Darker: Fifty Shades Darker As Told by Christian, also referred to as Darker, is a 2017 erotic romance by British author, E. L. James. It is the fifth installment in the Fifty Shades novel series. The books were originally told by Anastasia Steele, the main protagonist, whereas Darker: Fifty Shades Darker as Told by Christian is told from the male character's point of view of the events of the second installment, Fifty Shades Darker. The novel was released on 28 November 2017.