This is defined as
stories where the heroes aren't always nice or the
fantasy has a definite grounding in elements other than sweetness and
light. Life is often short, brutish, and nasty, with all the aspects of most
human societies that we go to other fantasies to ignore. It tends to the
dark and the uncomfortable, lowlife settings and Machiavellian
politics. Examples include:
- The Thieves' World anthologies edited by Robert Aspirin and Lynn Abbey
- The Spirit Lens, by Carol Berg
- Flesh and Spirit and Breath
and Bone by Carol Berg
- Lord Foul's Bane by Steven R. Donaldson,
usually classed as epic fantasy, but this series is very dark
- American Gods by Neil Gaiman
- Assassin's Apprentice, Royal Assassin, and
Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb
- The Borribles and The Borribles Go For Broke by
Michael de
Larrabeiti
- The Blue Star by Fletcher Pratt
- Metal Angel by Nancy Springer, which
also qualifies as urban fantasy
You can buy Gritty Fantasy titles at the Other
Worlds Bookstore.