You ever pick up a book thinking it’s going to be a standard fantasy romp, only to realize you’ve stepped into something much darker? That’s basically the experience of reading Jesse Bullington’s 2009 debut. The Sad Tale of the Grossbart Brothers is a weird one. Honestly, "sad" is a bit of an understatement, or maybe a massive irony, depending on how you look at it. We’re talking about a story that leans so heavily into the "grimdark" aesthetic that it makes other dark fantasy look like a Saturday morning cartoon. It’s filthy. It’s mean. It’s incredibly well-written.
Let’s get one thing straight: Hegelfeld and Manfried Grossbart are not heroes. They aren't even anti-heroes in the way we usually think of them. They are grave robbers. They are murderers. They are deeply, hilariously, and terrifyingly delusional. If you’re looking for a redemption arc, you’re in the wrong place. These two brothers are convinced they are the most pious men in Europe, even while they’re cracking open tombs and bashing heads. It's that disconnect between their self-image and their actual brutality that gives the book its strange, sickening energy.
What Really Happened in The Sad Tale of the Grossbart Brothers
The plot is a nightmare odyssey across a 14th-century Europe that feels far too real, even with the monsters. The brothers are heading to Egypt. Why? Because they’ve heard the tombs there are overflowing with gold. They’re "family men" in the sense that they want to honor their grandfather’s legacy of being a total scoundrel.
Bullington doesn't hold back on the historical grit. This isn't the sanitized Middle Ages of Ren Faires and chivalry. This is the era of the Black Death, where life is cheap and the mud is thick with things you don't want to step in. The Grossbart brothers move through this landscape like a pair of human hurricanes. They run into demons, witches, and the occasional vengeful priest, but the scariest things in the book are usually the brothers themselves.
Why the Grossbarts are unique (and repulsive)
What makes them stand out in the landscape of fantasy literature is their voice. They speak in this warped, pseudo-religious dialect that sounds authentic yet completely insane. They justify every horrible act—from theft to casual killing—by citing their own warped version of Mary-worship. It’s a brilliant bit of character work. You hate them. You’re disgusted by them. But you can’t stop watching them.
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- They are incredibly resilient. No matter how many times they get beaten, stabbed, or cursed, they just keep limping toward Egypt.
- Their logic is impenetrable. You can’t argue with a Grossbart because they’ve already decided God is on their side.
- They are genuinely funny, in a "I shouldn't be laughing at this" kind of way.
Breaking Down the Grimdark Influence
When we talk about The Sad Tale of the Grossbart Brothers, we have to talk about the "Grimdark" subgenre. This was a pivotal moment in the late 2000s. Joe Abercrombie was hitting his stride, and Scott Lynch was popular, but Bullington took it a step further into the grotesque. He mixed historical fiction with folklore in a way that felt academic but visceral.
The monsters aren't Tolkien-esque. They are pulled from actual medieval bestiaries. We're talking about manticores and strange, spindly creatures that feel like they crawled out of a Hieronymus Bosch painting. The world feels crowded. It feels damp. You can almost smell the rot on the pages.
Most people get it wrong by thinking this is just "torture porn" in book form. It's actually a deeply researched piece of historical horror. Bullington knows his 1300s. He knows the theology of the time. He uses that knowledge to trap the reader in the headspace of two men who are products of a very specific, very violent time.
The Reality of the Grossbart "Legacy"
The ending of the book—no spoilers here, don't worry—is exactly what it needs to be. It's not a triumph. It’s a culmination of all the bad choices and bad luck that have followed the brothers from the start. Some readers find it frustrating because it doesn't follow the "Hero's Journey" template. But that's the point. The Grossbarts aren't on a journey of self-discovery. They are on a journey of self-destruction.
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The "sad" part of the tale isn't that they suffer; it's the sheer waste of human potential and the cycle of violence they represent. They are a mirror held up to the worst parts of humanity—greed, fanaticism, and stubbornness.
Critical Reception and Why It Still Matters in 2026
When it first dropped, critics were divided. Some called it a masterpiece of transgressive fiction. Others found it too repellent to finish. But over a decade later, it’s remembered as a cult classic. It paved the way for more "unreliable narrator" stories in fantasy. It proved that you don't need a likable protagonist to tell a compelling story.
If you're an aspiring writer, you study this book for its pacing and its voice. If you're a reader, you read it to see how far the genre can be pushed before it breaks. It’s a singular piece of work. There really isn't anything else quite like it.
Lessons from the Grossbart Brothers
So, what can we actually take away from this grueling trek through medieval madness? Aside from "don't go grave robbing in the 14th century," there are a few genuine insights here:
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- Voice is everything. The way the brothers speak defines the world more than any amount of descriptive prose ever could.
- Historical context matters. The horror is more effective because it's grounded in the actual fears and superstitions of the people living at that time.
- Characters don't have to be "good" to be "great." Compelling characters are those who are consistent in their flaws.
If you’re planning to dive into this book for the first time, prepare yourself. It’s a heavy lift. It’s a visceral experience that will leave you wanting to take a long, hot shower. But it’s also a testament to the power of bold, uncompromising storytelling.
Next Steps for Readers and Writers
If you want to understand the mechanics of dark fantasy, start by reading the first three chapters of The Sad Tale of the Grossbart Brothers and pay close attention to how the brothers justify their first major crime. Observe how Bullington uses "internal logic" to make their delusions feel real to the reader. After finishing the book, compare it to the works of Brian Catling or B. Catling’s The Vorrh to see how surrealism and historical horror can blend. Finally, look into the medieval folklore of the Malleus Maleficarum or early bestiaries; you'll see exactly where the "monsters" in the Grossbart world come from. This isn't just a story—it's a deep dive into the darker corners of the human psyche and historical record.