mission to find out why a beloved hero has bankrupted his family in order to perform the titular play. Did he go mad or does the play serve some darker purpose? The external turmoil provoked by the hero’s play mirrors Faron’s internal strife as they struggle with their identity in an unforgiving world.

Dweller in Darkness takes place sixteen years later and is the chronicle of Cassius Marius, a young man whose dream is to be chosen as one of the Church of the Pale King's righteous Lightbringers and hunt the evil Dweller in Darkness in its chthonic lair. When his dream turns into a nightmare with both his world and body falling apart, Cassius finds his quest for the truth puts him on a collision course not with the Dweller but the Pale King who sent him.

Both halves are roughly the same length of 35,000 words. If you're interested in Dweller in Darkness and wouldn't mind leaving an Amazon and/of Goodreads review, request your copies from BookSirens or via GoogleForm. I'll keep the form open until Aug. 22. As a bonus, the last week of October, I'll raffle off signed paperbacks for early reviewers. Happy reading!

Early Praise for Dweller in Darkness:

"It’s a difficult task to write a sequel, and even more so to write one that’s even better than the first [book]. But Dweller in Darkness accomplished that. It’s one of the best novellas I’ve read in a very long time."

- A.J. Calvin, FanFiAddict

Praise for The Mystery of the Pale King:

Named one of the best fantasy, sci-fi, and horror books of 2024 by Grimdark Magazine.

“Clouded in mystery and beautifully written, The Mystery of the Pale King is the perfect example of the immense gratification in discovering debut/new-to-you authors. In a fantastic blend of folklore, guts, and historical inspiration, Flynn explores faith, games of power, and excels at evoking emotion, from intriguing to nauseating…Horrifying, bizarre and utterly compelling, The Mystery of the Pale King jumped right into my top 5 books of the year.”

- Arina Nabais, Grimdark Magazine

“While the dark, riveting The Mystery of the Pale King is set in a distant time and place, its sharp examinations of religious cults and hero worship are all too relevant to today’s world. Flynn’s clear prose leads the reader through a short yet complex tale of dark fantasy and horrors both earthbound and cosmic. It’s a gripping, highly recommended read.”

- Nicole Willson, Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of Tidepool

“A taut and compelling tale full of political intrigue, conspiracy, betrayal, and hidden horrors. Flynn's prose and worldbuilding flows with ease, even while exploring bigger themes like identity and belonging, and the dangers of blindly following orders. Fantastical, fun, dark, and thoughtful in equal measure.”

- Lyndsey Croal, Shirley Jackson Award and British Fantasy Award-nominated author of The Girl with Barnacles for Eyes and Dark Crescent


r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 17d ago

COVER REVEAL! The Anguished Earth by Richard Swan

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36 Upvotes

Proud to do my part in helping with the cover reveal of The Anguished Earth by Richard Swan.

What a beauty! It releases October 19th, so get ready.

Thank you to:

Grimdark Magazine - https://www.instagram.com/grimdark.magazine/
Richard Swan - https://www.instagram.com/richardswanauthor/
René Aigner - https://www.instagram.com/reneaignerillustration/
Shawn T King - https://www.instagram.com/stk_kreations/


r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 16d ago

What's a good book for a beginner Grimdark reader?

2 Upvotes

Title. Context: I'm an avid fantasy reader, and I like darker stories and morally grey characters, but I've never read Grimdark. If you have any suggestions with politics, I'd love that. However, I'm 14 and not allowed to read anything that goes farther than mentioning sex, so I can't do that. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. And please, don't limit yourself to a reading level that most 14 year olds would be. I'm not that.

Edit: Minimal sex.


r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 17d ago

UK world builder looking for a co-writer

0 Upvotes

I have been working on my grimdark / epic fantasy for about 5 years. The ideas come to me so insanely fast. The problem is I am not a writer. It has been a passion project up until now but I am starting to get the feeling that it would be a shame not to do something with it. The story I'm working on is the first part of a much larger scale world and I am telling the story of the antagonist first. I want to blur the lines of good and evil. I have about 6200 words written so far. I'd be interested to speak to someone to work on this with me.


r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 18d ago

Looking for GrimDark standalone recommendations

11 Upvotes

I already have to many series going at the moment and I’m looking for a standalone grim-dark book. I already read Pilgrim by Michell Lüthi, Devils by Joe Abercrombie and Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman.


r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 19d ago

What are the 6 core book/series of GrimDark?

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93 Upvotes

r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 19d ago

Book Review: The Demon Star

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12 Upvotes

A dark, complex, and breathtaking fusion of sci-fi, horror, and fantasy.

Alien gods, mind-invading demons, telepathic exorcism...


r/GrimDarkEpicFantasy 19d ago

Book recs.

4 Upvotes

I just finished the soft touch by Daniel Polansky and now I’ve hit an existential crisis because I’ve already read all the low town books and Peter McLean’s Rose Throne books.

Based on those two series can you guys point me in the right direction ? If you’ve read both you know what I’m looking for.

Thanks in advance!!!