Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy discussion

Hi all, i hope I've got this posting thing right and created my topic in the appropriate folder! If not, please let me know.
I was wondering if there's a "creature" [for lack of a better word] that people think is underwritten in the genre? Like, I see a lot of vampires, witches, and shifters [and I like them! don't get me wrong] but I don't see as much Fae [or maybe I'm looking in the wrong places?]

So, as a general discussion, are there any creatures/tropes/magical entities you wish there were more of?

I'd like to see more on shifters that aren't werewolves. Not because I don't love werewolves but because I think it would be new and interesting. I'd also like to see more on ghosts, undead, underworld stuff and the aforementioned Fae/Fairies.

If you have any recs for the above, I'd love to hear them!

Jinn is one I only see once in awhile. Samantha Young's series is one of my favs!

I've read about mermaids before, and it was good, but I'd like to read something a little more epic that involves the merfolk! Less cheesy, and more action/drama.

Keep the romance, though. I love me some spunky romance!

I agree with the Danielle above me, Jinn don't occur that often. I'm curious about more folklore and creatures from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Also more water related creatures would be cool.

I feel like the fae are starting to pop up a lot now though no where near vamps and ww.

I saw some recs in a thread about shifters in another group that suggested unicorns, which I think would be interesting. They mentioned a couple books with unicorn shifters (which I forget now, sorry!) and I love the folklore idea as well-there's mythology from so many cultures to choose from!

Urban legends were another thought. You could do Yeti shifters or The Jersey Devil, etc.

Oh Jinn! I totally forgot about them. I've only ever seen them in the Weather Warden series Rachel Caine.
I am VERY interested in other mythologies. I've read some mythology website stuff on Eastern/Asian mythologies and some of them are really cool and just SO different from mythology that I'm used to reading.

Merfolk! I've got to know, did they talk underwater? how was that addressed? [if it WAS addressed].
I admit, I read a LOT of fanfic, which is why I want to see more shifting stories! I've read some fanfic that had charcaters shift into horses or birds and it was really cool.

Its been a while since I've read it, but I think they communicated telepathically.

It's called Seaweed. It was free on Amazon when I read it. Not sure about now...

There is a group called Shifter Love on here that has lists with books of a bunch of different kinds of shifters

For those of you looking for more Jinn and/or more water creatures, I'd like to suggest C.E. Murphy's Negotiator Trilogy. The main character is a gargoyle and while it does also have those common vampires it also features Jinn, Selkies, and Dragons as well. The first in the series is Heart of Stone.

I've added a few books to my to read list and joined shifter love! Now if only I didn't have pesky job I could focus all my time on books!

Joseph wrote: "For those of you looking for more Jinn and/or more water creatures, I'd like to suggest C.E. Murphy's Negotiator Trilogy. The main character is a gargoyle and while it does also have those common ..."

I almost forgot that I have Heart of Stone on audio. I've been eyeing the series for a few years now.

Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid series (which is awesome) is based on Celtic mythology, but brings in a lot of other underused mythologies as well. My urban fantasy series (The Thin Veil) is also based on Celtic mythology, and has the Tuatha De Dannan (the Irish gods who are the origin for our modern concept of fairies) as well as other Irish creatures such as the Merrow and leprechauns.

Margarita wrote: "Hi all, i hope I've got this posting thing right and created my topic in the appropriate folder! If not, please let me know.
I was wondering if there's a "creature" [for lack of a better word] tha..."

THE FEVER series is THE best Fae series ever! Its by Karen Marie Moning. The Fever Series 5-Book Bundle: Darkfever, Bloodfever, Faefever, Dreamfever, Shadowfever
Unholy Ghosts is another good ghost one, Anna dressed in Red is a good ghost story. Lili St. Crow's Strange Angles is kind of ghosty/zombieish.

Megan wrote: "I've read about mermaids before, and it was good, but I'd like to read something a little more epic that involves the merfolk! Less cheesy, and more action/drama.

Keep the romance, though. I love..."

the last few books in this series has a siren in it.

I've actually wanted to see more ghost books in romance. Even as a writer, I have contemplated doing one, but haven't come up with a suitable story I like yet. With ghosts, you have the whole death issue- LOL. Hard to resolve a romance when one of the partners is dead. But interesting to think about. :)

Rosanna wrote: "I've actually wanted to see more ghost books in romance. Even as a writer, I have contemplated doing one, but haven't come up with a suitable story I like yet. With ghosts, you have the whole death..."

I haven't read but I think the H was turned to a ghost through a curse, and got stuck in between worlds that way. That's one way to do it I suppose, the character having died because of a magical reason as opposed to a regular death.

Rachel ~ SnapDragoness wrote: "Rosanna wrote: "I've actually wanted to see more ghost books in romance. Even as a writer, I have contemplated doing one, but haven't come up with a suitable story I like yet. With ghosts, you have..."

Thanks Rachel. That is one way. I know I've seen one or two curse ghost premises too, and I always think, "Hmm. Looks pretty dead to me! He can't be coming back!"
LOL

Reminds me of that scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

"I'm not dead yet!"

Rachel ~ SnapDragoness wrote: "Reminds me of that scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

"I'm not dead yet!""

Oh, don't get me started on Python, Rachel. We could work in a Norwegian Blue reference..."He's f**** snuffed it!"

lol! ☺

Larissa Ione has Incubi and Horsemen of the Apocalpse in her series that starts with:


Demons in:


Fae in:


Lots of unique things out there.

Danielle RatherReadThanWork wrote: "I agree with the Danielle above me, Jinn don't occur that often. I'm curious about more folklore and creatures from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Also more water related creatures would be coo..."

I don't know if you have researched it but I just have to J.K.Rowling props in this area. Most of the creatures she put in Harry Potter were legitimate creatures from myths all around the world. Like kappas, mermaids, there are more but I can't think of them all.

Danielle RatherReadThanWork wrote: "I agree with the Danielle above me, Jinn don't occur that often. I'm curious about more folklore and creatures from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Also more water related creatures would be coo..."

You might want to check out sherrlynn Kenyon's Dark Hunters. There are were-panters, tigers, leopards, dragons, and many more. CHeck it out it is amazing

Danielle wrote: "Jinn is one I only see once in awhile. Samantha Young's series is one of my favs!"

By jinn do you mean genies? If so check out P.B.Kerr's children of the lamp series. Totally unique and it is amazing. It is a children's book similar to Harry Potter but hey who isn't in love with Potter books?

So this will sound odd but I am not sure there is a ton of books about witches anymore. What I mean is they exist in books but it seems like they are a side character.

Having said that I would like to see more books about witches. Those who use spells and a part of a coven and there are no other super natural characters.

Dawn, have you read the Sweep series by Cate Tiernan? It's my favorite witchy book and it stays accurate with Wicca.

Dawn--what about the Bronwyn the Witch series by Candace Havens? Charmed & Dangerous is the first book.

Brittany wrote: "Danielle RatherReadThanWork wrote: "I agree with the Danielle above me, Jinn don't occur that often. I'm curious about more folklore and creatures from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Also more ..."

Thanks for rec Brittany! That was actually one of the first PNR series that I read :) I can't really stomach it now... way too much going on but I might take it up again one day.

Rachel Caine also did an awesome Jinn (sp?) series, the Weather Warden Series.

Danielle wrote: "Jinn is one I only see once in awhile. Samantha Young's series is one of my favs!"

Margarita wrote: "Hi all, i hope I've got this posting thing right and created my topic in the appropriate folder! If not, please let me know.
I was wondering if there's a "creature" [for lack of a better word] tha..."

Joseph wrote: "For those of you looking for more Jinn and/or more water creatures, I'd like to suggest C.E. Murphy's Negotiator Trilogy. The main character is a gargoyle and while it does also have those common ..."

Thanks, Joseph! I was trying to remember that Trilogy! I love gargoyles, but it has been so long since I read Negotiator that I forgot who wrote it.

Vickie Taylor also wrote a Gargoyle series (with some romance). I don't know if they're still in print (it appears not, although one is available on Kindle), but you might find them in used book stores. I enjoyed her world.

Only have a moment, but has anyone mentioned Elisabeth Naughton and the Firebrand series? Sorceress and djinn warriors....

I'll have to check her out. Sounds fabulous.

In my observation, a different "critter" seldom makes a book different. It seems some UF authors keep treading over the same themes if it's a ghost, a werewolf, or a penanggalan. If you're looking for romance, that's cool. That's what you like to read. The question I would ask is, what has a story structure, style, and perspective that's unique.

In that case, I would try Bitter Seeds

You have a good point, James, and Bitter Seeds looks fascinating. Along the lines of writing common paranormal creatures with a unique slant, I'd recommend the Nightcreature series by Lori Handelhand (one of the first authors to portray werewolves as evil and to have the Nazis in the back story) and Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series (a new and unique twist on angels and vamps).

Brittany wrote: "Danielle wrote: "Jinn is one I only see once in awhile. Samantha Young's series is one of my favs!"

By jinn do you mean genies? If so check out P.B.Kerr's children of the lamp series. Totally uniq..."

There are so many different spellings and words: djinns, jinn, jinni, genies etc. And yes, they all refer to the same being -- powerful beings of smokeless fire from African, Middle Eastern and Asian mythologies. Sometimes they are mistakenly equated to demons, but they are more like parallel beings to humans (like aliens)...at least in the stories I grew up with in South East Asia.

Oh yes, I love djinn stories as well as dragon shifters, cat shifters (lions and jags) and ghosts!

Fae are the focus in Kalayana Price's Alex Craft novels, I think Grave Witch starts off that series, and I've enjoyed them so far. I am about 1/3 of the way through The Immortal Circus: Act One and it is also fae focused, with some interesting "shifter" characters that are actually fae. Cat Adams's series is a mix of sirens and mages, as well as vamps plus a few ghosts thrown in to the mix. I think that starts with Blood Song I really enjoyed the mage magic in those.

Mina wrote: "Brittany wrote: "Danielle wrote: "Jinn is one I only see once in awhile. Samantha Young's series is one of my favs!"

By jinn do you mean genies? If so check out P.B.Kerr's children of the lamp ser..."

If you like djinns (genies) you might like Rachel Caine's Weather Warden series. Very unique and cool.

I think the key to good fantasy, science fiction, or any other story is good characters, unique situations, and great story telling.

That can happen with or without a new "creature" but I think we all get a little bored with vampires and werewolves sometimes...

A little variety is good for the soul!

Of course I say this while working on a vampire novel...

Catherine wrote: "If you like djinns (genies) you might like Rachel Caine's Weather Warden series. Very unique and cool. ..."

I have read Rachel Caine's Weather Warden series (it's actually one of my favorites). One of the other Goodreads groups actually has a thread dedicated to djinn/genie stories...maybe we should have one here?

Can someone help me find a book? It has a Minotaur as the male lead. Not an erotic fantasy, but a supernatural. There is a series of books by the same author, I just can't remember. I was reading something else and that book flowed into my mind, and now I can't get it out. I want to go back and re-read and also check out the other in what I think is a series. I know, weird, but sometimes I get these book obsessions! I remember there was a car accident in the book, and there was a group of (fae?) trying to sacrifice the Minotaur.

Anyone know anything about what I am talking about? Would really appreciate it!

Goddess by Mistake by P.C. Cast has a centaur (half man, half horse) as the hero. I don't know any books with a minotaur (human body, head of a bull). Goddess by Mistake is one of my all-time favorites.

The only minotaur book I can think of is an old one, Day of the Minotaur. I'd like to know which one you're thinking of, too. Sounds interesting.

A fantastic novel came out recently that features a golem and a jinni and interestingly enough, it's called The Golem and the Jinni. It's by Helene Wecker.
It takes place in 1899 New York City telling the tale of the life of Jewish and Muslim immigrants with the very interesting twist that among those Jewish immigrants is a Golem and among those Muslim immigrants is Jinni. The interactions of the immigrant humans with other humans as well as with the Golem's and Jinni's interactions with each other and how they try to fit in with the humans is part of what makes this story so enjoyable. All of the characters and scenes are so well described you really can see yourself being there.

Thanks Sandra. This is not the one, but I am adding that one to my book list. The one I am thinking of is very modern day urban fantasy. And Catherine, thanks. I will have to check out the P.c. Cast one, Catherine. That sounds interesting also. The book I am thinking of is set in the US, the South, I think. Bits and pieces pop into my head, I think supernats are hunted . . maybe? There is a group that is hiding out in a swamp area? Powerful women characters. Well, except for the Minotaur females who are boring as heck. The Minotaur spends time with his family. I think there is a problem with the female love interest as she isn't a Minotaur, but his family expects him to have a "herd" of females, and he doesn't want to, he wants the female love interest. Sigh. I read so much, it is just a fog! lol

Joseph wrote: "A fantastic novel came out recently that features a golem and a jinni and interestingly enough, it's called The Golem and the Jinni. It's by Helene Wecker.
It takes place in 1899 New York City te..."

Kate Daniels books have Golems in. They guard the Jewish Temple that she goes to for help and information. What is the series where the female cop lead has a Golem partner? It is a great series - she is taken to another reality/world because she is an FBI agent who handles psychopaths and serial murders. The world she goes to has never had that sort of problem - but there is only a population of about 1% humans, the vamps, wolves and Golems are the population. It is a great series. AH!!! D.D. Barant! That is that one. The Bloodhound Files. The series is GREAT. Well, it was. I got to book 6, and all of a sudden she is back in Kansas - back on our world. I started that one and couldn't get into the rhythm of it - it is like she pulled a Charlene Harris - turned totally 180 from her original series and went off in some weird direction that was totally disappointing. I just blew that one off and decided to be happy with the original five and let it go at that. I don't know what some authors are thinking when they do that sort of thing? If they are bored, they should wrap the book series up when they are still into it and start designing another world, more interesting to them, so their writing stays fascinating and fresh. Not just destroy the whole series for the reader. Just my thoughts on the situation. That, to me, is one of the very best reasons to be an Indie author - - no "you have to write six books in this series to fulfill your contract no matter if you have nothing else to say"!

James wrote: "In my observation, a different "critter" seldom makes a book different. It seems some UF authors keep treading over the same themes if it's a ghost, a werewolf, or a penanggalan. If you're looking ..."

I agree with you to a point James. I am interested, however, in different 'critters' in that they have different mythologies. Charles deLint has the Crow Girls, which is something entirely different. Crows are sneaky, they love shiny things, they have different meanings in different mythologies. As do owls - I would love to read a series about different bird supernats - I did read about birds in a book that I (of course) can't remember the name of. The main female character hides out with a group of her bird friends, who are murdered for helping her. It was a great book.

OK I am REALLY going to have to start a book list and make notes! I own something like 2000 books, and there is no way I can just reference my swiss cheese brain for all of them. . .

http://www.darkurbanfantasy.com/ an interesting list of different urban fantasies coming out.

There should be more series that focus on Fairies; especially, their politics and castes should be focused on. Eveyone knows about Darkfever, Merry Gentry, but Anya Bast's Dark Magick series is pretty good too.

Joseph wrote: "A fantastic novel came out recently that features a golem and a jinni and interestingly enough, it's called The Golem and the Jinni. It's by Helene Wecker.
It takes place in 1899 New York City te..."

Oooh, I'm about to start reading this . It sounds very, very intriguing!