Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy discussion

Hello everyone,

I was hoping you might be able to suggest some good urban fantasy books. I like the idea of the genre but am sick and tired of UF actually being paranormal romance of the vampire/were/fae meets girl type (I'm happy for romance to be a side dish, just not the main course).

I have read and enjoyed books by Charles de Lint, Lanni Taylor, Freda Warrington, Neil Gaiman, Patricia Briggs, even Laurell K Hamilton (the first few, anyway).

I'm happy with books that slide more towards the horror end of the scale (Thomas Emson, David Wellington, Glen Duncan) and if you class urban fantasy as fantasy in any city setting that includes mythical worlds than that's fine too (because who doesn't love Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser?)!

Please give me UF recommendations that don't feature characters that act like bratty teenagers or brooding, sulky vampires that deserve a good staking!

Shaitarn wrote: " sick and tired of UF actually being paranormal romance of the vampire/were/fae meets girl type.."
Sorry - no suggestions at present, but I would like to express my strong agreement with the above!
Shaitarn wrote: " happy with books that slide more towards the horror end of the scale .."
Hmmmm! Less agreement there!

Further thoughts . . . If you are happy to have a mix of police procedural with your UF, take a look at Ben Aaronovitch - the Peter Grant stories. I am only a couple of books into the series so far, but they are looking pretty good (though the sequels are not quite up to the quality of the first one - number two looks a bit rush-to-finish-because-#1-was-so-successful). They need to be read in correct sequence.

The Golem and the Jinni is an awesome UF set in 1900 New York ethnic ghettos.

I enjoyed The Rook. It mostly eschews the usual critters, and has a different storytelling style.
discussion here

I also enjoyed last year's The Regional Office Is Under Attack!, though it's a very claustrophobic instance of an UF, taking place almost entirely in 24 hrs inside a single building (except for a couple of flashbacks.)

Zoo City is set in a South Africa where anyone guilty of a crime gets a familiar/spirit animal companion to straighten them out.

Alif the Unseen is an arabian styled UF involving computer hackers and a Jinn.

"Shaitarn wrote: " sick and tired of UF actually being paranormal romance of the vampire/were/fae meets girl type..."

I agree. My daughter was into it & we read a lot of them. It got really old. Fred Saberhagen did UF before it was cool (70s) with his Vlad series. Thorn was my favorite.

E.E. Knight's Vampire Earth series is pretty gritty. Starts with Way of the Wolf. No Dracula types. Alien invasion, apocalyptic, horrific survival stuff.

Emergence is the first of The Dave books by John Birmingham. Alien invasion & horror, but more like Ash vs the Evil Dead. A lot of fun.

You didn't mention reading the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne. The first novel is Hounded, but he wrote some prequel short stories. This is somewhat typical UF stuff, but a little better because of the dog. The MC isn't a brat, either.

Bloodlist by P.N. Elrod is about a new vampire during the Depression in Chicago. More of a Sherlock Holmes kind of thing in some ways.

I'm surprised you didn't mention Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series, seeing as how it might actually be one of the most well-known examples of the UF genre these days. On the off-chance you haven't checked it out, it's not paranormal romance... more like paranormal hardboiled detective fiction, almost a fantasy equivalent of Raymond Chandler.

Mike wrote: "I'm surprised you didn't mention Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series, seeing as how it might actually be one of the most well-known examples of the UF genre these days. On the off-chance you haven't..."

If you're referring to me, I didn't mention it because the 6th book was such a disappointment - horrible copy editing. The first few were OK, but it didn't seem different enough from what Shaitarn has already read. I almost didn't put in the Iron Druid series for that reason, but decided that Oberon tipped the scales enough. Who can resist a dog?
;)

No, actually, I was referring to the OP.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions - I can't believe I left Butcher and Saberhagen off my list! I fear this means my 'serious fantasy fan' card will be revoked (and yes, I did slap myself on the forehead when I read those names)!

I tried Kevin Hearn a while ago but being English myself, his character who liked the idea of the English being killed put my back up a bit! Time to acknowledge that is (hopefully) history now and give him another try, I think!

Thank you, I now have a list of novels to add to my ever-growing 'TBR' list *sigh*

Further thoughts . . .
I recently read Out of Nowhere by Patrick LeClerc. This guy is, so far as I can tell, virtually unknown . . . and he deserves better!
If you try it, let me know what you think.

The Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka and the Felix Castor series by Mike Carey are both excellent.

I can't comment on how romantic the later books get, but the first book of the Kate Daniels series, Magic Bites, was very fun. If I remember correctly, there were intimations that there would be romance later, but nothing happening yet. It reminded me of Mercy Thompson, so it might be good for you.

Simon R. Green has his Nightside series, which starts with Something from the Nightside. It felt pretty similar to what I've read of the Dresden Files, with that dark noir feel to it. I've only read the first few, but I enjoyed them.

You might also try Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko. It leans toward horror and has an interesting take on the mythology. I believe there's six books in the series, but I've only read the first. (Sensing a trend here...)

My final thought is trying out Clive Barker. He's more commonly thought of as a horror author, but the ones I've read by him (The Great and Secret Show, Weaveworld) struck me more as dark fantasy. The Great and Secret Show is primarily set in the real world with a fantastical twist, whereas Weaveworld is more along the lines of a portal fantasy, and so might be less what you're looking for.

The Sabina Kane series by Jaye Wells is really entertaining. The romance is less important than the overall story for the most part. I am sorry the series has ended.