Can you recommend some of the best anti - hero fantasy novels?
Yes. 'Gardens of the Moon' from 'The Malazan Book of the Fallen' series is great. There are many characters with anti - hero qualities, like Anomander Rake. He has his own motives and is not always on the side of the 'good guys'. Also, 'The Name of the Wind' by Patrick Rothfuss has Kvothe, who is not a pure hero. He has his pride and makes mistakes. And 'The Painted Man' by Peter V. Brett has Arlen, who becomes a very different kind of hero, more of an anti - hero really.
Sure. 'The Black Company' by Glen Cook is a classic. The soldiers in the Black Company are mercenaries, not heroes in the common sense. They do what they need to survive in a dark and brutal world. Another is 'Half a King' by Joe Abercrombie. Yarvi is a crippled prince who has to use his wits and less - than - noble means to achieve his goals. And don't forget 'The Broken Empire' trilogy by Mark Lawrence, where Jorg Ancrath is a very complex anti - hero.
Definitely. 'The Warded Man' by Peter V. Brett also has an anti - hero - like protagonist in Arlen. He is driven by revenge and his journey makes him a complex character. 'The Magicians' by Lev Grossman has Quentin, who is a far cry from a typical hero. He is self - centered and often makes bad decisions. And 'The Dark Tower' series by Stephen King has Roland, a gunslinger with a dark past and a complex personality that makes him an anti - hero in many ways.
