If you’re curious about the demon hunter fantasy subgenre, you’ve come to the right post!
The fantasy genre of novels is quite extensive. There are hundreds of thousands of fantasy novels currently in circulation, with more added each year. Because of the vastness of this genre, it can be helpful to break it down into smaller subgenres. And within those subgenres, there are even more specific and more niche subgenres to explore. And naturally, the deeper you go into a subgenre, the more specific the topics of the novels get.
That’s how you can land in a subgenre as specific as demon hunter fantasy. This is obviously a very niche topic. The genre of demon hunter fantasy is not a large one, but, as is often the case, the more specific a subgenre is, the more dedicated its fan base. There are many authors who have grown the genre into what it is today. This article will discuss the rise of the demon hunter fantasy genre. Keep reading for recommendations of novels if it sounds like a genre that sparks your interest.
Demons in Literature
Throughout history, demons have made their appearance in literature from around the world. You can find demons quite often in religious literature, as they tend to associate with evil and the devil. Many portray demons as harmful spirits that have the ability to possess people and objects.
The first appearance of demons in literature dates back to the Ancient Greeks. The demons they wrote about were not always evil, however. Though there were certainly demons who had a darker aura to them, there were also demons who were helpful and had more positive energy. For the Ancient Greeks, the term “demon” is generally a term for a spirit or a divine power.
Demons closer to what we think of today first appeared in literature in Ancient Egypt. The Egyptians used red ink to denote which spirits had malevolent energy about them. These demons exist among death, plagues, possession, and so on.
Though many cultures, religions, and ethnic groups have their own kinds of demons, much of the fear that exists around demons today did not come about until the rise of Christianity. The demons found in Christian literature directly oppose God. They are evil and exist to harm and tempt humans.
Demon Hunter Fantasy
Though writings about demons have been around for thousands of years, these writings typically fall into folklore or the historical writings category. They are not usually fictional writings that were produced for pleasure. The demon hunter fantasy genre is very new in comparison to these ancient writings. Because it is such a new genre, there are just a few qualifications for a novel to be a demon hunter fantasy.
The genre of demon hunter fantasy is fairly straightforward to understand. To qualify as a demon hunter fantasy, a novel must have some element of supernatural beings who are seeking to cause harm to the humans they live amongst. These demons do not have to be associated with any specific religion or culture, though they can be.
We typically understand demons to be supernatural beings, usually spirits, that are evil in nature. They are different from ghosts in that they always have dark energy and do not exist quietly. Demons in a demon hunter fantasy do not have to follow those exact specifications, but they generally follow this trope.
Another important aspect is that there must be at least one or more characters seeking to capture or destroy the demons. A demon hunter is a person who seeks to fight and destroy demons. The demon hunter in a fantasy novel can take the form of another supernatural being, or it can be a human. Because the parameters of this genre are loose, demon hunter novels often look very different from one another. There are many different angles from which an author can approach this genre.
Examples of Demon Hunter Fantasy
While demon hunter fantasy is not a huge genre, there are still many standalone novels and series that fit the genre. In fact, it is a genre that seems to be growing in popularity. If you are interested in picking up a demon hunter fantasy novel, take a look at the recommendations below.
The Mortal Instruments
Cassandra Clare wrote this fantasy series. Currently, there are six novels in the main series, with several spinoff novels and prequels and sequels either already published or with plans to publish. The Mortal Instruments can also be classified as urban fantasy, paranormal romance, or contemporary fantasy, making it a great series to read if you enjoy any of those genres.
This series follows a young girl who meets a group of giants called Shadowhunters. These Shadowhunters are what we would call demon hunters. While never explicitly stated that they are hunting demons, the Shadowhunters protect the human world from dark forces that are unseen to them. Essentially, these dark forces are demons. Throughout the series of novels, there are other supernatural elements and creatures who interact with the main character. And there is, of course, plenty of demon hunting.
Demon Cycle
The Demon Cycle is another series of novels that follows a few young protagonists on their journey to hunt and rid the world of demons. In this series, the demons live in the center of the earth. They come out at night and terrorize the inhabitants of the world. There are five novels in the main collection of this series, with four spinoff novels that are intertwined with the main story.
The interesting spin that this novel gives to the demon hunter genre is that it follows three different protagonists and gives each of their points of view at various times. Each of these characters is tired of hiding from demons each night. In their own ways, each of the protagonists is seeking to change or help the world recover from the demon attacks.
Conclusion
I hope this article has clarified what this unique genre is all about.
And as usual, feel free to leave a message in the comments below if you have questions about this or another fiction literature topic!
