The Best Dark Fantasy Books without Romance
Do you love dark fantasy books but you’re not a fan of spice? I hear you! The dark fantasy genre is filled with morally grey characters, dark romance stories, and enemies-to-lovers tropes, but what if you just want fight scenes, blood-thirsty monsters, and enemies that just want to murder each other?
I’ve got you covered! In this book list, I’m sharing the best dark fantasy books with no romance. Enjoy!
Ever wondered what the best fantasy book ever is? I ran the numbers, and here are the top-selling fantasy series of all time.
Dark Fantasy Books with No Romance
I’ll preface this list by saying that some of these books have love interests or very light romantic themes. But you won’t get any spice, and the love interest isn’t a main plot point. Overall, I’ve tried to include dark fantasy books with a heavy emphasis on horror themes, battles, and unnatural creatures.
When The Dead Rise by Nicholas P Williams
Wait, that’s me! Ok, so I’m a little biased with this one. When The Dead Rise is the first novel in my Uvrenmouth series, and it’s a must-read for dark fantasy lovers.
The story follows Azerrad as he attempts to protect ancient spell books from falling into the hands of a dark necromancer hell-bent on world destruction. The books end up in the hands of The Order, a secret brotherhood sworn to protect humanity from unnatural creatures. The books should be safe in their vaults… right?
From epic battle scenes to witty characters and plenty of twists, I truly hope this book becomes one of your favorite dark fantasy books. Azerrad does have a partner in this book, but there’s very little romance and readers have told me that Azerrad ends up being closer to his unwanted sidekick — you’ll have to let me know your thoughts!
The Book That Wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence
The old saying, “The pen is mightier than the sword,” comes to mind when describing this dark fantasy book.
Follow the tale of an aspiring librarian from the nightmarish village of Dust and a boy who has spent his entire life trapped in a vast, ancient library. This dark fantasy book is twisty, and you’ll never see what’s coming. It has everything from (light) romance and politics to blood and cities burning.
The Vagrant by Peter Newman
The Vagrant got some mixed reviews, but I seriously enjoyed this dark fantasy book without the romance. It follows the story of — you guessed it — a vagrant travelling through an apocalyptic world protecting a baby. He’s mute, which means the story is slow to build, but it’s intriguing, and the horrific entities hot on his tail are the stuff of nightmares.
The Bite by Z W Taylor
Charlotte hits the road to get away from her abusive ex, ending up in the Alaskan wilderness with nothing but her truck and a burner phone. She gets attacked and bitten by a wolf, but is it just a random animal attack? … No. Obviously not; this is a werewolf book.
If you’re looking for an easy read that’s suspenseful and well-written, you’ll like this dark fantasy book with no romance. And, of course, if you love werewolf books, this one is a must-read.
The Book of Hidden Things by Francesco Dimitri
This blend of crime thriller, supernatural suspense, and detective story is full of twists, and the ending (no spoilers) comes right out of left field.
It’s the dark fantasy story of four friends who have a pact to meet up once a year in their hometown in Southern Italy. When one friend doesn’t show up one year, the other three fall deep into a rabbit hole of drugs, the mafia, and a book of deadly secrets…
Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh
We’re finishing our list of dark fantasy books to read strong with Silver in the Wood. If you’re looking to get lost in a dreamy folklore world of enchanted forests and powerful fae, this is the one for you.
Tesh writes a captivating tale of the green man, who has controlled the forest for hundreds of years, and a curious human who comes into the woods looking for answers.
What Are Your Favourite Dark Fantasy Books?
Dark fantasy books without romance are the perfect mix of horror, deep characters, and epic quests. What dark fantasy books have you read lately that you loved? Let us know in the comments below!
Want to see some fantasy books with stunning covers? Head to our next book lists for fantasy series with beautiful cover art.
