Looking for inspiration and something new to read, preferably something written by a user on this site.

As the title says, I want a story that's serious and gritty that takes place in a fantastical world, but not something so melodramatic to the point of being overly edgy and cringe-inducing.

Think Bloodborne and Attack on Titan in terms of depth of worldbuilding and characterization. That's what I need.

Thanks in advance!

This is what you’re looking for. Links in signature. Or check out my new LitRPG styled Dark fantasy story called Shinobi (also in sig).



Both are inspired by videogames like Nioh, Sekiro, Bloodborne, and similar. Requiem isn’t a LitRPG though.

Terramagica  Magical steampunk set in an alt-19th century, with a Lovecraftian undertow (except the creatures are all based on the Maya cosmology). Three books worth are posted

Terramagica | Royal Road

I would recommend A World of Monsters. Its the story of a sorceress reincarnated into a pest, alone in a forest.

This book of mine is dark and gritty, which might be to your taste: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/37108/the-land-above-the-snow-book-one-of-the-last-woman

A Journey of black and red. It's an amazing read

My book combines Norse mythology with LitRPG. Link is in my signature below.

The Valkyrie System

Lilith dies after giving birth and reincarnates as a Valkyrie. Thanks to a glitch in the System, her memories of Earth remain intact. Now she must make sense of her new world and her newfound powers as a death maiden. She has no intention of staying in Asgard, but for there to be any hope of going home, she must first survive Ragnarok, the apocalypse of the gods.

Meanwhile on Earth, a mysterious portal is discovered...

Everything I do is dark and gritty! Like my soul!

Frostfall is a short story. Epic Fantasy, some swording. Female viking-esque protag.

Songs of the Second Apocalypse is Post-Apoc and new. It's only 5k words atm, but I'm going to release at least two chapters a week! It's also dark! Hooray! Links are in the signature if you're interested.

I think you've got a decent description of my novel here.

Children of Nemeah is a Fantasy Fiction that focuses on medieval swordplay as much as mutations that conclude in abilities which are fantastic but all still logical and I put a lot of effort into keeping everything explainable - there is nothing happening just because "magic". Same as in attack of titans, the world building is a bit dark and nebulous at the start, but secrets will be revealed (although it will get even darker later on).

If you are for action, amazing abilities and want characters that feel alive in that dark environment, I believe I can provide!

Children of Nemeah | Royal Road

BR,
D.C.Veiling

Good god, lol. All these self plugs.

There was one by a guy named Hugo Huesca that I thought was good, "Dungeon Lord."

There's another one which has great worldbuilding but isn't so dark as it is economical, "CIVCEO" by Andrew Karevik.

Good luck in your research!

Not from this site but have you read A Practical Guide to Evil? It has to be my favorite web serial of all time, i only recently found out about it thanks to a post on this forum

https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/38216/where-the-dragons-went-book-1-no-peace-without

Where The Dragons Went by ImSoAwesome

Extremely well-written, it's to the level that you'd expect for a professionally published book! Even better is that the author has already completed the first 2 books and almost completed the third. So that means regular releases as they build their following

Flow

Katalepsis

Nighthunter

The Gilded Hero

The Snake Report

The Sphere

Why don't you try mine, it's pretty dark too~

Just finished another good dark fantasy, figured I'd mention it. It's good enough to use as study material!

"King's Dark Tidings" by Kade, Kel.

The first couple chapters of book one is a mixed bag - you'll like or dislike it. But I strongly recommend pushing through book one regardless. The meat of it is book three. Reading that one was pure bliss.

My story is not an action like Attack on Titan but has darker drama. It's also low fantasy but if you do like a broody character who isn't trying to be cool (I hate edgy) you can try it. 

My first part is basically character building; the depressed MC being bullied and pushed to a limit. But the second part would be more grimdark, the journey of the supernatural beings and how they came about, how they born their saviour to the world.

I myself want to rewatch Claymore for inspiration, reread The Prophecy of Lucifer and even some Inu Yasha.