by blackrosedrop

Dark fantasy is when fantasy (either low or high) interacts with darker elements that are often associated with horror. Think: the Dementors within the Harry Potter universe. Dark fantasy elements can be literal, through terrifying monsters and supernatural threats, or thematic such as continued references to mortality, or extreme emotional conflicts that push characters to the edges of their morality. Often, our main heroes might meet unfortunate ends, as seen in A Game of Thrones. Often dark fantasy elements can be seen in paranormal fiction, but dark fantasy tends to have more of a reliance upon world-building and creating a creepy atmosphere to send shivers down your spine. This is why dark fantasy is often used interchangeably with Gothic fantasy.

The sub-genre typically overlaps with other types of fantasy and is usually intended for older readers due to emotionally heavy content: endings are often bittersweet, suspense is unravelled in a way similar to horror, and there is a large amount of explicit gore and sexuality.

Good examples of dark fantasy would be works by Neil Gaiman, such as Coraline, American Gods, or The Graveyard Book, which cross over with urban fantasy.

Coraline is such a fantastic example to use to portray the divide of where fantasy becomes dark. Fantasy elements in a broader sense would refer to the young girl finding a door in her new house which leads to another place. Dark fantasy would be the fact that the new house is identical, and that her parents there are also identical, marking them her Other Mother and Other Father in a creepy and unsettling way. In typical high-fantasy, monsters might be traditionally evil with clear motives established from earlier on in the story, but in a dark fantasy such as Coraline, the Other Mother's motives are kept hidden until around halfway, allowing a greater effect on the reader to play with their expectations, and keep the intensity and foreboding atmosphere of the story.

The A Song of Ice and Fire series (George R. R. Martin) is another terrific example of where high-fantasy becomes dark and gritty. In a literal sense, the White Walkers present a direct threat as ultimate antagonists against the heroes, but further darker elements also rely in the plot where the protagonists sometimes meet unfortunate fates at the hands of their enemies. Additionally, the intense and chilling descriptions, as well as some sexually explicit and violent scenes throughout the series create an uneasy atmosphere where it seems that nobody is truly safe, as characters battle for power, maintaining a sense of dread within the reader and again defying conventional expectations.

The ethics and morality of the protagonist may also be a key component. Louis' character in Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice may be classed as anti-hero; although he is a vampire, he still fights against taking human blood as a contrast to his master Lestat. Long descriptions capture Louis's frustration and moral dilemmas, and underlying questions are expressed regarding the nature of evil itself, the supernatural, religion, and purpose.

The sub-genre itself is a relatively contemporary classification of fantasy, and it is difficult to determine where fantasy ends and horror begins. Often, there are overlapping references to the supernatural that mark a fantasy story as dark. For example, stories involving werewolves and vampires.

I particularly like this sub-genre because it allows you to extend to the edges of fantasy, and blur it with horror to create a really thrilling and gripping story. Stakes and levels of conflict can be risen, you can push readers to the edges of their seats, as well as provide a deeper satisfaction if the protagonist meets a satisfying ending for their cruel journey. You can create a creepy and surreal atmosphere and setting to hang over the story like a shadow, and provide a backdrop of constant suspense and discomfort.

Dark fantasy is not for the lighthearted, and it may take you to a dark and scary place. If conventional fantasy stories are getting a little too fluffy or predictable, check out some dark fantasy stories to take you right to the edge. Who knows? You might even enjoy it.

Example of Dark Fantasy on Wattpad:
Snow Kiss by blackrosedrop

Synopsis:

The Prince of Darkness has ruled in the North for centuries, casting a shadow across the rest of the kingdom. When he attacks a village in the Midlands, Sage is taken prisoner and divided from her brother, Reid. Meanwhile, there is unrest in the streets of Nirvana when the Queen's grandson and heir to the throne plots against her.

Extract:

"A day, you were saying?" said a voice that made her very core shiver. "I give it an hour."

She didn't even have to look, but she did anyway, down between the darkened leaves at a man that stood in the shadier part of the forest. He wore a finer shirt than the others, and a long, white cloak that laced over the back of his boots. A furious contrast to the blood that had been split at his hands, for his pleasure.

I'll kill him, Sage vowed. His mere presence ignited every ounce of rage inside of her, enough to contaminate every drop of her blood. The pit of fear in her stomach blended into a nightly blur of lust to inflict pain, as much pain as she could - and it still wouldn't be enough punishment to redeem what he had done.

Prince Kalien, he called himself. Or, as the rest of the world knew him to be: the Prince of Darkness.

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