If you love grimdark fantasy with a touch of sharp humor and found family, you probably already read Joe Abercrombie’s latest offering, The Devils (2025). Packed with non-stop action and an intriguing storyline, The Devils follows Brother Diaz and his rag-tag group of fiends on an unforgettable journey across an apocalyptic hellscape, completing missions and facing treachery at every turn.
With vividly designed worlds, Abercrombie’s writing leans more towards alternative history than fantasy, exploring religion, human greed, and tyranny, with great nuance. His characters, especially the eclectic cast of The Devils, are more often than not morally grey, having done bad deeds in the past, yet trying to do some good in a corrupt world, already sinking into the throes of decadence. Thus, even with the grimdark vibes, Abercrombie manages to pepper his narrative with humor and compared with his other works, The Devils is lighter in tone.
There’s also a sequel, Heretics, in the works. But since that isn’t likely to release this year, we bring you some deliciously decadent novels also set in a similarly morally corrupt universe and headed by memorable characters to satiate your appetite!
Best Served Cold
If The Devils was your first introduction to Abercrombie’s works, then you must check out his other books, especially The First Law trilogy or one of his standalone novels, such as Best Served Cold (also set in The First Law universe) which was how I first discovered him. As a grimdark fantasy author, his works are more grimdark than fantasy—with deep character work taking the center stage over the magical elements, and Best Served Cold is no different. At its heart, it’s a wildly entertaining revenge story, with plenty of betrayals and bloodshed to keep you hooked until the final page.
The Black Company
If your favorite part about Abercrombie’s The Devils were the morally ambiguous characters, take a chance on Glen Cook’s dark fantasy novel, The Black Company. The narrative is mostly concerned with a four-hundred-year-old elite mercenary unit, following their exploits over 40 years as the members betray others, get killed off, forge new alliances and so on. Filled with gritty, down-to-earth details, The Black Company offers a realistic portrayal of military violence, through various victories and losses. Overall, a darkly stunning and unique read.
Speak to the Devil
Speak to the Devil is the first entry in Dave Duncan’s The Brothers Magnus series, and like The Devils, unfolds in a decadent fictional world inspired by medieval Europe. It also carries an alt history vibe and dives deep into religious themes, with saints and demons shaping a rather fast-paced adventure. And like The Devils, it isn’t that dark, making for a fun and entertaining read that will leave you breathless for the sequels.
The Black Fox
If you’re fond of works that are weird, self-consciously Gothic and steeped in religious themes, you’ll definitely enjoy The Black Fox by H. F. Heard. Set in Victorian England, the story explores Anglicanism with supernatural elements. Like The Devils, The Black Fox also balances a strong focus on religious conflict with a gripping storyline.
Prince of Thorns
Grimdark fantasy meets dystopian sci-fi in Mark Lawrence’s stunning novel, Prince of Thorns, the first book in his Broken Empire trilogy. The protagonist Jorg is a classic anti-hero who witnessed the murder of his family members, joined a band of thugs and intends to take the throne by hook or by crook. By telling the story from the POV of Jorg, the readers are forced to reckon with his penchant for violence as well as slowly understand the traumatic childhood that shaped his personality and lack of morals.
If you’re drawn to works dealing with morally ambiguous characters written in a compelling tone like The Devils, you’ll find Prince of Thorns to be a similarly enticing and unputdownable read.
The Lies of Locke Lamora
Scott Lynch’s books are also filled with scheming thieves, street urchins and gang lords, set in a decadent fantasy world reminiscent of medieval Venice, but of course, with a magical twist. The first book in his Gentleman Bastards Sequence, The Lies of Locke Lamora follows the career of an elite con artist as the young orphan Locke manages to cheat death and slavery and slowly climb the ladders of corruption to become a master thief capable of pulling off the most impossible heists. But of course, the other established members of the underworld won’t stand for it…
The Will of the Many (Hierarchy Book 1)
Published in 2023, The Will of the Many by Australian author James Islington is the first book in his Hierarchy series that successfully blends in elements of dark academia, sci-fi and mystery into an enthralling narrative. It follows the adventures of a young fugitive harboring some dangerous secrets as he enrolls in the elite Catenan Academy and enters the political fray.
Filled with unpredictable twists, high-stakes tension and detailed magic systems, The Will of the Many is an utterly immersive read followed by a highly satisfying sequel, The Strength of the Few. If you loved The Hunger Games while growing up and you’re also looking for a grimdark author who does something new with the magical school trope, you’ve picked up the right book.
Six of Crows
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo: Finally, if you rather grew fond of the found family at the heart of The Devils, you’re likely to be thrilled by Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows that follows a thieving crew on a seemingly impossible heist. But more than the frenetic action sequences or the tensions boiling in the narrative, it is the endearing cast of characters that make the reader feel at home in this story. Though aimed at a YA audience, Six of Crows and the other novels set in the Grishaverse are hugely entertaining and enjoyed by teens and adults alike.
If you love grimdark fantasy with a touch of sharp humor and found family, you must NOT have missed Joe Abercrombie’s latest offering, The Devils (2025). Packed with non-stop action and an intriguing storyline, The Devils follows Brother Diaz and his rag-tag group of fiends on an unforgettable journey across an apocalyptic hellscape, completing missions and facing treachery at every turn.
