Over on the Grimdark Facebook group we're compiling a list of books which we're going to rate for grimdarkiness.
It seems to be not a war of words but a war for a word. There are those who use 'grimdark' as a pejorative for a vague group of things they dislike, there are grimdark aficionados who see the term as descriptor for an aesthetic that requires the presence of a number of distinct elements which may include moral greyness, bleakness, and nihilism, and there are an (apparent majority) who just see it as the setting on a control knob relating to general levels of violence and ickyness... Here all are free to battle it out and define this word through usage and example. Let your voice be heard!
Note, this isn't something you "win" at. Nobody is saying a high grimdark score means a good book, or vice versa.
Currently under vote:
The Poppy War - by R.F. Kuang
Priest of Bones - by Peter McLean
This is the list of titles, ranked by average grimdark content:
(this list says nothing about quality, many excellent books at all levels)
Please only vote on a book IF YOU HAVE READ IT, not based on other's opinions.
Beyond Redemption - by Michael R Fletcher, Grimdark Rating 4.71
The Darkness That Comes Before - by R. Scott Bakker, Grimdark Rating 4.49
Prince of Thorns - by Mark Lawrence, Grimdark Rating 4.45
Godblind - by Anna Stephens, Grimdark Rating 4.16 (*)
The Steel Remains - by Richard K. Morgan, Grimdark Rating 4.12
The Blade Itself - by Joe Abercrombie, Grimdark Rating 4.10
Heroes Die - by Matthew Woodring Stover, Grimdark Rating 4.09 (*)
The Court of Broken Knives - by Anna Spark Smith, Grimdark Rating 4.06 (*)
The Black Company - by Glen Cook, Grimdark Rating 3.96
Low Town - by Daniel Polansky, Grimdark Rating 3.72 (*)
The Left Hand of God - by Paul Hoffman, Grimdark Rating 3.69 (*)
Blackwing - by Ed McDonald, Grimdark Rating 3.61 (*)
Horus Rising - by Dan Abnet, Grimdark Rating 3.60 (*)
The Grim Company - by Luke Scull, Grimdark Rating 3.55
Gardens of the Moon - by Steven Erikson, Grimdark Rating 3.52
The Mirror Empire - by Kameron Hurley, Grimdark Rating 3.49 (*)
Elric of Melnibone - by Michael Moorcock, Grimdark Rating 3.48
A Game of Thrones - by George RR Martin, Grimdark Rating 3.44
Prince of Fools - by Mark Lawrence, Grimdark Rating 3.27The Left Hand of God - by Paul Hoffman, Grimdark Rating 3.69 (*)
Blackwing - by Ed McDonald, Grimdark Rating 3.61 (*)
Horus Rising - by Dan Abnet, Grimdark Rating 3.60 (*)
The Grim Company - by Luke Scull, Grimdark Rating 3.55
Gardens of the Moon - by Steven Erikson, Grimdark Rating 3.52
The Mirror Empire - by Kameron Hurley, Grimdark Rating 3.49 (*)
Elric of Melnibone - by Michael Moorcock, Grimdark Rating 3.48
A Game of Thrones - by George RR Martin, Grimdark Rating 3.44
Lord Foul's Bane - by Stephen R Donaldson, Grimdark Rating 3.18
The Vagrant - by Peter Newman, Grimdark Rating 3.11
Red Sister - by Mark Lawrence, Grimdark Rating 3.08
The Grey Bastards - by Jonathan French, Grimdark Rating 3.00 (*)
Shadow of the Torturer - by Gene Wolfe, Grimdark Rating 2.96 (*)
The Library at Mount Char - by Scott Hawkins, Grimdark Rating 2.89 (*)
Bloodsong - by Anthony Ryan, Grimdark Rating 2.88 (*)
The Last Wish - by Andrzej Sapkowski, Grimdark Rating 2.82
The Way of Shadows - by Brent Weeks, Grimdark Rating 2.78
Conan - by Howard, Sprague de Camp & Lin Carter, Grimdark Rating 2.68
The Gunslinger - by Stephen King, Grimdark Rating 2.66
The Red Knight - by Miles Cameron, Grimdark Rating 2.66 (*)
Half a King - by Joe Abercrombie, Grimdark Rating 2.64 (*)
The Traitor Baru Cormorant - by Seth Dickinson, Grimdark Rating 2.62 (*)
The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett, Grimdark Rating 2.56
Legend - by David Gemmell, Grimdark Rating 2.27
The Lies of Locke Lamora - by Scott Lynch, Grimdark Rating 2.26
The Fifth Season - by N.K. Jemisin, Grimdark Rating 2.26 (*)
Malice - by John Gwynne, Grimdark Rating 2.26 (*)
The Final Empire - by Brandon Sanderson, Grimdark Rating 1.97
Assassin's Apprentice - by Robin Hobb, Grimdark Rating 1.96
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms - by N.K. Jemisin, Grimdark Rating 1.75 (*)
The Innocent Mage - by Karen Miller, Grimdark Rating 1.54 (*)
The Sword of Truth - by Terry Goodkind, Grimdark Rating 1.51
Magician - by Raymond E Feist, Grimdark Rating 1.46
The Pawn of Prophecy - by David Eddings, Grimdark Rating 1.26
The Sword of Shannara - by Terry Brooks, Grimdark Rating 1.16
