ABOUT DARK FANTASY

Dark fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy which can refer to literary, artistic, and
cinematic works that incorporates more darker and frightening themes of fantasy. It
also often combines fantasy with elements of horror. The term can be used broadly
to refer to fantastical works that have a dark, gloomy atmosphere or a sense of
horror and dread.
A strict definition for dark fantasy is difficult to pin down. Gertrude Barrows
Bennett has been called "the woman who invented dark fantasy". Both Charles L.
Grant and Karl Edward Wagner are credited with having coined the term "dark
fantasy"although both authors were describing different styles of fiction. Brian
Stableford argues "dark fantasy" can be usefully defined as subgenre of stories that
attempt to "incorporate elements of horror fiction" into the standard formulae of
fantasy stories. Stableford also suggests that supernatural horror set primarily in
the real world is a form of "contemporary fantasy", whereas supernatural horror set
partly or wholly in "secondary worlds" should be described as "dark fantasy".
Additionally, other authors, critics, and publishers have adopted dark fantasy to
describe various other works. However, these stories rarely share universal
similarities beyond supernatural occurrences and a dark, often brooding, tone. As a
result, dark fantasy cannot be solidly connected to a defining set of tropes. The
term itself may refer collectively to tales that are either horror-based or fantasybased.
Some writers also use "dark fantasy" (or "Gothic fantasy") as an alternative
description to "horror", because they feel the latter term is too lurid or vivid.