The process of defining "grimdark" is 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 some (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.
New for voting: (click on any book name to vote)
Suggestions for other grimdark works welcome - they need to be popular enough to attract a meaningful number of votes from the people I can reach on social media. The list is primarily of books that are/may be grimdark with a spread of others to show the range.
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 4.66
The Darkness That Comes Before - by R. Scott Bakker, Grimdark Rating 4.57
Prince of Thorns - by Mark Lawrence, Grimdark Rating 4.47
In The Shadow Of Their Dying - by Michael R. Fletcher & Anna Smith Spark, Grimdark Rating 4.37 (*)
The Court of Broken Knives - by Anna Spark Smith, Grimdark Rating 4.26
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 4.09
The Court of Broken Knives - by Anna Spark Smith, Grimdark Rating 4.26
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 4.09
Heroes Die - by Matthew Woodring Stover, Grimdark Rating 4.01
Snakewood - by Adrian Selby, Grimdark Rating 3.97 (*)
A Little Hatred - by Joe Abercombie, Grimdark Rating 3.77
A Crown For Cold Silver - by Alex Marshall, Grimdark Rating 3.75 (*)
Low Town - by Daniel Polansky, Grimdark Rating 3.74
The Black Company - by Glen Cook, Grimdark Rating 3.74
The Left Hand of God - by Paul Hoffman, Grimdark Rating 3.69 (*)
The Left Hand of God - by Paul Hoffman, Grimdark Rating 3.69 (*)
Devices and Desires - by K.J Parker, Grimdark Rating 3.67 (*)
Priest of Bones - by Peter McLean, Grimdark Rating 3.63 (*)
Horus Rising - by Dan Abnet, Grimdark Rating 3.60 (*)
The Grim Company - by Luke Scull, Grimdark Rating 3.55
The Mirror Empire - by Kameron Hurley, Grimdark Rating 3.51 (*)
Where Loyalties Lie by Rob J. Hayes, Grimdark Rating 3.45 (*)
A Game of Thrones - by George RR Martin, Grimdark Rating 3.43
Gardens of the Moon - by Steven Erikson, Grimdark Rating 3.43
Elric of Melnibone - by Michael Moorcock, Grimdark Rating 3.41
Priest of Bones - by Peter McLean, Grimdark Rating 3.63 (*)
Horus Rising - by Dan Abnet, Grimdark Rating 3.60 (*)
The Grim Company - by Luke Scull, Grimdark Rating 3.55
The Mirror Empire - by Kameron Hurley, Grimdark Rating 3.51 (*)
Where Loyalties Lie by Rob J. Hayes, Grimdark Rating 3.45 (*)
A Game of Thrones - by George RR Martin, Grimdark Rating 3.43
Gardens of the Moon - by Steven Erikson, Grimdark Rating 3.43
Elric of Melnibone - by Michael Moorcock, Grimdark Rating 3.41
The Poppy War - by R.F. Kuang, Grimdark Rating 3.40 (*)
Winterbirth - by Brian Ruckley, Grimdark Rating 3.38 (*)
Scourge of the Betrayer - by Jeff Salyards, Grimdark Rating 3.31 (*)
The Gutter Prayer by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan, Grimdark Rating 3.29 (*)
Prince of Fools - by Mark Lawrence, Grimdark Rating 3.27Scourge of the Betrayer - by Jeff Salyards, Grimdark Rating 3.31 (*)
The Gutter Prayer by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan, Grimdark Rating 3.29 (*)
Nevernight - by Jay Kristoff, Grimdark Rating 3.25 (*)
The Vagrant - by Peter Newman, Grimdark Rating 3.20
Lord Foul's Bane - by Stephen R Donaldson, Grimdark Rating 3.20
The Emperor's Blades - by Brian Staveley, Grimdark Rating 3.11 (*)
Red Sister - by Mark Lawrence, Grimdark Rating 3.04
The Library at Mount Char - by Scott Hawkins, Grimdark Rating 2.89 (*)
The Grey Bastards - by Jonathan French, Grimdark Rating 2.89 (*)
Shadow of the Torturer - by Gene Wolfe, 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
Traitor's Blade - by Sebastian de Castell, Grimdark Rating 2.74 (*)
Red Sister - by Mark Lawrence, Grimdark Rating 3.04
The Library at Mount Char - by Scott Hawkins, Grimdark Rating 2.89 (*)
The Grey Bastards - by Jonathan French, Grimdark Rating 2.89 (*)
Shadow of the Torturer - by Gene Wolfe, 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
Traitor's Blade - by Sebastian de Castell, Grimdark Rating 2.74 (*)
The Girl And The Stars - by Mark Lawrence, Grimdark Rating 2.68
Conan - by Howard, Sprague de Camp & Lin Carter, Grimdark Rating 2.68
Half a King - by Joe Abercrombie, Grimdark Rating 2.67
The Gunslinger - by Stephen King, Grimdark Rating 2.66
Conan - by Howard, Sprague de Camp & Lin Carter, Grimdark Rating 2.68
Half a King - by Joe Abercrombie, Grimdark Rating 2.67
The Gunslinger - by Stephen King, Grimdark Rating 2.66
Bloodsong - by Anthony Ryan, Grimdark Rating 2.66
The Red Knight - by Miles Cameron, Grimdark Rating 2.66 (*)
The Traitor Baru Cormorant - by Seth Dickinson, Grimdark Rating 2.62 (*)
Ember In The Ashes - by Sabaa Tahir, Grimdark Rating 2.60 (*)
The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett, Grimdark Rating 2.56
The Red Knight - by Miles Cameron, Grimdark Rating 2.66 (*)
The Traitor Baru Cormorant - by Seth Dickinson, Grimdark Rating 2.62 (*)
Ember In The Ashes - by Sabaa Tahir, Grimdark Rating 2.60 (*)
The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett, Grimdark Rating 2.56
The Fifth Season - by N.K. Jemisin, Grimdark Rating 2.52
The Sword of Kaigen - by M.L Wang, Grimdark Rating 2.34
The Lies of Locke Lamora - by Scott Lynch, Grimdark Rating 2.32
The Blacktongue Thief - by Christopher Buehlman, Grimdark Rating 2.32 (*)
Legend - by David Gemmell, Grimdark Rating 2.27
Legend - by David Gemmell, Grimdark Rating 2.27
Malice - by John Gwynne, Grimdark Rating 2.23
The Final Empire - by Brandon Sanderson, Grimdark Rating 1.97
Assassin's Apprentice - by Robin Hobb, Grimdark Rating 1.96
The Final Empire - by Brandon Sanderson, Grimdark Rating 1.97
Assassin's Apprentice - by Robin Hobb, Grimdark Rating 1.96
The Book That Wouldn't Burn - by Mark Lawrence, Grimdark Rating 1.90 (*)
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms - by N.K. Jemisin, Grimdark Rating 1.78
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms - by N.K. Jemisin, Grimdark Rating 1.78
Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames, Grimdark Rating 1.72 (*)
The Innocent Mage - by Karen Miller, Grimdark Rating 1.54 (*)
The Sword of Truth - by Terry Goodkind, Grimdark Rating 1.51
The Sword of Truth - by Terry Goodkind, Grimdark Rating 1.51
Magician - by Raymond E Feist, Grimdark Rating 1.46
One Word Kill - by Mark Lawrence, Grimdark rating 1.28 (*)
The Pawn of Prophecy - by David Eddings, Grimdark Rating 1.26
The Sword of Shannara - by Terry Brooks, Grimdark Rating 1.16
(*) Average based on fewer than 100 votes
One Word Kill - by Mark Lawrence, Grimdark rating 1.28 (*)
The Pawn of Prophecy - by David Eddings, Grimdark Rating 1.26
The Sword of Shannara - by Terry Brooks, Grimdark Rating 1.16
