One of the genres I’ve been reading a lot lately is urban fantasy. I worked my way through Kat Richardson’s Greywalker series, and particularly liked Underground, which seemed to me to make the most interesting use of the Seattle setting. There’s a pleasure in reading books set in a location you know well, and this makes Richardson’s work appealing to me, but it is clean and crisp and compelling in its own right.
Another work is Margaret Ronald’s Spiral Hunt, which has what could be cliche: a reluctant champion, one of the recent legion of Kickass Women With Attitude and Supernatural Powers prevalent in pop genre lately. Ronald provides fresh and compelling prose with beautiful sensory detail.
I’m never quite sure whether or not I like Vicki Pettersson’s Signs of the Zodiac series, (the high society always reminds me of what I dislike about many TV shows, the relentless parade of brand names) which feature superheroes on either side of the astrological spectrum, but there’s usually enough new and interesting stuff to keep me interested. Most recently I read The Taste of Night and City of Souls.
Other recent reads in this genre I appreciated included Rob Thurman’s Deathwish, part of the Caliban and Niko series. I love the character of the Puck, but there’s other interesting characters and concepts, enough that I will seek out Thurman’s work in a bookstore.
Similarly, I was happy to find the latest of the Marla Mason books. T.A. Pratt’s Spell Games, which featured an intriguing plot giving us greater insight into the backstory of Felport’s chief sorcerer along with lots of nifty, quirky little word-building touches.
I have grown a little jaded by vampires, but I picked up Staked by J.F. Lewis, which I think takes that genre and does some fun things with it, providing Lewis’s own twist on the vampire mythos. Unabashedly sexy and violent, crisp and cleanly told.
So – who are your favorite urban fantasy authors and why?
I love the husband-and-wife writing team who does the Kate Daniels series (Magic Burns, Magic Bites, etc) and the new Edge series. The worldbuilding and charactarization are first-rate and the plots always keep me guessing. I expect to lose a day reading (and re-reading) every time one of her books comes out!
Is that Gordon and Ilona Andrews?
I like Kat’s Greywalker too. Bonus, she’s a really nice person! I read Kim Harrison, Patricia Briggs (also set in the state of WA, well the Mercedes Thompson ones are) and Rachel Caine.
MKK
My favorite is Simon R. Green’s “Nightside” series. John Taylor is the kind of detective you want on your side & I find his abilities particularly unique & interesting.
I’m also fond of Patricia Briggs’ “Mercy Thompson” & Carrie Vaughn’s “Kitty Norville” books. I must have a thing for female werewolves.
I’m a little burned out on vampires, but I do find Mario Acevedo’s “Felix Gomez” series a fun little romp.
This is not a favorite field of mine, though I dabble in it occasionally, but my favorite by a long shot is Mike Carey, whose Felix Castor series is simply phenomenal. Every book stands alone, but each builds on what’s come before as well, laying the groundwork for what looks to be a pretty amazing conclusion in the next and final book in the six-book arc. The writing’s sharp and far more engaging than I often find in this subgenre, the characters are interesting and fun, and the books simply immensely absorbing. Carey’s background is as a comic book writer, and he’s written some excellent long-form serial works that I think have honed his plotting and pacing very finely — he’s very good at escalation and balance in his work. Also, his take on the various supernatural creatures encountered is often quite clever without ever being cutesy or contrived. I gave the first book in the series a try because I enjoyed Carey’s comics work, but every subsequent book has been of the drop-what-I’m-currently-reading-when-it-comes-out variety because I just find them that compelling.
I enjoyed the first Dresden File a bit but not enough to have moved on yet to the second one. Same with Carrie Vaughn’s first novel. I’m looking forward to sampling M.L.N. Hanover’s work.
I’d have to say that Charles De Lint’s stories and novels have been my recent (years back is a nother story) measure for urban fantasy. They combine a slew of interesting and sympathetic/unsympathetic characters with a nice balance (imo) of the magic/myth with the real worldiness. Before getting into De Lint, I would have said Emma Bull’s “War for the Oaks” stood out.
And as far as my all time favorite or pseudo-urban fantasy, I’d probably include Crowley’s “Little, Big”, though the case could be made that it’s simply modern faerie tale, since there’s not terribly much urbanity.
Thanks for the shout out, Cat.
I recently picked up Cherie Priest’s Fathom. She’s very spooky and magical, with a habit of dipping into the less visited ends of the supernatural pool for her monsters. Boneshaker, her first foray into steampunk was excellent as well. Roger Zelazny was kind of writing urban fantasy before it had a special name and his Amber series is a long standing favorite of mine.
Diana Rowland’s Mark of Demon was a good read mad especially so by her knowledge of police work. It’s great fun to read a more realistic approach to a homicide investigation. Oh, and the demons were cool too.
I second the call for John Taylor’s adventures in the Nightside, though Simon R Green’s continual use of the phrase “…in the Nightside” gets a little grating after a while. “That’s just how things are in the Nightside. Strange things happen in the Nightside.” You get the impression that he wanted to make the novels longer and this was the easiest way.
Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files are my current favourites – only 2 more to go and I’m waiting for him to write the next one.
Sat in the stack, and highly recommended, is Christopher Fowler’s “Full Dark House”, one of his Peculiar Crimes Unit novels. If it’s as good as Roofworld, it’ll be a treat.
Oh, and for a little something out of the ordinary, Sergei Lukyanenko’s “Night Watch” series of books (4 in total), set in the Russain supernatural world, are excellent. Great fun and a quick read. Ekaterina Sedia’s “Secret History of Moscow” is worth a punt as well.
And no-one’s mentioned Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere yet. Shame. Or “Good Omens” The list could go on…
And I spelled my website wrong. Not that there’s very much there at all yet, but it’s a work in progress…
I have to put in my vote for Tim Pratt as well. He’s one of my favorites, especially his short stories. And of course, the always fantastic Christopher Moore — I think some of his books count (It’s a Dirty Job, certainly).
Best, s.
Ooh, what a good topic. I actually just finished ‘Four and Twenty Blackbirds’ by Cherie Priest last night, and was hugely impressed by the solid characterization and original plot.
I’m also fond of Cory Doctorow’s take on Toronto, in ‘Someone comes to town, someone leaves town’. I love how he tangles such a whimsical, surreal plot with modern concerns regarding freedom and accessibility of information (in form of internet connectivity).
(I’m using the definition of ‘Urban Fantasy’ that requires that extant, contemporary cities be involved. Else my list would be enormous).
It took me a long time to like the genre, and even still there are some titles I don’t care for. My favorites these days, though are Vicki Pettersson’s Signs of the Zodiac (sorry to disagree with you, Ms. Rambo but it’s true), The superhero angle, and lack of *coughvampirescough* was refreshing. I also liked Yasmine Gaelnorn’s Sisters of the Moon series; what I’ve read of Patricia Briggs, likewise, I enjoyed (werewolves are a favorite here too). And … Karen Chance’s Cassandra Palmer series had to grow on me but in the end I enjoyed it too. I have way more on my TBR list than I’ve actually gotten around to reading yet, so I’m sure this list will grow.
Charles De Lint and Neil Gaiman are two of my favorites as well as Roger Zelazny although I don’t usually consider him urban fantasy. Oh and “Rowan of the Wood” of course.
Justine Musk. Some Gio Clairval.
Probably Neil Gaiman. I love his works, he traps me in a world that I believe that could exists, his fantasy can be subtle and violent at the same time, but very believable.