[Yellow]

Mark Lawrence is running a poll on his blog to try and rate different novels according to how grimdark they are (and therefore get a feel for what the genre actually defines).

Anyway, TDTCB is there, but it can't be added to the list until it gets 100 votes. If you haven't already, consider going along and voting (and also on the others in the low vote list).

http://mark---lawrence.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/grimdark-were-nailing-it-down.html?m=1

[Wilshire]

As of when I clicked it, 82 votes, 52 of which are 5 out of 5.

This might be interesting. Already some good examples of what "isn't" grimdark - Magicians, Lock Lamora, The Sword of Shannara (lol, I hope this is the low bar)

Prince of Thorns is currently the high water mark by far, which I havent read so can't comment. Seems appropriate form what I've heard.

Blade itself is somewhere in the high 3's.

All very interesting. I do hope people vote "based on how grimdarky" a book is, rather than "how much they like it". Thanks for posting!

[Yellow]

I've never read Mark Lawrence's books, but I might give them a try based on this result. Oooh, he's suckered me in

[Wilshire]

I've never read Mark Lawrence's books, but I might give them a try based on this result. Oooh, he's suckered me in

POT has been on my list for a long time. One of these days ...

[MSJ]

Just voted, 96 votes after me. Come on, only need 4 for more.

[Wilshire]

The Darkness That Comes Before - by R. Scott Bakker, Grimdark Rating 4.49

[Madness]

Lol.

[Wilshire]

I submit that this is a log scale, the curve is exponential, order of magnitude more grimdarky between each full point.

ie. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ratings equal 1, 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000 grimdark units...

[solipsisticurge]

I submit that this is a log scale, the curve is exponential, order of magnitude more grimdarky between each full point.

ie. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ratings equal 1, 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000 grimdark units...

"Grimdark units" will now be my metric for measurement of all things, literary and otherwise.

[TLEILAXU]

I'm still not entirely sure what grimdark means, but if we take it to be realistic and graphic violence and moral greyness, then it sure fits TDTCB.

[Yellow]

Personally, I've always considered it to be a combination of :

1. Moral realism
2. Unwillingness to shy away from realistic descriptions of violence
3. An accurate reflection of how the real world would behave

I guess, for me, it means "realistic".

[Woden]

Another vote for Bakker.

[Madness]

Even its supposed constituent authors don't agree on what's what...

[Yellow]

Good to read the views of some of the authors of my favourite subgenre.

Just need to get Heroes Die into that poll! Love me some Caine

[TLEILAXU]

Grimdark seems to have some negative connotations for Bakker.