#( always loved that detail that every Realm has their own little traits between the dragons like frills horns and overall body shapes )

[neuxue]

Do you have any recommendations for fantasy reads that are dark but not all the way grimdark? You seem like someone who would have suggestions!

I do indeed! That’s a broad category so I’ve put together a list that should span at least something of a range of different types of ‘dark’. I’m not including comprehensive content warnings, because given the nature of this list it would take all day, but feel free to ask if you want more detailed warnings for any of these.

I’m also only including books I’ve read (I have lots on my to-read list that supposedly fit the dark-but-not-grimdark description), so anyone else should feel free to add your suggestions (I say somewhat selfishly, as this is a genre I am also always in the market for recommendations for).

In alphabetical order:

Baru Cormorant (The Traitor Baru Cormorant, The Monster Baru Cormorant; more to come) by Seth Dickinson. There are books that are dark because of the world they’re set in; there are books that are dark because of the things that happen to the characters…and then there are books that are dark because they focus on the darkness within those characters. This is one of those; Baru Cormorant is savagely intelligent and competent, single-minded in her goals but wide-ranging and creative in her ways of accomplishing them, and will not hesitate to set fire to everything, including herself, to see her ends achieved. The books are a sort of…loving deconstruction not of a villain but of an entire set of traits that are usually ascribed to villainy, in a way that holds nothing back and exposes the sharp edges to show both the bloody ruin and the beauty they make. It’s also a rare chance to see a female character cast in this particular archetype. Book 2 is…darker but also really fucking weird. You’ve been warned.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Days of Blood and Starlight, Dreams of Gods and Monsters) by Laini Taylor. These fall into the category of ‘aesthetically dark’, and lean more towards the YA/romance (with a healthy side of celestial war), but the world is pretty and magic is pain, so there’s that.

Doctrine of Labyrinths (Mélusine, The Virtu, The Mirador, Corambis) by Sarah Monette. Three books hurt, one book comfort. Very very dark, in the way that fantasy of this time period often is, but done…well, I’m not going to say tastefully, because that would imply that Monette shies away from literally anything at all, which she very much does not, but done in a way that doesn’t shy from consequences either. More character-driven than plot-driven, but the characters include a character who is very much My Type (as well as being pretty much the textbook definition of 'disaster gay’), if that tells you anything, and the relationship between the two protagonist brothers, as it unfolds, is messy and complicated and beautiful.

Gentleman Bastard Sequence (The Lies of Locke Lamora, Red Seas under Red Skies, The Republic of Thieves; more books to come) by Scott Lynch. Dark with a huge side of sarcastic humour. And heists. Lots of heists. Locke is an absolute disaster of a protagonist (really just an absolute disaster full stop), and watching him is like watching a train wreck that turns out to be a Rube Goldberg machine. These probably lean a little closer to grimdark than some of the others on this list (characters die; you’ve been warned), but I think they still ultimately toe the line.

His Dark Materials (The Golden Compass/Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass) by Philip Pullman. So technically these are children’s books, but I’d argue they definitely deserve to be described as 'dark’, if in a different way than some of the others on this list. Probably not for you if you’re offended by blasphemy against Christianity (in the words of a friend, these are 'Pullman’s extended callout of the Catholic church’), but if that doesn’t bother you these are probably the first on my list of Formative Fantasy Influences and I love them to pieces. Contains a rather excellent dark Power Couple that, in retrospect, probably defined a lot of what would become My Type in fictional characters. Also gay angels.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin. Another one that is probably best described as 'aesthetically dark’. Really interesting setting and characters; if you like dysfunctional families and hot chained gods, this book is for you. It’s the first of a series, but the only one I’ve read so far so I can’t vouch for the others. That said, it reads well as a standalone so you can try it and see if you want more.

Kushiel (Kushiel’s Dart, Kushiel’s Chosen, Kushiel’s Avatar) - Jacqueline Carey. Politics a la Game of Thrones, but told from the perspective of a courtesan, in a world where the whores have voices and agency. Beautiful prose, lots of sex (including the associated content warnings, but focused largely on the power dynamics rather than the sex itself), and political intrigue set in a secondary-world variant of Europe (with forays further afield). Tends to divide opinion: if it’s your thing it’s very much your thing, and if it’s not you’ll probably hate it.

Machineries of Empire (Ninefox Gambit, Raven Stratagem, Revenant Gun) - Yoon Ha Lee. In theory this is scifi rather than fantasy, but it’s heavily fantasy-leaning scifi, so it counts. Very definitely dark, to the point of reading like idfic in the best way possible. Every single content warning you could possibly think of probably applies at some point, in some way. It’s a lot, and I love every single weird, fucked-up thing it chooses to be. There are also some excellent characters spanning the full range of My Type, which, given usually I get one or maybe two of those in any given book/series, is a fucking treat. All kinds of pain, exploration of identity and agency, politics and game theory…something for everyone, is what I’m saying (though also very much not a series I’d recommend to everyone).

Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb (too many to list, but you can find a suggested reading order here). I tend to think of Robin Hobb’s books as not so much 'dark’ as 'heavy’, and it depends on which sub-series you’re reading, but I’m throwing them on this list because Robin Hobb is another one of those authors who doesn’t shy away from things. She doesn’t skim the surface of torturing her characters, or subjecting them to consequences, or allowing everything and its dragon mother to go to absolute shit; no, she doubles down and commits. Which sometimes is exactly what you want, as a reader, and sometimes means it’s time to take a break and go get a cup of tea. Her books definitely aren’t for everyone, but I love what she’s done with the world she builds, and the way it starts out feeling like Just Another Fantasy Setting until it’s too late, you’re invested now, and when the tables start turning there’s nothing you can do but hold on for the ride. Also, really fucking awesome dragons.

A Resurrection of Magic (Skin Hunger, Sacred Scars, incomplete) by Kathleen Duey. I hesitate to put this on the list because it’s an incomplete series and likely to stay that way, but it’s interesting and has a specific…flavour to its darkness that I very much enjoy. The story is told alternating between two narrators and timelines, one in which magic has been banned and largely erased from the world and one in which it has been brought back in a tightly controlled school where mere survival is a high mark of success.

Sunshine by Robin McKinley. Urban fantasy that is its own coffeeshop AU, in a way that is almost but not quite entirely unlike everything that description would evoke. Dark and arguably quite gritty, but with balancing moments of absolute beauty, an impressively rich urban-magic world, and a unique narrative voice. Leaves an astonishing number of loose ends and unanswered questions for a standalone novel; some love that and some hate it.

Vicious by V.E. Schwab. Friends-to-enemies with superpowers, written by an author who clearly loves villains and villainy and explorations thereof. Weirdly a little lighter in some ways than others on this list, but definitely enjoyable. Has a sequel (Vengeful) which I’ve yet to read. Her Darker Shade of Magic series is also worth a read; the plots are simple but the characters are interesting, and again there’s some loving attention paid to all the different variations of the darkness within.

Wind on Fire (The Wind Singer, Slaves of the Mastery, Firesong) - William Nicholson. This is another series that is ostensibly for younger readers (the first book is probably best described as 'children’s horror’), but one of those where you look back a decade or so later and think 'oh, okay, that was uh…darker than I realised at the time’. I should caveat that I haven’t re-read these books since first reading them around age 10 or 12, so take this recommendation with a grain of salt.

[zodiac-queens]

Zodiac Myths and Mythology #1

I’ve gathered all this information from Liz Greene’s book “Astrology for Lovers”. I love,love, love this book because it really made me understand every single sign and love all of them equally. Liz Greene seems to understand Astrology on a deeply psychic and spiritual level as she unites nature and humanity and explains every symbol in detail. 

Aries (The Ram)

1) Robin Hood A true outlaw fighting for the opressed poor and against everything established. He stands for change and progress as he questions and searches to untangle authority. Just like an Aries - the Knight - he stirrs up trouble to keep society on its feet and save those in need of saving, Robin Hood rebels against everything deemed unfair and has a good time doing so. Danger brings excitement and an Aries will always be merry in the face of battle or challenge. The whole story is the perfect Arien dream, the starring roles being a good king, the vicious younger brother, the opressed poor and extravagantly rich, a corrupt Sheriff of empty promises and even a young, beautiful maid in need of a saviour. Aries burns for a greater cause, for the underdog, even when they are not worth burning for.

2) Jason and the Argonauts, and the capture of the golden fleece. Jason hears of the magical golden fleece and is even more curious to hear that it is impossible to find. Like a true Aries, he is encouraged by this information, gathers the Argonauts and leads them through adventures and dangers to finally find the fleece in Colchis and capture it. Medea, the daughter of the King of Colchis falls madly in love with Jason’s courage, bravery and chivalry as he needs her help to succeed. Everything goes well until they come back from their quest, and, like so many Ariens, Jason grows bored with his wife and and now that he is in posession of the golden fleece, he searches for a younger, more suitable princess. But Medea is twice as willful as Jason and takes vengeance by murdering their two children and his young bride-to-be before fleeing in her dragon-drawn chariot. It is in Aries’ as much as Jason’s nature to underestimate the qualities of Venus. As ruled by Mars, Aries can have a hard time understanding the value of gentleness, sympathy, understanding and patience and incures vengeance by disregarding the ideas, visions and values of those surrounding him.

Taurus (The Bull)

1) Theseus and the Minotaur Minos was the king of Crete and in posession of a herd of bulls which were dedicated to Poseidon. He promised Poseidon an exceptionally beautiful white bull in exchange for mastery over the seas. But as covetous and greedy as Taureans can be, Minos decided to cheat the god, keep the bull for himself and offer him a lesser one instead. So Poseidon asked Aphrodite for help in his vengeance and she made Minos’ wife Pasiphae ill with an uncontrollable lust for the white bull (which is also a quite Taurean trait). Pasiphae, unable to tame her desire, disguised herself as a wooden bull to mate with the white bull and they both created the Minotaur, a terrifying creature with the body of a human and the head of a bull which fed on human blood and flesh. The Minotaur represents Taurus’ beastly side, where humanity is overshadowed by desire. The beast was enclosed in a labyrinth were it could never escape. Young maidens were thrown into the labyrinth as a sacrifice for the abomination and Theseus, the son of the king of Athens volunteered as one of those sacrifices to slay the Minotaur. With the help of Ariadne, Minos’ daughter, he got into the labyrinth, murdered the beast and was crowned King of Crete with Ariadne as his bride. The myth is a metaphor for Taurus’ inner fight between humanity and animalistic impulse. When desire hits Taurus, no reason or logic can stop him from possessing that object of his desire. But rather than letting themselves be guided by lust, they must use it to get to the top, and once a Taurus has made his ambition and passion their own, nothing can stop them. They can often lose their way in the labyrinth of feelings, emotions and relationships but once they are aided by Ariadne’s ball of thread or foresight, the path before them is clear of dangers or unforeseen obstacles. 

2) Vulcan (Hephaistos) Vulcan is the husband of Venus and works at a forge inside a volcano, where he creates power for the other deities out of earth and stone. He made Zeus’ thunderbolts, Mercury’s winged helmet, Minerva’s magical shield. Just like Taurus, he is a true alchemist, who, once he found his purpose, directs all his energy and passion to creating life and beauty from his inside. With strength and patience Taurus wants to make something that lasts and matters not only for him but also for others and therefore people will always owe him their respect or admiration, just like the gods and goddesses owe their powers to Vulcan’s originating hands.

Gemini (The Twins)

1) Castor and Pollux Castor and Pollux are the two sons of Zeus who were hatched from an egg by Leida who disguised herself as a swan before mating with Zeus. It’s a symbol for Gemini’s bird-like nature, never to be tied down, unbound and free in the realms of intellect and intelligence, curious and adventurous. One of the twins is human while the other one is divine and when one of them dies they make a plea with Zeus who allows one of them to spend a little holiday on Olympus while the other spends his time as a mortal on earth. When they change places, they spend time together to exchange notes. There seems to be an ongoing fight in Gemini between its highly logical and rational side and a spiritually refined side which believes in a higher world. Geminis intuitively see a bigger picture, the nonrational side of things, the secret behind life. But this experience is seldom persistent and not really welcome when it comes to Gemini’s more structured and analytical perception of the world.The challenging thing for Gemini natives is to live with the fact that there are two beings combined in their body, light and darkness, artist and mystic, introversion and extroversion and while their surrounding is tired by their ever-changing personality, Geminis are the ones who long for consistency and the emphasis on one side of their personality the most. They interchangeably breathe Olympian air and taste mortal bitterness and there is nothing they can do to stop it. Sometimes they feel more in touch with their spiritual self, while on other occasions, they are painfully aware of their earthly responsibilities.

2) Mercury Mercury is the ruling planet of Gemini and as the smallest and fastest in the solar system, he tells us something about Gemini’s mobility and speed. In mythology, he is the messenger between one god and another but also between gods and men, while he is at the same time considered the god of thieves and liars, protector of the road, lord of commerce. He is an amoral, flexible, always changing god who acts as a channel, a bridge between divine and earthly. In medieval alchemy, Mercurius is a symbol for understanding and integrating. He can be pictured as the lightbulb flashing over one’s head when things finally make sense and two things come together to work as a whole. In alchemy, Mercurius is pictured as the Great Transformer, androgynous in nature and just like Gemini he understands that the world is made out of light and dark, male and female but before he can act as a messenger, an interpreter for his surrounding, he has to come to terms with his own duality and before he learns that he can be both, he often is caught up between two things, unable to move.

Cancer (The Crab)

The Mother Mother represents feelings, security, past and childhood and therefore unites everything Cancer knows and wants to understand, so the experience mother is rooted deeply in a Cancer’s inner life. No matter in which form, safe and warm, domineering and strict or absent and far-away, a Crab will always live his life in search of or running away from this one, so complex archetype - the mother.

the ancient myths  The most ancient religions of the world begin with the worship of mother goddess or mother earth, the source of life, the nurturing hand guarding the harvest and the cycle of the seasons. As civilization grows older, men think they are superior to mother goddess and her gifts are there for the taking but just like the ancient belief in the mysterious, powerful ways of our mother earth, nothing will ever come close to the bright and vast moments of a baby at its mother’s breast. And a child will never forget this experience, it is rooted deep in their conscience. A Cancer is wonderfully sensitive to the flowing tides of a family and the effects it has on human nature but it will always remain a glittering secret for them, a distinct feeling in their gut, they can only feel but not explain. The mother goddess always had a consort, who was, at the same time, son and lover (taken symbolically, this means that the Goddess and her lover have the same source, the same roots). This consort is often an artist, a sort of muse to the mother, who brings life to the world in spring. Easter has its roots in the worshipping of this young god’s resurrection after his death in autumn followed by a cold and barren winter. He shows us the ebb and tide of the seasons and especially Cancers are incredibly vulnerable to the changes in climate, weather or seasons because they are the sign that is closest to our mother earth. But the myth also tells us something about a Cancer’s creativity, as they draw from the deep ocean of their dreams, visions and fantasies to create something that lasts, Their inspiration is like a swelling tide, the spring, a phase of life and renewal and after that tide has come to sleep in the sand, they will be depressed for a while until the ocean brings a new task. 

[breezybadaboom]