The Struggle of Being a Christian Dark Fantasy Author: Writing a Genre That Doesn’t Exist Yet

As a Christian dark fantasy author, I often find myself navigating a strange and complex space, one where my faith and my genre don't always seem to mesh in the traditional sense. Dark fantasy, with its brooding atmospheres, morally ambiguous characters, and fantastical elements that often lean toward horror, is rarely associated with Christian themes. Yet, for me, it’s a genre that carries deep spiritual significance — even if the world isn’t quite ready for it yet.

When I talk about my writing, I often face confusion. "Christian fantasy" is a term that is generally accepted, typically conjuring images of heroic tales with (eventually) righteous protagonists. But dark fantasy? The concept of a faith-driven narrative intertwined with shadowy, morally complex worlds isn't something the mainstream Christian literary world readily embraces.

In fact, there isn’t even an official term for this niche genre I’m carving out. I’m writing something that blends Christian themes — redemption, the battle between good and evil, spiritual warfare, and the search for truth — with the gritty, sometimes grim aesthetic of dark fantasy. And while that might sound paradoxical to some, it’s exactly this tension that makes it so spiritually necessary.

There’s an inherent struggle in articulating why this kind of writing is important. Many people believe that Christianity should only be about light and goodness, that dark narratives are counterproductive to faith. But the Bible itself is filled with darkness, struggle, and mystery. It’s a story of human failure, redemption, and an eternal battle between good and evil. In the same way that a dark fantasy world can have its heroes and villains, its trials and tribulations, Christianity doesn’t shy away from the shadows; it illuminates them.

As a Christian dark fantasy author, I often find myself defending my work against misunderstandings. It’s crucial to clarify that my stories are not about glorifying darkness or evil. Rather, they are about acknowledging the existence of darkness in the world — the suffering, the sin, and the profound brokenness we experience. The darkness is real, but it is not the end of the story. Just as Christ descended into the depths of hell to defeat death and sin, my narratives seek to weave a sword of truth and illumination that can pierce through any darkness. In every shadow, there is the potential for light to shine, because that’s exactly what Christ did for us. He didn’t just bypass the darkness; He entered it and conquered it, offering us the ultimate hope. Through His sacrifice and shed blood, we are given real power — not luck or mere fantasy-based magic — to overcome the deepest shadows of our lives.

Dark fantasy, in its fictional world, may feature heroes relying on luck, rare abilities, or even magic to overcome their struggles. But the power we encounter in Christ is far more profound — it’s the transformative power of His love and sacrifice, offering us a way out of our darkest moments, not through chance, but through His unshakable truth. In this way, my writing seeks to offer more than just escapism; it aims to reflect the reality that even in our most broken, despair-filled moments, Christ’s redemption is the truest magic of all.

Ultimately, this genre doesn’t exist yet, not in the way we might understand other genres, and that’s part of the challenge. But it’s also part of its power. In a world that often wants to compartmentalize faith into neat, sanitized boxes, Christian dark fantasy pushes back. It challenges us to engage with the fullness of the human experience, including the parts we’d rather hide, and to see that even in the darkest fantasy worlds, there is the potential for profound spiritual revelation.