Fantasy is a large umbrella term that encapsulates several different forms of fantasy, such as grimdark, light fantasy, high fantasy, epic fantasy, and more. I’ve actually discussed what grimdark fantasy is and what high fantasy is compared to low fantasy, and there are some interesting things that differentiate each subgenre. For today’s post, I’ll be discussing dark fantasy vs high fantasy, what the major differences are, and which one is right for you.
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What is High Fantasy?
High fantasy is also referred to as epic fantasy and is marked by its grandiose stories, intensive and complex world building, and the importance of a very intricate magic system. The world building is usually very focused upon in the high fantasy subgenre.
High fantasy world building is detailed, immersive, intricate, and complex. Writers of high fantasy tend to explore an entire new world with its own history, its own cultures, religions, languages, magic systems, lore, and myths.
High fantasy likes to take up the story of the heroic protagonist (the chosen one, usually) that stands for good against the villain, who typically falls under being “pure evil,” which is a villain archetype I’ve actually written a whole post about before. I’ve also written a post about other villain archetypes if you’re interested.
High fantasy details epic battles, perilous journeys, and intense quests that revolve around the fight between good and evil. The quest is also usually world-altering and the conflict involves everything. The quest is a way that high fantasy writers craft a plot to lead up to the battle of good and evil.
High fantasy is also usually really clear about good and evil and doesn’t really involve the ideas of morally gray heroes, though it can, but these sorts of stories threaten to tip into other subgenres like grimdark, which isn’t high fantasy at all.
One of the most popular high fantasy stories is definitely Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and that story really defines the good from the bad. I personally really enjoy high fantasy and I think there’s a lot of great elements in high fantasy, but I also really love dark fantasy, which is what we’ll be getting into now.
What is Dark Fantasy?
Compared to high fantasy, dark fantasy is a subgenre that blends elements of fantasy with elements of horror. Stories within dark fantasy tend to take on a much darker style and it works with much of the darker parts of human nature. Dark fantasy also likes to involve the supernatural and the overall tone is quite sinister.
My series, The Fallen Age Saga, falls in the dark fantasy and grimdark subgenres, so if you’re interested in dark fantasy, you should check out my series!
For the most part, dark fantasy is characterized by world building that has a setting where things are grim. The worlds in dark fantasy are under threat or are in a state beyond repair. The worlds are often plagued by corruption, disease, dark forces, etc… and these things all serve as obstacles for the main characters. I think the video game Elden Ring is a great example of this.
Dark fantasy includes morally ambiguous main characters that may perform actions that are morally questionable compared to heroes in high fantasy stories. Dark fantasy characters tend to be more flawed than anything else, especially from the perspective of their ideals.
In line with all of this, dark fantasy tends to be pessimistic and has lots of dark elements at play. Similar to grimdark fantasy, dark fantasy endings may not necessarily be happy or may end in something that subverts the reader’s expectations.
What Makes High Fantasy Different From Dark Fantasy?
Good and Evil
In high fantasy, good and evil are typically clearly defined and this struggle between good and evil is pretty much the reason for the plot’s existence in the story. The heroes are the main characters and they fight against the obvious villains, attempting to restore harmony or prevent a dark prophecy from happening.
For most of the high fantasy stories out there, there are themes of bravery, sacrifice, justice, and of course right vs wrong. The ending in high fantasy tends to see the world restored to a proper state, with the heroes victorious and the villain defeated.
Meanwhile, dark fantasy blurs the lines of good and evil and presents a more nuanced take on the idea. Characters are more apt to do dark things and they may actually be quite evil themselves. The antagonist may not actually be the villain of the story either. Dark fantasy likes to take a different approach, exploring the themes of corruption and how people are not pure good or pure evil.
Hope and a Lack of it
High fantasy and dark fantasy differ pretty intensely on how hope is handled in their respective stories. Hope in high fantasy is often central to the story, where the characters overcome the challenge by being courageous. The characters in high fantasy hold onto their hope and the hero often discovers hope throughout their journey.
Dark fantasy on the other hand likes to show that things are pretty dreadful and that hope is relatively dead in this world. Dark fantasy shows that life is not really so bright and that hope is a fleeting thing to want. There can be some level of hope, but realistically speaking,
Tone and Atmosphere
High Fantasy:
In high fantasy, the tone is pretty much a lighter one that has vividly described worlds with whimsical magical creatures, beautiful landscapes, and elements that really make you captivated as a reader. If you’ve ever watched The Lord of the Rings films, you’ll know what I’m talking about with this, but think of that movie when you imagine a high fantasy setting and its tone.
High fantasy also tends to be more optimistic and has a narrative that is led by an epic quest and the pursuit of a noble, fantastic goal. High fantasy leads with moments of triumph, there’s a lot of brotherhood and friendship that is promoted in high fantasy, and when the heroes face off against the villains, there is the theme of hope that is ever-present.
Dark Fantasy:
On the other side of the coin, being a blend between fantasy and horror, dark fantasy’s tone is often suspenseful, dangerous, and unsettling. The settings are usually quite dark and there is the idea that something bad could happen at any moment.
Dark fantasy also tends to be more pessimistic than high fantasy, and it likes to showcase the worst parts of the human experience. There is also a lot of the supernatural and there are even gothic elements in dark fantasy. Dark fantasy also likes to add in things like demons, vampires, and other dark creatures and it usually involves magic systems that are very much dark as well.
Dark fantasy also often delves into human psychology and portrays things like a character’s descent into madness, characters that exhibit psychopathy and more.
Narrative Structure
High Fantasy
High fantasy tends to use a linear narrative structure, where there is a clear progression of events that revolve around the same questline. The story is filled with heroic battles, meeting other characters, and the protagonist’s journey is at the center of it all. The ending in high fantasy is usually pretty clearly one where the good guys will triumph over the bad guys.
Dark fantasy will sometimes use a different plot structure, but it can still be linear and methodical. However, something about dark fantasy is that the narrative does not always follow a singular quest or an epic journey and may instead explore themes more than the fight between good and evil. Dark fantasy can have a good ending, but it can also have an ambiguous or tragic ending.
Should You Write High Fantasy or Dark Fantasy?
When you decide which subgenre is right for you, it really depends on the ultimate goal of your story and your own writing preferences. If you like to explore morally gray characters and you enjoy more “darker” stories, then writing dark fantasy makes the most sense. If you enjoy more hopeful stories where there are epic battles and characters that are more optimistic and hopeful, then high fantasy is for you.
I think that you should write what you enjoy and stick to that, but if you want to try out the other type of fantasy, I recommend finding books that are published in that genre and seeing what works in them and what is a common tie.
Before you head on out, you should check out my series, The Fallen Age Saga and sign up for my newsletter so you can get updates on all my latest WIPs, book releases, and posts.