History Literature / TheArtsOfDarkAndLight

In 2021, Vox began adapting the story into a serialized weekly webcomic at his site, [[https://www.arkhaven.com/ Arkhaven.]] The whole thing can be read for free [[https://www.arkhaven.com/comics/fantasy/a-throne-of-bones here]].

* DarkFantasy: Downplayed. Vox Day doesn't deliberately go in for destroying fantasy archetypes or wallowing in toilet humor like (for example) [[Literature/TheFirstLaw Joe Abercrombie]], but he does attempt to depict a world with historical verisimilitude and [[DeliberateValuesDissonance period-appropriate values]], as well as realistic war and such (given the available technology and magic). The result is a fair bit darker than Tolkien, but without the nihilism of the modern Grimdark crowd.

* TheDarkChick: Roheis plays this role in the conspiracy in Savondir, being a somewhat morally ambiguous attractive female who spies on the royals on their behalf and first helps Fjotra out, then tries to draw her into their plot.

* FanDisservice: Scaum-Durna, the ShamelessFanserviceGirl DarkChick who is actually a sadistic ''[[AttractiveBentGender male]]'' monster in love with bloody murder.

* WarIsGlorious: Discussed. The overall sentiment of the story is far closer to WarIsHell, but various characters remark that it can be glorious ''as well''--at least in certain specific contexts. Its real elements of excitement, heroism, camaraderie, glamor and martial spirituality are acknowledged by the narrative, even as its waste and horror are portrayed fully. InUniverse, meanwhile, the [[JoinTheArmyTheySaid militaristic propaganda]] of the various powers presents a straighter version of this, with characters [[RecruitersAlwaysLie sneering appropriately]] at that as well.

* JoinTheArmyTheySaid: Since a fair bit of the story covers military contexts, this comes up here and there. Fairly often, the recruitment propaganda is mocked by serving soldiers... but it's also noted that it keeps working, so the people behind it must be doing ''something'' right.

* RecruitersAlwaysLie: The Sergeant in "The Wardog's Coin" reminisces on this, and how he got tricked into the business long ago. Not much seems to have changed since, he thinks as he meets the new recruits and listens to their stories.

* ChristmasCake: Played with where Roheis is concerned. She is a widow when she is introduced, but part of her description specifically brings up the curious fact that she still has not ''remarried''... even though she is a beautiful woman who even now looks quite younger than her true age of 26 years.

** Savondir is pretty much treated as evil InUniverse, but apart from their political totalitarianism, their social values are also old-fashioned in some ways. For example, people consider it very strange that Roheis has not yet remarried--even though she is of a good noble family and an intelligent and beautiful woman, who still looks quite a bit younger than [[ChristmasCake her 26 years]].

* WidowWoman: Roheis is a relatively young one at 26, having been married to the Duke of Aubonne, who is no longer among the living.

* HornyDevils:

->''I don't object to the ugliness, hate, and perversion in ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' and other modern epic fantasies. Such things exist in all fallen worlds and must be included for the sake of verisimilitude in any work of sufficient seriousness and scope. Is there not ugliness, hate, and even perversion in the Bible? What I object to is the near-complete absence of beauty, love, and normalcy to oppose them.''

* BeingEvilSucks: A special variation. The truly horrible bad guys don't generally feel like this (they're too [[LackOfEmpathy sociopathic]] to care)--but if you are a good guy who for some reason turns bad, this kicks in with a vengeance. If you think that BeingGoodSucks, well, you're probably right, but becoming evil to get away from it will probably only make everything ''[[UpToEleven even worse]]''.

** Taken UpToEleven by the [[TimeAbyss Watchers]], who are (as a race ''and'' as individuals) older than human civilization itself--and possibly older than human ''language''.

* SpaceColdWar: Between Savondir and Amorr, with Malkan as a sort of neutral in between (somewhat like Phezzan in ''Anime/LegendOfGalacticHeroes''). The Malkans enforce their neutrality quite strictly, wanting especially much to keep [[StateSec Savondir's royal mages]] out if they can help it. The elves, meanwhile, fear that they will be drawn into any "hot" war between the two great human empires sooner or later, and so work quietly to keep the peace.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: The ''dramatis personae'' lists well over two hundred names for the first book alone. Other volumes add more, including additional POV characters (although partly to replace the ones that [[AnyoneCanDie died]] in Book I).

* RapunzelHair: Female elves in general wear their hair very long, enough so to step on it according to Marcus. Sometimes it is worn loose, though more often arranged in fantastic coiffures, at least for festive occasions. Those with work requiring any mobility naturally tend to braid or otherwise fasten it up in everyday life.

* EvilOverlord: Ar Dauragh becomes a {{deconstruction}} of one when he tries to claim his father's legacy as the last of the Wahrkonigen. Initially presenting himself as something in between a DarthVaderClone and a DarkMessiah, he then gradually declines into a wreck as the position crushes him.

* ObligatoryWarCrimeScene: These start piling up as the disorders in Amorr escalate. In particular, there is a tragic moment for Corvus when he [[spoiler:feels forced to expel all foreigners from the capital district to prevent subversion, resulting in the dispossession of many thousands of innocent people along with the plotters--possibly, this is a deliberate reference to the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_American_internment internment of the Japanese]] during World War II, a topic the author has expressed strong opinions on [[https://www.wnd.com/2004/09/26421/ elsewhere]]]].