Fantasy books with morally gray characters you’ll love

Kaz Brekker is a classic choice, and you’ll find him in Leigh Bardugo’s Six Of Crows duology. A master thief and gang leader, he operates in the morally gray underbelly of Ketterdam. However, despite his cruelty, he harbours deep-seated wounds and vulnerabilities that shape his actions and relationships. Especially with a certain slow-burn romance that we know you’ll love…

While you may think this is less of a romance and more of a grimdark choice, and you’d be right, I’d argue that you will not find a better tragic figure in fantasy fiction than Gabriel, a complex character marked by loss, betrayal and more than a healthy thirst for vengeance. As a vampire hunter in a post-apocalyptic mediaeval world, Gabriel grapples with his choices, morality and the darkness within him. And while not specifically a romance, the love story you’ll find inside is as powerful as any.

Raihn from The Serpent And The Wings Of Night is the antidote to your ailing need for a tragic, morally gray figure. He’s a little bit dangerous, a bit violent and just the right amount sweet, which isn’t too much. Raihn is someone you’d feel comfortable stabbing before making out with him in a dark corridor. Heart-wrenching, romantic, dark and bloodthirsty, there’s just something about vampires…

Jude Duarte is a mortal girl living in the High Court of Faerie. Ambitious, cunning and more than a bit determined. She challenges notions of heroism and villainy, offering a nuanced portrayal of a protagonist who navigates the murky moral landscape of Faerie and finds it wanting.

Paige Mahoney is a clairvoyant living in a dystopian world where individuals with supernatural abilities are hunted and imprisoned. Forced to make difficult choices, Paige forms alliances with shady people and resorts to questionable methods. However, she fights for what she believes is right, even if her process of getting there is a bit unethical…

In Darkfever, you’ll find Barrons, and lucky you. Mysterious, powerful, complex and morally ambiguous. He operates in the shadowy underworld of Dublin, where he’s known for his cruelty and cunning.

But he meets his match in MacKayla Lane, who draws out his more vulnerable nature. This is a complex and enticing early romantasy that readers will love.

Laia is a member of the oppressed Scholar class in a brutal and authoritarian society inspired by ancient Rome. When her brother is arrested for treason, Laia reluctantly joins forces with a resistance to spy on the empire in exchange for help rescuing him. She is reluctant to act and faces many internal conflicts as she struggles to reconcile her fears and doubts. Her journey is one of courage, resilience and discovery through ambiguous means.

Cause we can’t all be heroes.

In The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, you’ll find Yeine Darr, who is thrust quite unexpectedly into a position of power and influence. She becomes embroiled in the political elite's power struggles and complex politics. A reluctant opportunist to the heart, she must seize the opportunity to protect herself and her loved ones in a world of intrigue.

Jemisin’s intricate world-building and character development are the best in fantasy, so I know you won’t be disappointed.

A modern retelling inspired by Hades and Persephone, Neon Gods features a reluctant mortal Persephone who becomes entangled with the gods. Despite her reluctance to become involved, Persephone is drawn to them.

As she grabbles with growing feelings and becomes a pawn in the power struggles of gods, Persephone navigates a world of intrigue, betrayal and forbidden romance. Ultimately, she must confront her fears and her insecurities and seize the opportunities placed before her.