Good Urban Fantasy?

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by JD, Oct 4, 2009.

  1. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Recently, I've read the first Dresden Files, and I am in the process of reading the first Southern Vampire novel. I've really liked both books, and so now I was curious to check out some other good urban fantasy. Anyone here have recommendations? I also loved the Harry Potter books, but I don't know if they would be considered urban fantasy.
     
  2. God Magnus

    God Magnus Commodore Commodore

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    A series I recently got into are the adventures of Marla Mason (http://marlamason.net/). They read more like comic books than novels at times, but I find them fun.
     
  3. T'Baio

    T'Baio Admiral Admiral

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    I think there's quite a few girls around here that have good Urban fantasies. Why don't you ask them? You can spot them by the avatar...
     
  4. Klaus

    Klaus Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Tim Powers was the first thing that came to mind... The Drawing of the Dark is medieval urban fantasy [and one of the greatest fantasy novels of all time], and the excellent "Fault Lines" trilogy -- Last Call, Expiration Date, and Earthquake Weather -- are set in 80s California and Las Vegas...

    His newer ones Declare and Three Days to Never also qualify.
    [​IMG]
     
  5. Allyn Gibson

    Allyn Gibson Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I don't generally read urban fantasy, but I liked Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready. It's about a radio station where the deejays are vampires. It was different and fun.
     
  6. Out Of My Vulcan Mind

    Out Of My Vulcan Mind Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I haven't read any of them yet myself, but I hear good things about Simon R. Green's Nightside series, Charlie Huston's Joe Pitt series, and Liz Williams' Inspector Chen series.
     
  7. Mysterion

    Mysterion Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Wizard of the Pigeons by Megan Lindholm.
     
  8. jadcox@mindspring.com

    jadcox@mindspring.com Commodore Commodore

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    Awesome book. Just excellent. Also, check out Moonheart, Someplace to be Flying, and some of the other novels of Charles de Lint.
     
  9. jadcox@mindspring.com

    jadcox@mindspring.com Commodore Commodore

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  10. Bob The Skutter

    Bob The Skutter Complete Arse Cleft In Memoriam

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    The Dresden Files just gets better as it goes along, in my opinion. Hope you enjoy the rest of them.
    It's not Urban Fantasy but Jim Butcher's other series, Codex Alera is great too. It's set in a world where various species have appeared and made home, the humans on the planet are descended from Romans who were unlucky enough to get stuck there. Everyone has magic (of a sort) granted by beings who bond with them called Furies. They control various elements, wind, earth, fire, metal, water etc. and they're at war with various other species on the planet, Canim (giant dog creatures), Marat barbarians who bond with animals, Ice Men, and it's the story of one young man who doesn't have any Furies of his own.

    I've read all of Simon R Green's The Nightside books so far, I like them a lot but I wouldn't say they're as good as The Dresden Files and they get a bit samey in the middle. It's the story of John Taylor and a secret city within London called The Nightside, where all sorts of supernatural and technological things are possible.

    I read The Devil You Know the first Felix Castor novel by Mike Carey which I enjoyed enough to go out and buy the other three, but I haven't got round to the others yet. It's about a freelance exorcist and investigator called Felix Castor working in London.

    David Mack's The Calling was a good read, started off slow but I enjoyed it, hope he gets more in the series. It's about Tom Nash, an every day kinda guy who just happens to hear people's prayers, and helps out when he can.

    The Remy Chandler books by Thomas E. Sneigoski. Remy Chandler is an Angel who decided after the war between heaven and hell that he didn't want to be part of it any more and came to Earth to live life as a human, but he keeps getting drawn back in to the affairs of heaven and hell.

    They're the only ones I can think of right now.
     
  11. Mistral

    Mistral Vice Admiral Admiral

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    OK, two(or more) suggestions no one touched on.

    Ariel by Peter Boyett. Just re-released with new cover art. Great story, stunning. There's a unicorn and Japanese sword play, gangsters and magic set in the ruins of our world. Great story long out of print.

    Glen Cook's Metal series. Red Iron Nights. Deadly Quicksilver Lies. Sweet Silver Bells. Detective Noir in a fantasy world. Very urban and gritty.

    Also, Stalking the Unicorn by Mike Resnick.
     
  12. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Cool, thanks for the help. Quite a few of those sound pretty interesting. I forgot about David Mack's The Calling, he's one of my favorite Trek Lit authors, and I've been meaning to check it out.
     
  13. Klagg

    Klagg Captain Captain

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    I am also a big fan of urban fantasy and must second the Felix Castor novels. The fourth and fifth books in the series are out in the UK and I had them shipped overseas so I did not have to wait.

    Another tact you might want to take as a Dresden Files fan is to get the Mean Streets anthology. There is a Dresden Files short story in it with three other shorts. Be warned, though, you should not read this anthology until after Small Favor.
     
  14. sojourner

    sojourner Admiral In Memoriam

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    Ariel is by Steven R. Boyett. One of my favorite books. A really nice coming of age story.

    Edit: Awesome news! Boyett is finally putting out a sequel! http://www.elegybeach.com/


    For high magic and hi-tech you can't go wrong with the Shadowrun books.
     
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2009
  15. Canadave

    Canadave Vice Admiral Admiral

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    The first thing that came to mind was Neverwear, by Neil Gaiman.
     
  16. Bob The Skutter

    Bob The Skutter Complete Arse Cleft In Memoriam

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    ^2 of those 3 are in series I recommended too. Nightside and Remy Chandler.

    I've just bought Child Of Fire which was recommended by Jim Butcher in a podcast, it just arrived on saturday so I haven't got round to reading it yet.
     
  17. Technobuilder

    Technobuilder Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    ^Let us know how that is if you would Bob.

    The Dresden Files
    is probably my favorite book series period at this very moment, with The Codex Alera a close second, BUT I'm not as well read as most people here, so grain of salt and all that.

    I recently started reading the Quincey Morris & Elizabeth Chastain Investigations series by Justin Gustainis, and I really enjoyed those as well.
    Book 1: Black Magic Woman
    Book 2: Evil Ways (Includes a Dresden Files Crossover Scene as well)
    Book 3: Sympathy for the Devil (should be out soon)


    Be aware that The Dresden Files is a planned 23 book series and book 12 comes out this April, it's a hell of a ride so far, and it ain't close to being over yet.

    Jim is also releasing a Short Story Anthology of the complete Dresden Files Short Stories published thus far and a few new ones as well. So that's definitely something to look for and pick up if you get farther into the series proper.
     
  18. Bob The Skutter

    Bob The Skutter Complete Arse Cleft In Memoriam

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    Sure, but it might be a while before I get round to it, I'm currently re-reading Codex Alera before Book 6 comes out.

    I agree with you about Dresden Files, but your caveat would be true for me too.
     
  19. Bast

    Bast Captain Captain

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    The Blood Ties series by Tanya Huff are fun (didn't watch the TV series so I don't know how they compare), and she has at least one other series in addition to that.

    Charles deLint also writes mostly urban fantasy, and also has a few written under the name Samuel M. Key.

    For more fluffy stuff, Mercedes Lackey has an urban fantasy series (Children of the Night?)
     
  20. 23skidoo

    23skidoo Admiral Admiral

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    Is it my imagination, or does it look like most urban fantasy novels have to deal with vampires?

    I'm not saying that's necessarily the case, but it's the first impression I'm getting.

    Alex