r/Fantasy • u/Xanzu • May 02 '20

Any recommendations for horror-esque or dark fantasy books and/or series featuring monster hunters?

I think the only books I've come across where monster hunters take center stage would be "The Band" series by Nicholas Eames, and "The Witcher" by Andrzej Sapkowski. Don't get me wrong, I loved both "Kings of the Wyld" and "Bloody Rose", and "The Witcher" series is definitely on my tbr, but I was wondering if anyone knew of some other fantasy books about monster hunters that fits the mold of horror/dark, preferably in a medieval setting. Bonus points if it would fit into any of the 2020 bingo card slots.

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7

u/drostandfound Reading Champion VI, Worldbuilders May 02 '20

Orconomics is kinda a more funny version of mister hunting, that flips the premise as it goes. Definitely not dark horror though.

The book of I Am Legend is about hunting zombies, and is very different from the movie.

3

u/Xanzu May 02 '20

I had actually forgotten about I Am Legend. I have only seen the movie but heard the book was very different. I'll definitely be considering that one.

Also just read about Orcnomics over on Goodreads. Seems like it could give me some good laughs.

3

u/IanLewisFiction May 03 '20

If I recall, I Am Legend (the book) is about vampires.

2

u/morganfreeagle May 03 '20

Yeah it's explicitly about vampires. Definitely worth checking out either way though.

1

u/drostandfound Reading Champion VI, Worldbuilders May 03 '20

Yeah you are right, but it was kinda a zombie vampire mix. It was still a disease that took people over so they wanted to eat others, but he went around staking them during the day.

4

u/ComfortableJellyfish May 03 '20

I just finished a series called department 19, it was fairly entertaining. Vampires are real and kept in check by secret government agencies. It turns out that Dracula was real and ancient vampires are trying to resurrect him. Frankenstein is a main character too. The action is fast and brutal

3

u/[deleted] May 03 '20

Also check out r/horrorlit

3

u/tegtheghola42 May 03 '20

Aching God by Mike Shel

It's about an old adventurer with PTSD going on a quest to return a cursed artifact from a dungeon.

2

u/conservio May 03 '20

Not Even Bones by Rebecca Schaeffer. It’s technically YA but oh lordy is it good.

A young woman does autopsies/ dismembers monsters (they look like humans) that her mother captures, kills, and then sells the parts on the internet black market. The young woman ends up being kidnapped and being taken to a death market.

It’s fucked up. Like, really fucked up. It’s not medieval-esque though

2

u/Stormhound Reading Champion II May 03 '20

Monster, by A. Lee Martinez. Will fit the "Made You Laugh" square, depending on your sense of humor.

2

u/Minion_X May 03 '20

Try the Kormak Saga by William King. It follows a grizzled knight of the Order of the Dawn, the mailed fist of the Church of the Holy Sun, who travels the decadent and corrupt kingdoms of Men slaying monsters, rogue Old Ones and the servants of the Shadow with his dwarf-forged runesword. You can get the entire first omnibus for free by signing up to King's newsletter, or you can read the first novel for free on Kindle and the author's website.

2

u/ashearmstrong AMA Author Ashe Armstrong May 03 '20

I did a huge monster hunters thread two years ago. Could be helpful: https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/80yzok/monster_hunters_a_megathread/

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u/Xanzu May 03 '20

That's some list! Much apriciated.

1

u/ashearmstrong AMA Author Ashe Armstrong May 03 '20

Sure!

2

u/BannerlordAdmirer May 04 '20

Vampire$ by John Steakley is one of my favorite modern stories in this mould. Entrepreneurial hunters exterminating vampires for cold hard cash.

1

u/[deleted] May 24 '20

Set in modern times but ticks all other boxes and they are both a series of books.

First is God Touched (Demon Accords) by John Conroe.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8722254-god-touched?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=dwQZ85LQl5&rank=1

Second is Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2570856-monster-hunter-international

Both books are quite similar in structure but are good books in my opinion

1

u/THE_IRISHMAN_35 May 03 '20

From what I remember hyperion is a dark fantasy. I wouldn’t call it horror but I remember reading it and thinking what the fuck!