Noble families fight for control of the mythical land of Westeros. Political and sexual intrigue is pervasive. They are locked in a battle for the Iron Throne. This is a grand story of duplicity and treachery, nobility and honor, conquest and triumph. When you play the Game of Thrones, you either win or you die. While the noble families play their deadly game a very ancient evil awakens in the farthest north. Only a neglected military order of sinners and outcasts, the Night's Watch, is all that stands between the realms of men and this ancient evil.

Is it good:
It`s almost perfect if it was not for the last few seasons. But it's still very much worth watching.

Why:
If you by chance have not seen Game of Thrones then you should definitely give it a go. It focuses less on monsters and magic than The Witcher, but there are plenty of monsters in human skin. Both game of thrones and The witchers have a focus on political intrigues and plots between powerfull factions, but Game of Thrones goes into it in more detail. Both shows are dark and grim where heroes might die and full of violence and nudity. The characters in Game of Thrones are more flexible in their moral color. Both shows are adapted from some excellent books.

Portland homicide detective Nick Burkhardt discovers he is a descendant of hunters who fight supernatural forces, the Grimms. They are charged with keeping the balance between humanity and the creatures of myth. A reformed "Big Bad Wolf", now a reformed vegetarian, becomes his greatest helper and confidant.

Is it good:
The creators have earlier made shows like Buffy and Angle. Grimm has some high standards to live up to, and it does so remarkably well. This Show is a kind of modern take on the Grimm`s fairytales and highly recommended to watch by people that like these kinds of shows.

Why:
Grimm is also about a monster hunter that is not exactly a hundred percent human himself. Nick Burkhardt, just like Geralt, can kick some ass when he needs to, but he also is capable of seeing that not all "monsters" are really monsters. Grimm is not as dark and brutal as The Witcher, and it is set in modern times. It also has more procedural episodes like regular police crime shows often has, but it does have an overall read thread in the story that gets stronger the longer out in the show you get.

The Mandalorian is set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order. It follows the travels and exploits of a lone bounty hunter known as The Mandalorian, a member of the nearly extinct ancient martial order Mandalorian. Until one job changes his life drastically.

Is it good:
So far this is the Star Wars story and atmosphere I have been waiting for. I like many of the existing movies, but they are all about grand galaxy-wide consequences. The Mandalorian is a more small scale and on the outskirts and lawless parts of the galaxy. Probably why I liked the Solo: A Star Wars Story so much.

Why:
The Mandalorian is about a mysterious lone wolf who makes his living wandering the galaxy and getting paid to bring in prisoners that no other bounty hunter can capture, but suddenly everything changes by something not fully in his control. Swap a few words and its basically the same as The Witcher.

Penny Dreadful follows Dr. Frankenstein and his monster, Dorian Gray and other iconic terrifying figures from classic literature are joined by a set of original characters as they go about their frightening business in the darkest corners of Victorian London with vampires, evil spirits and immortal beasts. It's a psychological thriller filled with dark mystery and chilling suspense.

Is it good:
Perfect atmosphere, dense, Gothic, surreal and unsettling. A really grim and fantastic depiction of Victorian London. Some characters are predictable and dull, but many are unique and interesting with literate and dense dialog. And best of all, it has very few cheap jump scares. Penny Dreadful is absolutely worth watching. I love it.

Why:
Both shows are dark and full of monsters. Penny Dreadful is less medieval fantasy and set in a little more modern setting with characters from classical literature. But anyone who considers themselves fans of The Witcher will likely enjoy Penny Dreadful too.

In Tudors, we follow the reign of King Henry VIII as he maneuvers through a series of betrayals and plots against him. His complications with the church and his infamous marriages are also dramatized for us in this dramatic TV series.

Is it good:
This is a splendid TV show, absolutely worth watching.

Why:
The main reason for Wicher fans to watch The Tudors is to watch Henry Cavill in another TV show. Another reason is that its about kings and queens in a medieval setting. But The Tudors is based on real history, so there is no magic and monsters.

The Last Kingdom tells the tale of young Uhtred of Bebbanburg, heir to a Saxon kingdom, and his attempt to reclaim his title after the violent death of pretty much everyone he cares about. The Last Kingdom is a story of redemption, vengeance, and self-discovery set against the birth of England back at the end of the dark age. The story combines real historical figures and events with fiction. It is a re-telling of the history of King Alfred the Great and his desire to unite the many separate kingdoms into one, what would become England. It's based on the Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell.

Is it good:
The Last Kingdom is a brutal and dark show, and I love it. I don't think the set and characters are as dirty and used as it should, it has a little too much Hollywood glamour about it, but it is still good. Good story and interesting characters.

Why:
The character, script, and history, in general, has many similarities, but The Last Kingdom is based on real historical events. Both shows also are based on books.

Vikings are set in historical dark ages, the Viking age of Scandinavia. The series follows Ragnar (a legendary figure from Norse mythology), a former farmer who rises to fame and power by successful raids into England with the support of his family and fellow warriors. As well as being a fearless warrior, Ragnar follows the Norse traditions of devotion to the gods.

Is it good:
The show does take some liberties with the historic renditions and some parts are bordering on fantasy. But all in all its a really good historic show about Vikings and their life. The first seasons are exceptionally good as we follow Ragnar and his exploits, but it does start to go a little downhill later.

Why:
Vikings look and feel like The Wicher. The main difference is that Vikings only flirt with fantasy elements, so there is no focus on monsters and direct magic.

Carnival Row is set in a fantasy world inspired by the English victorian times that has faeries, fauns, centaurs, werewolves, and other fantasy creatures. The main plot of the show is how these creatures live as immigrant refugees in a human citie and how they manage to coexist. How they are forced to live in the grimmest part of the city, the Row, and how they are forbidden to live, love, or fly with freedom. And the main focus of the plot is on the human detective, Rycroft Philostrate, and a refugee faerie named Vignette Stonemoss. How they rekindle a dangerous affair from before Vignette become a refugee, despite an increasingly intolerant society. This complicates Rycroft's most important case so far, a string of gruesome murders that threatens the uneasy peace of the Row.

Is it good:
Carnival Row has really good sets and costumes. Matched with some good actors and an interesting setting and plot makes this golden.

Why:
Just like The Witcher, one of Carnival Row's key themes is race and class divide. They are both dark shows that don't fare confronting hard themes.

Demons, possessing supernatural powers, comes up from the center of the earth at night, multitudes and giants, from fire, wood, and rock, hungry for human flesh. Humans have to hide inside between magic wards for protection or risk almost certain death. After centuries, the human population dwindles, most of the wards forgotten. Three young survivors of demon attacks, Arlen, Leesha, and Rojer, dare to fight back.

Is it good:
The Painted Man (The Warded Man), is an excellent book. Sadly some of the later books have gone somewhat downhill.

Why:
The Demon Cycle has even more and worse monsters. Everyone has to hide inside behind complicated wards at night to stay safe. And one of the main characters becomes kind of a lone monster hunter.

Owen Zastava Pitt`s boss suddenly changed into an aggressive werewolf while Owen worked overtime. Owen pushed him out of the fourteenth story office window, he woke up in the hospital with a scarred face and a job offer. Monster Hunter International, his new employer, is the premier monster eradication company in the business. They wanted Owen because he managed to kill a werewolf single-handedly without any weapons. This is the first book in the Monster Hunter series and an ancient entity known as the Cursed One has returned to settle a centuries-old vendetta. If The Cursed One should succeed, it would mean the end of the world. MHI is the only thing standing in his way.

Is it good:
It's not perfect, but it's really close, and a fine read. I highly recommend this book.

Why:
Monster Hunter International also has monster hunting as a main theme. Only Owen is fully human, and the book is set in modern times whew monsters are kept hidden from the populous at large.

A World that has been a wasteland of ash and mist for over a thousand years. For this time the Lord Ruler, the “Sliver of Infinity”, has reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror. Every revolt has failed miserably. Then a terribly scarred, heart-broken half-Skaa named Kelsier placed it in the depths of the Lord Ruler’s most hellish prison “snapped” and found in himself the powers of a Mistborn. The skill to burn all sixteen of the Allomantic metals. A brilliant thief and natural leader, he turned his talents to the ultimate play, with the Lord Ruler himself as the mark. For this Kelsier recruited the underworld’s elite, the smartest and most trustworthy allomancers, each of whom capable of burning one of the Allomantic metals. Kel’s plan looks more like the ultimate long shot until luck brings a ragged girl named Vin into his life, a girl with the potential to become a Mistborn like himself.

Is it good:
This is the first book in the Mistborn series. Both this book and the rest of the series is really good. They have detailed world-building, especially the magic system, and an interesting main character. If you like fantasy books then this should be a must-read.

Murderous conspiracies, old scores ready to be settled, unpredictable, compelling, wickedly funny, and packed with unforgettable characters, We follow the characters the infamous barbarian Logen Ninefingers, Captain Jezal dan Luthar, Inquisitor Glokta and he wizard Bayaz. Jezal is a nobleman, dashing officer, and paragon of selfishness. He has nothing more dangerous in mind than fleecing his friends at cards and dreaming of glory in the fencing circle. Glokta, a cripple turned torturer, loves cutting treason out of the Union one confession at a time. Bayaz, an old man with a terrible temper, he could be the First of the Magi, he could be a spectacular fraud, but whatever he is, he's about to make the lives of Logen, Jezal, and Glotka a whole lot more difficult.

Is it good:
The Blade Itself is the first book in The Blade Itself. This book, especially Glokta with his biting and interesting internal monologues, is among the better fantasy books. You will have a blast reading this.

This is the first book in the Kingkiller Chronicle, a story that tells the first-person story of a young man who grows to be the most notorious magician his world has ever seen. From his childhood in a troupe of traveling players to years spent as an orphan suer rat in a crime-ridden city, to his daringly brazen yet successful gamble to enter a legendary school of magic.

Is it good:
This book starts out a little slow, but it becomes one of the better fantasy books there is. It`s a must read for any fantasy book lover.

Two groups have been at war for ages. The immortal bloodsucking monsters called Chiropterans and an organization known as the Red Shield formed to track down these monsters and kill them. Saya Otonashiis a high-school girl who lives a peaceful life with her family. She sadly suffers from amnesia and can't remember the last year of her life. One day her happy life is destroyed when a man gives her a katana and she finds herself fighting Chiropterans.

Is it good:
Blood+ is a good anime that any anime fan should watch. People new to animes can also try this one out. The battles have a reason and are not added on and drawn out like most other shounen anime. The characters are in focus and how they change and adapt to events happening around and to them.

Why:
Blood+ has monster hunting as a main theme, ore vampires in this case. It also has focus on a few main characters and not mainly on bigger things. It does not have as much political and kingdom spanning plots as The Witcher.

In a world that humans must share with Yoma, demonic predators who feast on human intestines, we follow a young boy, Raki, who has lost everything to the Yomas. He joins up with Clare, a slightly older girl, and a Claymore. Claymores are half human and half Yoma. They are detested by most humans, but they are necessary. They are the only force that stands between them and getting their intestines eaten. Clare and Raki travel together around on missions set by the Claymore leaders to take care of Yoma infestations. Clare is considered an outcast by her own people for picking up a young boy and for almost losing herself to her Youma side.

Is it good:
Claymore is a really good anime. Its a brutal story about revenge, growing stronger and mentoring others. It has characters that grow and change, and best of all it does not have battles that drag on for ages like so many shonen based anime. Claymore might also be interesting for people that usually do not watch anime, especially if you like strong female characters.

Why:
Claymores are humans that have been altered to be part Yoma so they better can hunt and kill Yomas. Very similar to The Witcher. It has the same vibes.

Masane Amaha discovers while she is attacked by an advanced weapon that can disguise itself as a human being she can transform into a powerful being herself. She destroys the weapon and thus becomes involved in a power struggle between powerful organizations because they discover that she holds the most powerful weapon of them all. The legendary Witchblade.

Is it good:
Witchblade is quite good. It's very character-driven and has nice pacing. It is actually based on an American comic and not a Japanese manga. It`s absolutely worth giving this anime a chance.

Alucard and Seras Victoria work for the Hellsing Organization, a vampire extermination group in England. Alucard is the organization's deadliest weapon, and Victoria is constantly working her way up to his level. What makes these two vampire hunters so effective is that they themselves are vampires.

Is it good:
This is one of the first animes I watched, but I did not like it that much. It was OK, but not that good. The guy that recommended it to me loved it, but I did not.

Van Helsing is sent by the Vatican to Transylvania to stop Dracula. Van Helsing is sent with is ally Carl and while in Transylvania they join forces with Anna Valerious, a Gypsy queen. They were sent to take care of Dracula because he is using Dr. Frankenstein's research and a werewolf for some sinister purpose, and they have to stop him before he completes his project.

Is it good:
Van Helsing is an OK movie, nothing special. You should give it a try if you like this kind of movies, or if you are into Hugh Jackman. Otherwise, you can stay away from it.

The tale of Conan the Cimmerian and his adventures across the continent of Hyboria on a quest to get his revenge on the evil warlord who attacked his village and murdered his father when he was a boy. His quest soon turns into epic battles against hulking rivals, horrific monsters, and impossible odds, as he realizes he is the only hope of saving the great nations of Hyboria.

Is it good:
Not among the best movies, but absolutely worth watching. I liked it more than the original Conan version with Arnold as Conan.

There is a prophecy stating that a female child with a special birthmark will herald the downfall of the evil sorceress Queen Bavmorda. When a child like this was born she was sent down the river in a makeshift raft in a desperate attempt to save here from Queen Bavmordas wrath. This child ends up with the farmer and conjurer Willow Ufgood and his family. His wife and children fall in love with the baby immediately, and Willow too soon grows to love her as one of his own. But when a Nockmaar hound attacks the village during a festival the village sorcerer, The High Aldwin, tasks Willow and a party of volunteers to return the baby to the humans. So begins an epic journey.

Is it good:
Willow is a classic fantasy movie that everyone should watch, and it`s good for all ages.