Dark Demon Rising
#7533.40 adjusted 3.91 for sample size in the official ranking · full ranking
Books 1 book Status Complete 1997 Reading commitment Low Tunku Halim Last reviewed 2026-11-05
Overview
Dark Demon Rising is the 1997 debut novel of Malaysian author Tunku Halim, published by Pelanduk Publications. It is a horror and dark fantasy story drawn from Malay folklore. Shazral, descended from a line of village shamans, left for the city and became a lawyer. When he is called back to his dying father, he learns that a demon that tormented him as a boy is still waiting, and that he is expected to take up the family's role as shaman. It is a standalone novel; a revised 20th anniversary edition appeared in 2017.
Dark fantasy · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (1 work) counts toward ranking
Dark Demon Rising Tunku Halim
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Dark Demon Rising | 1997 | 1 | core | 3.40 (67 ratings) |
A standalone Malay-folklore horror fantasy about a lawyer who must become his village's shaman.
Quick answers
- How many books are in Dark Demon Rising? Dark Demon Rising's Core Canon is 1 book.
- Is Dark Demon Rising finished? Complete (1997).
- How much reading does Dark Demon Rising take? Low reading commitment (estimated from 1 Core Canon book).
- How is Dark Demon Rising ranked? #753 in this site's official ranking, based on 67 reader ratings across 1 Core Canon book. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #753?
Ranked #753 in the official ranking.
- Average reader rating of 3.40 across 1 core book.
- A smaller readership (67 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- 0.49 behind #752, Only Begotten Daughter.
- Below the top-10 average of 4.46.
Why explore this universe?
Modestly rated · 1 book · Complete · 67 ratings · Ranks #753 overall
Good choice if you want a quick, low-commitment dark fantasy universe that's already finished, so there's no wait for the next book.
Reading order
A single Core Canon work: no sequencing question to resolve.
Awards (verified)
- No awards found for this universe.
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Suggestions computed from what Dark Demon Rising and each of these worlds have in common on record (subgenre, audience, shape, reading commitment and score), not a documented narrative connection.
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- The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart Dark fantasy / Historical fantasy · Complete · Low commitment · 3.48
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Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 3.40 across 67 ratings on 1 Core Canon book. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Canon Extension: 22 universes from the candidate register; Cursed Bunny ruled out; open synopses for Anna Strong, Allie Beckstrom and Alex Craft accepted 2026-11-05
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
- Wikipedia: Tunku Halim Tier 2
- Penang Bookshelf Tier 2
- AustLit Tier 2
Last reviewed: 2026-11-05
Rule: Core Canon = Dark Demon Rising (1997).
