The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart
#8343.48 adjusted 3.62 for sample size in the official ranking · full ranking
Books 1 book Status Complete 2009 Reading commitment Low Jesse Bullington Last reviewed 2026-10-25
Overview
Jesse Bullington's debut, The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart (Orbit, 2009), is a dark historical fantasy about Hegel and Manfried Grossbart, fourteenth-century German grave-robbers on a quest for the treasure-filled tombs of Egypt. Reviewers noted its telling in the manner of a Brothers Grimm tale and its swings between horror and absurd comedy.
Dark fantasy, Historical fantasy · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (1 work) counts toward ranking
The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart Jesse Bullington
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart | 2009 | 1 | core | 3.48 (2,423 ratings) |
Jesse Bullington's standalone debut.
Quick answers
- How many books are in The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart? The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart's Core Canon is 1 book.
- Is The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart finished? Complete (2009).
- How much reading does The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart take? Low reading commitment (estimated from 1 Core Canon book).
- How is The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart ranked? #834 in this site's official ranking, based on 2,423 reader ratings across 1 Core Canon book. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #834?
Ranked #834 in the official ranking.
- Average reader rating of 3.48 across 1 core book.
- A smaller readership (2,423 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- 0.02 behind #833, Farlander (Heart of the World).
- Below the top-10 average of 4.45.
Why explore this universe?
Modestly rated · 1 book · Complete · 2k ratings · Ranks #834 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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Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 3.48 across 2,423 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: The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest (Hartman), The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart (Bullington) accepted 2026-10-25
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
- Strange Horizons: review of The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart Tier 2
- SFFWorld: review (Orbit, 2009) Tier 2
Last reviewed: 2026-10-25
Rule: Core Canon = The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart (2009), a standalone novel.