Soulsborne, souls-born, souls-like, whatever you want to call it. If you’re of fan of dark fantasy or horror then you’ve likely heard this word pop up more than a few times when perusing books or looking for that next read.
Essentially what soulsborne means is something that is similar to games from a company called From Software, in particular their series of games with souls in the name.
Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls 1-3, Bloodborne, and now Elden Ring. With graduating or leaving sword and sorcery behind, soulsborne are the type of novels that I have the most interest in writing.
But I wanted to take a moment to help explain what they are, both for people who are looking for such reads and for those that have no idea what I’m talking about but are fans of dark fantasy and horror just like me.
Why I Love & Want To Write Soulsborne Novels
Now at first it may be strange to want to write novels after a series of video games. But frankly the ‘soulsborne’ transcends video games and can be seen as anything from an aesthetic art type to a visceral feeling. We’ll discuss both in this article and also why I love them.
First off, the world that Hidetaka Miyazaki created stems from many different sources. From Western myth and fantasy to personal life experience. Forged together he created one of the most memorable and creative dark fantasy worlds today.
I’m not a huge gamer but I’ve played through most of his games simply to exist through his world. To experience the grand gothic architecture, the otherworldly monsters, the deep and often heartbreaking lore, and the brave knights, mystics, and priests who try to survive through it.
It is very mythological in its design and structure, at least to my eyes. There is a deepness to it that I do not experience with much other art or worlds. While Game Of Thrones or The Witcher are very well written and have interesting worlds, the former does not engage me at all and the latter not as much as the soulsborne world.
Hidetaka Miyazaki is, before anything else, a great story teller. At least in my mind. A modern myth maker.
But what makes a novel soulborne? When I go to write my next novel, what am I looking for to bring this feeling to life?
Finding Your Next Great Dark Fantasy/Horror Read Through Soulsborne Novels
So to make sure that I am giving you the best information possible, and not angering the internet too much. I have perused what others have said about what makes a novel soulsborne and sort of compiled what I thought best and most relevant here.
First off is you are not familiar with the games, start there. Watch a trailer of any of the dark souls games and you’ll get a general idea of the feel of the world and story telling. But from there, here are general features of soulsborne novels.
First and foremost we have genre considerations and there’s a lot of debate on this. What is generally not debated is the soulsborne novels are dark fantasy that strongly lean towards the horror side of things.
Others say they’re Grimdark, another genre of novels, but others vehemently disagree. I agree with those that disagree. Grimdark novels are those that generally are…well dark. They are about the awfulness of the world, the people in it, and pretty much the awfulness of existence itself.
They are nihilistic for the most part. Whereas soulsborne novels are dark, there is a hint of redemption to their worlds. The world is dark, very dark, but there is a sort of silver lining to things. There are hints of beauty and there is a chance, though slim, of revival, or goodness, or something close to it.
Grimdark is amoral, where soulsborne novels, like horror, are moral or at least have a moral center. At least in my eyes and with what I strive to write. But again there is no true consensus.
A gothic medieval setting is generally preferred as well as a sense of world that was once grand but has now fallen from grace. Dying worlds feature strongly in this genre.
Demons, warped beings, and impossibly large monsters feature heavily. It takes myth/fantasy and slaps it together with horror for some grotesque as well as pitiable creatures.
A lot of mystery and “quiet” moments to the stories. Not just relentless action.
Not much of the grossness or violence for violence sakes of some horror. No power fantasies or everything shiny-ness of fantasy. Not really Grimdark because of the slim vein of hope that runs through them.
In soulsborne there is a chance for victory but the chance is slim. There is a moral center.
I think mythology would be the best genre to truly describe these type of novels.
And again sort of like ‘grimdark’ or ‘sword and sorcery’ there are no iron clad definitions and no one will agree on everything. This is just my humble opinion on a few things. And what I personally strive to write.
I’d describe them as if Stephen King meets Tolkien in a way. Maybe thrown in a bit of Lovecraft as well.
Finding Soulsborne Reads
With my publishing of The Tarnished Champion, for now my last true ‘sword and sorcery’ novel. I have pivoted to a more dark fantasy/horror slant and I think soulsborne is a great way to describe the books that I am currently writing.
So if you are looking for something along those lines then be sure to check out my amazon page below.
Click here for Arthur Drake Amazon Page.
But in the mean time I will start collecting some works that I think hit the genre and will list some of them here.
So stay tuned!
Thanks For Reading.
-Arthur Drake
