Dark Fantasies for Game of Thrones Fans

If you love the gritty intrigue and morally complex world of Game of Thrones, you appreciate a fantasy that isn’t afraid to showcase blood, betrayal, and flawed heroes. Books like Game of Thrones don’t come along every day. In this post, we’ve curated a list of our favorites.

Full disclosure: I’m also a dark fantasy author – my own novel The Blood of Tharta follows a cursed land and conflicted champions. But that’s just a fellow fan’s excitement, not a sales pitch.

In the spirit of the genre, here are 20 dark and epic fantasy novels—newer hits, underrated gems, and a few classics—that Game of Thrones readers will likely enjoy. Each entry includes a concise overview and explains why it scratches that GoT itch. Whether it’s ruthless politics, epic battles, or characters driven by revenge, these books deliver the “grimdark” tone and rich worldbuilding many GoT fans crave.

Dark Epic Novels

1. The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie

Abercrombie’s First Law trilogy opener plunges readers into a brutal, blood-soaked world. Three very different figures—a cruel nobleman-turned-soldier, Logen Ninefingers the infamous northern barbarian, and Sand dan Glokta, a crippled inquisitor—are thrown together by fate. Their paths collide amid wars, dark magic, and conspiracies.

The story is notable for its gritty realism and morally gray characters. Glokta embodies the novel’s grim tone. The Blade Itself never sanitizes violence or suspense; instead, it keeps you on edge about who will survive each brutal encounter.

Game of Thrones fans will appreciate Abercrombie’s black humor and unflinching depiction of a world where no one is safe—very much in line with Martin’s style. (In short: if you liked the unpredictability and dark comedy of Westeros, Abercrombie delivers it fully.)

2. Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

This is the first volume of Lawrence’s Broken Empire trilogy and it wastes no time setting a savage tone. It follows Jorg Ancrath, a teenager turned ruthless warlord after horrible childhood losses. In a post-apocalyptic medieval world, Jorg leads a band of savage outlaws known as the “Brothers” on a bloody quest for power.

Along the way, he confronts dark magic and undead horrors (yes, zombies are in Broken Empire) while slicing through enemies with brutal efficiency. The prose doesn’t hold back from gore: as one review warns, this series is “not for the faint of heart”. Fans of Game of Thrones will recognize Jorg as a classic grimdark antihero—charismatic yet horrifying.

3. Red Sister by Mark Lawrence

Also from Lawrence, this is the first book in the Book of the Ancestor trilogy. It introduces Nona Grey, a fierce young orphan taken to the Convent of Sweet Mercy—a training school for assassin-nuns. Immediately, we see Nona thrown into deadly combat trials and conspiracies, even as she hides secrets of her own past.

The convent itself is a grim, monastic battlefield. Novice “Sisters” train in magic and the blade, and nothing is off-limits for the girls in training. Lawrence weaves a fast-paced coming-of-age tale that’s unexpectedly brutal—think Harry Potter meets GoT on combat steroids.

Despite its school setting, Red Sister remains firmly adult in tone. The stakes grow as external politics and dark forces encroach on the convent. Game of Thrones readers will enjoy the strong, determined heroine and the quiet brew of tension between friends and foes alike.

4. The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

A modern entry in grimdark fantasy, The Poppy War is set in a China-inspired empire on the brink of war. We follow Rin, a poor war orphan who wins a spot at the elite Sinegard Military Academy. Political rivalries and foreign threats loom just as much as martial training.

When a brutal war erupts, Rin discovers terrifying shamanic powers linked to the gods of fire (the Phoenix). Kuang’s book spares no detail in its depiction of wartime atrocities and genocide, paralleling real-world 20th-century history.

This is unflinching grimdark, with morally harrowing choices for the heroine. Readers will appreciate the epic war scale and complex power struggles, seen in both the imperial court and the battlefield. Rin’s journey involves ruthless tactical gambits and betrayals, much like the desperate gambles in Martin’s saga.

5. The Black Company by Glen Cook

This classic 1984 series, beginning with The Black Company, is a forebear of modern grimdark. It follows an elite mercenary unit known as the Black Company as they serve a powerful sorceress ruling a shadowy empire. Narrated by the company’s physician, Croaker, the story covers decades of war, espionage, and mysticism.

The tone is famously matter-of-fact, as brutal battles, betrayals, and magic unfold with grim routine. For GoT fans, this series is a must-read precursor, pioneering the idea of fantasy from the bottom of the food chain. Here, heroes are flawed mercenaries, and even “evil” rulers are seen in shades of gray.

6. The Witcher Saga by Andrzej Sapkowski

This Polish fantasy series, beginning with The Last Wish, has become a global phenomenon—thanks partly to video games and a Netflix series. It centers on Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster-hunter (“witcher”) roaming a grim continent rife with political plots.

Witchers are humans enhanced by alchemical means and trained to fight deadly beasts. Geralt’s adventures blend folklore horror with court intrigue. The tone is mature and sardonic, showcasing schemes among kings and sorcerers. Non-humans face prejudice, and moral lines blur, making it resonate with Game of Thrones’ cynicism.

7. Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

An epic of political intrigue, Traitor Baru Cormorant follows Baru, a prodigy from a small Pacific island. Her homeland has been colonized by the imperial power of Falcrest, nicknamed the Masquerade, which propels Baru to seek revenge.

To enact her vendetta, she rises through the empire’s bureaucracy, becoming its chief accountant to manipulate economics and politics. The prose is sharp, creating a slow burn of court intrigue filled with decadent royal courts and puritanical overlords.

Fans of Game of Thrones will be hooked by the moral complexity and detailed scheming. Baru’s efforts to crush rebellions also echo Martin’s theme that playing the game can cost your soul. #

Discover More Dark Fantasies

The 20 novels above are just the beginning. Dark fantasy is richer than ever, with new voices pushing boundaries of world-building and moral complexity. We encourage readers to dive in beyond well-known titles.

If your reading list still needs padding, consider my novel – The Blood of Tharta – a look. It’s a heartfelt effort in this vein, blending curse-bound kingdoms and conflicted heroes in a style that Game of Thrones fans tend to enjoy.

Final Thoughts on Dark Fantasy

Whether you pick up The Blood of Tharta or any of the other titles here, the real win is discovering a story that grips you with its darkness and thrills. Happy reading, and may your fantasy quests be as enthralling as they are dangerous!

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