5 Dark Fantasy Books to Read After The Poppy War or The Locked Tomb

If The Poppy War left you emotionally destroyed, or you’re still recovering from the unhinged brilliance of The Locked Tomb—welcome. You’re exactly the kind of reader who searches for stories that don’t just entertain, but wreck you in the best way possible.

If you crave morally gray characters, found family that feels like it could tear you apart, and magic that costs something real, this list is for you.

Here are 5 dark fantasy books to ruin your life (and you’ll thank me later).

1. The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

Let’s start with the obvious.
The Poppy War is brutal, brilliant, and refuses to let you breathe. It’s inspired by Chinese military history and loaded with themes of trauma, power, and the price of survival.

If you haven’t read it yet, prepare yourself.
If you have—you already know why it’s on this list.

2. The Locked Tomb Series by Tamsyn Muir

Gothic science fantasy with necromancers, unhinged lesbians, and the best worst characters you’ll ever meet.
Tamsyn Muir built a world where the dead are currency, bones are weapons, and every character feels like they could ruin you with a single sentence.

If you like your fantasy feral and emotionally devastating, this is required reading.

3. The Witcher Series by Andrzej Sapkowski

Before it was a Netflix phenomenon, The Witcher was a brutal, morally complex fantasy series about monster hunting, war, and the cost of choosing the lesser evil.
Geralt of Rivia is the poster child for emotionally repressed, loyalty-ruined, morally gray characters.

Come for the monsters. Stay for the broken found family.

4. The Broken Empire Trilogy by Mark Lawrence

Prince of Thorns kicks off this trilogy with unapologetic brutality.
If you’re into anti-heroes who make you question every ounce of your morality while still keeping you hooked to the end, this is your series.

Dark, violent, and philosophical—this one is not for the faint of heart.

5. The House of Teeth Saga by Remington Wülf

Of course, I have to include the saga that readers have called "feral, brutal, and painfully loyal."

House of Teeth is for readers who crave:

• Found family forged in blood and fire

• Morally gray survivors you’ll love too hard

• Magic that takes more than it gives

• Loyalty that cuts deeper than any blade

Start with Book 1: No Kingdom for a Fang—
Free on Google Play for a limited time.

Find it here!

If you love stories that leave you emotionally wrecked and weirdly thankful for it—these books belong on your shelf.

Already read one of these? Drop your favorite in the comments.
Or tell me… who’s your favorite morally gray disaster you still can’t let go of?