The Genre Underground discussion

You've come to the right place in the Genre Underground for adventures to uncharted lands, to discover wonders hitherto unfathomed. Please use these guidelines for posting recommendations (three recs of other authors for each self-promo), or simply follow the example below.

Hogfather, fantasy humor: When the merry ol' Hogfather is assassinated, Death must put on the beard and red suit to save the world.

Warbreaker, high fantasy: A magic of color and creation, engaging characters, intriguing cultures, plot twits, all in fewer than six hundred pages.

Maledicte, dark fantasy: A wronged woman will do anything for justice, even masquerade as a man, but her friends urge her not to pledge herself to the goddess of vengeance.

Brood of Bones, dark fantasy: An enchantress with chronic fatigue learns that every woman in her city is with child, and she must find the sorcerer who leeches power from the unnatural pregnancies.

Waylander Heroic fantasy: All of Waylander's instincts had screamed at him to spurn the contract from Kaem the cruel, the killer of nations. But he had ignored them. He had made his kill. And even as he went to collect his gold, he knew that he had been betrayed.
Now the Dark Brotherhood and the hounds of chaos were hunting him, even as Kaem's armies waged war on the Drenai lands, intent on killing
The Crystal ShardHeroic Fantasy: Akar Kessel, a weak-willed apprentice mage sets in motion events leading to the rediscovery of the magical device, the crystal shard. But is it merely an inanimate device... or is it capable of directing the defeat of Ten-Towns?
Conan of Cimmeria Sword and Sorcery: Conan travels the ancient world, fighting and loving through various adventures.
Chronicles of the Sentient Sword: Vol.1 Pantania, the Guild Mistress:Pantania Pommel doesn't look like much-a slight woman with an unkempt shock of red hair, who happens to be mistress of the second most powerfulthieves' guild in Anglea. But second isn't good enough, so she starts a plot to overthrow the rival guild. Her sword, which speaks in her mind andgives her headaches, has loftier goals. With the fate of the kingdom in the balance, it falls on the shoulders of two lower ranking members of theChurch of Alinard to thwart her evil plans. Can they succeed before her dreams come to fruition or before the Church's dark secret is revealed

Here are my recs:

Tithe by Holly Black is an amazing adventure through the dark & dangerous world of the urban fey. Follow it with Valiant (my fave of the series) and Ironside.

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr is another "fairies walk among us" story that gets into the court politics and flirts with your perception of "do they or don't they" live among us? A bit more pedestrian than Black's series, but Ink Exchange gets a bit darker. Again, I prefer book 2! I'm seeing a pattern.

Flowers in the Attic is old school gothic fantasy, set in a contemporary (1970s, anyway) incestuous family dynamic. VC Andrews is 100% guilty pleasure. Reading this will not make you a better person. It will probably not make you smarter. It will not let you go, however. Must read.

In Troll Or Derby, fifteen-year-old Roller Deb is singled out by town bullies for both her skates, and her sexual orientation. When her popular homecoming queen of a sister is kidnapped by a scuzzy drug dealer, Deb must flee the trailer park in which she's grown up, and rescue her. Along the way, Deb becomes enmeshed in the magical realm of trolls and fairies, and the blood-thirsty version of roller derby at which these beings excel. But spending too much time among the fairies comes with a price. Will Deb choose to save her sister, with the aid of a mysterious troll? Or will she be lost to the lures of roller derby, and the blonde temptress April, forever?

I have the incredible desire to recommend my own books, but I will hold off for now. My big recommendation is 'The Company of the Dead' by David J. Kowalski. Hellova read.

Storm Front The first book of the Dresden Files and the start of something BIG. Harry Dresden is the only wizard in Chicago's phone book - hard-boiled noir urban fantasy, the best. Be careful - once you start reading this series, you won't stop... and there's 13 books with more on the way!

The Devil You Know Felix Castor can see the dead, and he can put restless spirits back where they belong. Dark urban fantasy with a distinctly British flair, this is one of my favorite books.

Sandman Slim James Stark is dead. Or at least, he was. This book has a very distinctive voice, and it's definitely a love-it-or-hate-it kind of thing, but I liked it a lot.

Sorcerer’s Code A fantasy novelette with an urban fantasy flair. Edar Moncrief comes face-to-face with every practicing sorcerer's worst nightmare: an Arbiter. One with a bad attitude, at that. If he doesn't help to find a murderer, he'll soon find himself as dead as the victim...

The Burning SkyKind of hard to classify. Alternate history of the world where gender equality happens early, Europe is still covered in ice, and North Africa is the most powerful area of the world. Features some ghosts, some steampunk, etc... Lewis is a good writer who improves with time, and this is the first in The Other Earth series, which is highly enjoyable (if a bit difficult to decide if it's scifi or fantasy).

Cthulhurotica A collection of short stories set in the dark fantasy Lovecraft universe. As delightful as the title.

Devil Tree Magical realism. A man and his wife capsize their boat and wind up the unwanted and unwilling guests of another rural couple who live under the domain of the Devil Tree.

I will say that I would prefer it if we tried to stick to recommending INDIE books, since the mainstream ones get enough recs as it is.

Amanda - that's a really good point. I confess that my brain wasn't exactly on when I wrote my above post, so hopefully I can make up for it here.

Scriber is a compelling fantasy with some of the most striking characters I can remember reading in any book. Dennon Lark, a scholarly type with a real drive for truth, must survive intrigue and danger as he struggles to save his world from an ancient darkness.

The Black God's War is a phenomenal story, one where the normal tropes of Western European fantasy no longer apply, as the author explores a Greco-Roman flair to a familiar genre. Epic in scope yet feeling character-driven, I highly recommend this one.

Wired is a well-written and compelling techno-thriller that I honestly wasn't sure if I would like when I started reading it. When I got to the end, I was breathless. Definitely check this one out if you like that modern-styled thriller with a heavy dose of technology and action.

And one more for good measure:

The Traveler's Companion I picked this one up from a LibraryThing giveaway last year, and was genuinely surprised by it. What seems at first to be a highly technical exploration of quantum physics turns out to be a very moving story about love and loss, and how the mind deals with tragedy. An excellent story, if occasionally a bit heavy-handed with the scientific explanations.

Christopher wrote: "Amanda - that's a really good point. I confess that my brain wasn't exactly on when I wrote my above post, so hopefully I can make up for it here.

Scriber is a compelling fantasy with some of the ..."

Yay! Now this is a list I'm excited over. :-D

We should include Small Press in there as well. A lot of very fine books find homes with publishing houses that don't have enough of a budget to get word out like the big houses.

Personally I consider small presses to be independent presses, so counting as indie, but it's a good clarification. :-)

I've started on The Dresden Flies, and so far I'm a fan. Like Raymond Chandler, with magic...

Recommendations:

Midnight Riot A Doctor Who writer and a modern fantasy. Who needs more? (Unless it the 2 sequels)

Soul Music The Master at play. This one ticks all my boxes, and I think it's one of his four stand out works.

SheA mysterious, deathless beauty, a white hunter, and africa...What more do you need on an evening, besides peace and a drink?

The Mystic AccountantsOK, mine, sneaking round the corner hoping to be noticed amongst the quality on offer here.

Another day, another gig: But this time the feedback smashes the Throne of The King Under The Mountain.Can The Banned replace it before it's Jailhouse Rock for them?

I'm currently reading Chine Mieville's The Scar,, and it is blowing me away. Still, as good as it is, it's nothing compared to the brilliance of his first, Perdido Street Station.

I do not know of any indie books like my work, unfortunately (fortunately-on-the-whole, I think). Definitely won't recommend something blindly. But I do review and recommend indie books as part of my normal Goodreads activity. :)

Mark wrote: "I have the incredible desire to recommend my own books, but I will hold off for now. My big recommendation is 'The Company of the Dead' by David J. Kowalski. Hellova read."

You are encouraged to recommend your own books here, as long as you can recommend three others that readers who would like your book would enjoy, as well.

Amanda wrote:
I will say that I would prefer it if we tried to stick to recommending INDIE books, since the mainstream ones get enough recs as it is."

I think there is a case to be made for also recommending books from larger publishers that are similar in style or theme to the Indie/small press books on the list, so that readers who are familiar with the well-known works will see which of the less-known works they might also enjoy.

I haven't read a lot of fantasy indie stuff. Other indie genres yes, fantasy not yet. I will certainly recommend them if I read any good ones. For now I'll just have to recommend ones I've enjoyed that have a similar feel to my book.

If you've read a lot of epic fantasy you have probably read David Eddings. The Belgariad series (book one Pawn of Prophecy) http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44... is an epic adventure with characters I loved and humour. The plot is exciting and it's a well written good vs evil saga, a real page-turner. One of the main characters, Garion, must grow up while avoiding death and being bossed around by his Aunt Pol and Belgarath the sorcerer. It's an entertaining read with some of the more entertaining characters I've come across in this genre.

Terry Brooks Heritage of Shannara http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34... is another epic fantasy series with magic, elves and dwarves (not so original now but first came out in 1989). Again this has strong characters, lots of action and adventure with a modest hero.

Robin Hobb's The Farseer Trilogy http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45... has magic and animals and is also considered a classic fantasy. It's written in first person pov which is unusual for this genre, however the character is likeable so it worked for me. It's well written and is something of a classic.

Sorry my book choices are so predictable but they are good books and I enjoyed all of them. I will make a point of reading another indie fantasy in the next couple of months so that I may have something else to recommend. So to the last book and yes, it's mine.

Shadows of the Realm - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13... A classic style fantasy adventure with dragons and creaturas (animals who bond with the Realmists). The Gormons are breaking out of their prison in the Third Realm and are on the verge of invading Talia. The Realmists (those trained in drawing power from the Second Realm) have an alliance with the dragons and are the only ones who have any hope of stopping the coming invasion. With royal intrigue, interference from Drakon (god of the dragons) and the coming of age journey of two of the characters, there is plenty of action.

My book has been edited (for all you grammar nazi's) and I've had some good feedback so it might be one you enjoy if you like the epic fantasy genre.

Ok, let me give this a shot...

First, I'd like to recommend a book that changed my outlook on the Fantasy genre, Joe Abercrombie's The First Law trilogy. It begins with The Blade Itself and the entire trilogy is wonderfully executed, morally ambiguous, and twisted in a beautiful way.

The Way of Kings is my second recommendation, and it is the beginning of a very imaginative and engrossing story set in a fantasy world the likes of which I've never read before. It can be a bit slow, at times, but there's plenty to read and I thoroughly enjoyed all the characters and plot lines, and especially the mysteries in the book.

Next, I'll go with Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. Gaiman doesn't need an introduction, but I really enjoyed this book and the varied characters in it.

Finally, The Sentient Fire, a work of epic fantasy that begins The Seven Signs trilogy. It's a classic type of fantasy with well-written characters, an engrossing world, and lots of nail-biting action. I've gotten some good feedback on it, and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I have. Thanks.

It's one of those classic interview questions, isn't it? Well - sort of. Without being at all like one of those questions :-). You know the one - 'What other writers inspired you? It's tempting to say 'the ones who kept sending me bills every month', but that would suggest the responder thought writing fiction was a good way of making great money.
Phew. I've stopped. Laughing I mean :-).
It's been written somewhere (OK - just about everywhere I post anything (blushes)) that if I have a genre, it's Comic Fantasy. But it's also been written that, while you can write Fantasy, you can;t write Comic Fantasy. Because it only becomes Comedy if and when the reader laughs while, um, reading it. Not when it's being written. So if I blend those two thoughts together, I'll say my eyes infected my fingers while reading people like Craig Shaw Gardner and Tom Holt. Like Piers Anthony. Like Steven Brust and Jim Butcher.
If I may offer an Idiot's view of things that might be called similar (at least in some ways) to 'A Comedy of Terrors', I might suggest:

Expecting Someone Taller. When you open with a rather less than heroic main character talking to a soon-to-be-dead talking badger, who isn't really a badger but a... Well. It's a great start :-). And, for me, it only gets better as it goes.

Jhereg. No badgers. But a first person Voice that certainly was part of how CoT came to be written the way it was, and a pocket (or at least shoulder-able) dragonet I want one of some days.
OK - every day :-).
Jhereg isn't written to be as out and out farce as CoT, but the interplay between Vlad Taltos (the main character) and Vlad's shoulder friend are very close.

Phule's Company. Captain Jester is certainly no Idiot, even though we first meet him getting blamed for something. In his case, it was something he most definitely did. And if in this case the not-Idiot is a genuine Phule, scion of the family providing most of the work for retired Generals, even the military can't do what they'd like to do to him. But shipping him off to the back of nowhere with a bunch of other rejects may not turn out quite how they want it to either... and doesn't :-).

And that brings me to A Comedy of Terrors. So now for a word (or so :-P) from my sponsors. Er - me :-).
A dragon invading your country might, quite justifiably, look like your biggest problem. But the dragon could be the easy part. Because Segorian Anderson has woman trouble - and he's the only one in the castle who doesn't know it. And to Segorian, women are an open book. The problem is - he never learned to read.

There. I'll shut up now... (blushes).

Graeme wrote: "It's one of those classic interview questions, isn't it? Well - sort of. Without being at all like one of those questions :-). You know the one - 'What other writers inspired you? It's tempting to ..."

lol that's a good pitch. Think I'm gonna check your book out haha. Seriously

lol that's a good pitch

Well, I guess if I said 'oh, it wasn't really intended to be, like, a pitch', and did my best to look dosingenu... disinjonu... er, innocent, you'd laugh :-). So I won't :-P. But it wasn't really - or at least not entirely (blushes). Still, if you liked it, I approve of your excellent taste! <--- Jest. Mostly :-).

Think I'm gonna check your book out haha. Seriously

Then I hope you like that too. Though not too seriously. That whole 'Comic Fantasy if the reader laughs while reading it' thing, see... :-).

AE, I just finished today your Brood of Bones and just loved it, so I'm listing it.

I also love The Good Fairies of New York. It's so funny! Published by a small UK press.

For my own work I'm going to list New Myths of the Feminine Divine which is a collection of fantasy, myth, and sf:
Aliens in a ceramic spaceship ruin Patricia’s love life.

A man-eating ogress wins her prince through her fine culinary skills.

A theater professor travels back in time to find Shakespeare was just a “spear-carrier.”

A soldier saves her city by laying down her sword.

A singer curses a city of fairies for their murderous xenophobia.

Geneticists and shamans pool their talents to make a demi-goddess to save the dying environment.

Graeme,

Expecting Someone Taller is one of my fave Tom Holt books.

Do you like his later stuff? I reckon he's gone off the boil, myself

Lord Will

Well and all. I'm not sure if one as lowly as I in the new-fledged author stakes (especially one who dares to claim they write Comic Fantasy :-P) should be so bold as to say 'off the boil' - but I'm not sure I'd argue either :-).
My favourites of Mr Holt's work are probably (in no significant order):

Expecting someone taller
Flying Dutch
Who's afraid of Beowulf
and
Grailblazers

And, as examples, I didn't get my bell rung quite so loud with:

Overtime
My Hero
Ye Gods
and
Here comes the Sun

Like someone once said (it might even have been me, I just probably didn't say it first (blushes)) - humour is hard. Because while it can be any genre it wants (for instance, a murder mystery if someone ended up dead and there's at least one character who doesn't know who did it), and while the writer can sort of decide that, the writer can't make it Comedy. Or Humour. Because it only becomes those if the reader laughs while, um, reading it :-). And the writer's never met those readers, and can't know what makes each laugh.
Er - I think I wandered off the point. Which was, I believe, a question. Has MR Holt gone off the boil? Well - if he has, I'd love to be boiling as much as he is. With his Agent and his publishing contract too :-).
I suppose this is where I should pretend to try to tie Tom Holt with 'A Comedy of...'... er, with some other book picked entirely at random. Try to, while never (of course) in any way trying to, like _market_ 'A Com...'... er, whichever book I picked at 'random', to try to intrigue you. Of course, I won't. After all, I'd get caught at it. I'm bound to. After all, I'm...

The Idiot
:-)

Here are some of my recs for fairy tales (which i love).

Green Angel Green Angel by Alice Hoffman What urban fantasy should aspire to! This is a novella that pulls not only from deep fairy tale roots, but also the tragedy of September 11 (though 9/11 is never explicitly mentioned). Hoffman has such a gift for choosing just right words to convey what she wants you to know. No fluff, no extras. Just a pure, heartbreaking modern fairy tale.

The Rose and the Beast The Rose and the Beast: Fairy Tales Retold Francesca Lia Block’s now classic set of stories that imagines some traditional fairy tales in a decidedly dark and disturbing way. Most of these are short and haunting...read them once, and you’ll remember them for years.

Entwined Entwined What happens when twelve princesses find a realm where they can dance the night away...forever? Young Azalea learns that not everything is what it seems in Heather Dixon’s dizzying rendition.

The Way through the Woods The Way Through the Woods (by yours truly) Four fairy tale retellings that spin off Grimm’s in a new direction. A cinder girl, a spoiled princess, two cursed sisters, and a mute weaver all tell their stories...in a world dominated by a dark forest in which anything can happen.

The Dragons of Babel by Michael Swanwick is just about everything I'm look for in a fantasy novel, especially sardonic wit and wild invention. Once again, like in his The Iron Dragon's Daughter, Swanwick turns the tropes of fantasy on end. Great stuff!

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch has to be the best debut novel in years. Fine worldbuilding and sly characters one can love if not especially trust with your wife or your money!

Blood Enginesby T. A. Pratt is my idea of what an urban fantasy novel should be and seldom it. Pratt isn't satisfied with the standard tropes and invents his own or turns existing ones on their arse.

Jimmy-Don and the Texas Hill Country Ordeal Right before leaving Nashville with his tail tucked between his legs, Jimmy-Don Autry picked up a stray piece of magic on his boot.

Fragile ThingsBy Neil Gaiman: A collection of supernatural short stories and poems that is everything I look for in a short story collection. Its at times funny, scary and magical. Its Gaiman at his best.

Just After Sunsetby Stephen King: Some of Stephen Kings best work, I think, is done when he writes in the short story form and this collection is just a great example of that. Its got the horror he's known for and it also has character driven, semi-literary stories that are both surreal and captivating. Not to be missed.

The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury: What can I say about Bradbury that hasn't already been said? He's the best and he always will be. He can take a book about something as silly as Martians and make it come alive with a haunting vision that will stay with you forever. For me, this is a must read for anyone who loves sci-fi or books in general.

Walking with summer dreamsBy yours truly: A collection of seven short stories filled with fantasy, terror, wit and romance that will leave you wanting more like a dream of summer.

Hey all, I just joined up with this group--thanks for the invite, sorry I got it so late! Been very busy working on some pretty exciting stuff.

So, this is the Fantasy Recommendation Thread, allow me to introduce myself by recommending MY favorite books!

THE LORD OF THE RINGS by J. R. R. Tolkien - This is hands down my all-time favorite fantasy novel, so I would have to be crazy not to recommend it. It's not just the fantasy novel that started it all (the modern revival), but it's a tip-of-the-iceberg look into one of the most complex fantasy worlds ever created in the genre. The appeal of Tolkien's writing is not just in his semiarchaic prose, it's the little things, the details which let you as a reader dig deeper into Middle-earth, and find out more about it.

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA by C. S. Lewis - Alright, this list isn't in order (but LOTR is still #1) but C. S. Lewis's fantasy opus, along with Out of the Silent Planet, are favorites of mine. Though written for a far younger audience than LOTR, NARNIA has a timelessness about it that hits my nostalgia button. There is an innocence to the first (published) installment in the NARNIA series that steadily darkens as it progresses to THE LAST BATTLE, while introducing new characters unique to those books.

THE HARRY POTTER SERIES by J. K. Rowling - Surprised? I was too by the seventh book. J. K. Rowling's tale of a young wizard's epic coming of age is, along with George R. R. Martin's A SONG OF ICE & FIRE series, is one of the greatest contributions to modern fantasy. There's not an author today in the fantasy genre who isn't aware of Rowling's work, even if they haven't read them. A very identifiable protagonist and vivid settings are what make this book series stand out in the fantasy genre.

CONAN SERIES by Robert E. Howard - This is where some of the best sword-and-sorcery fantasy got its start, and Howard crafts a detailed world spanning multiple volumes. Conan's literary legend is such that readers see through the battle-gorged warlord and perceive a greater hero.

MATHION: BOOK ONE OF THE MAVONDURI TRILOGY by Me - An epic retelling of the werewolf myth through the framework of the Atlantis myth, centering on a reluctant Wolven prince who's forced to confront both his nemesis and his destiny.

The Goodreads page can be found here http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10...

Here's a tiny taster of a few of my favourite books... I adore humour so you'll notice that's the strand that runs through all these recommendations. I hope at least a few of you will be inspired to read some or all of them.

The Color of Magic - the hilarious introduction to Discworld. Marvellous story illustrated by wonderful characters; the tourist's trunk is a pleasure to be with - I wish I had luggage like that.

The Stainless Steel Rat - published in the 60's, this book led the way for humorous fantasy. The hero is a criminal turned cop which is just what the distant future needed... not. Crime gets bigger and better and crazier!

Better than Life - The ultimate 'computer game'. This book is clever, funny and rather poignant. I absolutely loved the ending... it is so complete yet it leaves you hanging. I'm saying no more, you'll need to read the book if you want to know more.

Dark Tidings - What happens when ancient magic meets the Internet? Modern life will never be the same again. Let me take you on this funny journey... you will laugh.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
"King of Ashes" is a good ole fashioned, DnD style fantasy with kingdoms and war, and quasi medieval goodness. I really did enjoy it.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
"Chasing Dragonflies" is very original. It's great, especially if you are looking for a fantasy that employs a different formula. Half human half dragon anyone?

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
I really do not know what to compare "Blood and Betrayal" to. It may be more appealing to girls because there's a kind of royal romance thing goin' on that is kind of in the vein of like The Tudors, or Dangerous Liaisons. It sucked me in, I loved it.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
"Wanton Lands" is just nuts, but in the very best way possible. It's part dystopian, fantasy, sci fi, and erotica. Warning: it does have some gory descriptions, but it is a great story.

I know. Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the Forum... Well. I'd cue menacing music, but the only resemblance I have to a Great White shark is more about my waistline, and why I don't wear shorts in summer.
Ah. Right. Waaaay too much information (blushes).
I'd say I'm sorry - but I'd be lying. So, yes. I'm back :-). So what brings me? Would it shock you if I said - a book :-))?
When the publisher asked me for a tagline for... er, for the thing I'm not going to mention yet, I had two. And one of them was 'if Raymond chandler and Tom holt had drunk two too many in a bar one night - Jack Shadow might have walked out.' Which, apart from making me blow the whole 'I'm not telling you about anything yet' thing right out of the window, leads me to my three recommendations. So. On with the motley - whatever motley may be :-):

The Dresden Files: Storm Front, Volume 1: The Gathering Storm
So why Storm Front? And what makes it similar to Jack Shadow? Well - maybe not much :-). Maybe I'm just looking for a reason to recommend one of my favourite authors. Because Jack isn't a wizard. And he's not a PI. But the first person, dry humour approach used for Harry by Mr Butcher is one I would never object to being compared with. And even if Jack's more the type of guy Harry might be sent to investigate than anything else - they might still share a glass or two afterwards.

The Big Sleep
"She was trouble. She was tall and rangy and strong-looking. Her hair was black and wiry and parted in the middle. She had a good mouth and a good chin. There was a sulky droop to her lips and the lower lip was full."
That's Philip Marlowe, that is. And this is Jack Shadow:
"A blonde with a glint in her eye, a gun on the table next to her and legs that should have needed a passport for how long they kept going. She got as far as ‘Jack’. As in ‘So you gonna shoot me, Jack?’ Probably because my gun wasn’t on no table."
And even if the good Mr Marlowe is, well, essentially Good, and Jack is, um, Jack - they both fit (as one of my early readers said) on an old black and white screen, while a real projector clacks and whirs real old film though its lens. Or at least, I hope they do.

Richard Stark's Parker #1: The Hunter
I first came across Donald Westlake with The Hot Rock. And after that I read most anything of his I could find. And while looking, I came across one of his alter-egos - Richard Stark. And Parker. And Parker is most definitely not a Good Guy. Which is kind of like Jack - though maybe with some liberal doses of Dortmunder :-). But then - some days a good guy is the last thing you need.
So if you haven't come across Parker before, you might like to take a look. Then wander over to Jack and see if you think they have anything in common :-).

Which, after no doubt far too many words, takes me to:

Jack Shadow
The jokes all start the same. 'See - this guy walks into a bar...'. Jack's not that guy. Because one day Jack walked out of one, with no memory of anything before that. But The Dragon were waiting - and they hired him. After that, when The Dragon had problems, whether in the past or the present the problems got Jack. Mostly with a bullet.
Now The Dragon think Jack's a problem. They want him dead. And they're about to find out just how bad an idea that is.

So there you are. Jack Shadow. Yes, it's Fantasy. There's 'The Dragon' - and a dragon. And a world class concert pianist, who just happens to be a shape-shifting empathivore. Well. A girl's gotta eat, right? And I hope it's comic Fantasy too - but that's up to you. To whether you laugh while reading it :-).
Jack Shadow. Because some days - the last thing you need is a good guy :-).

Here is the first book in an urban fantasy series that is one of my all-time favorite collection of books:Magic Bites

And since everyone has all my other favorites covered, here's a link to the author of a pair of books that are pleasantly refreshing (couldn't find Warrior): Marie Brennan

And here is a book every fantasy writer should read that was not only insightful but an absolute blast: The Tough Guide to Fantasyland

And here is a link to my debut YA fantasy novel I'm so proud and excited to present to you! It's so new that there isn't a goodreads link yet, but there will be soon:

http://www.amazon.com/Shield-Gods-Aig...

Braided: A Lesbian Rapunzel The title pretty much says it all. This fairy tale retelling uses exquisite language and is well-done.

Fire Baptized An urban fantasy that uses voodoo as the basis for the world-building. Plus features an African-American female main character.

Joseph Robert Lewis writes a lot of fantasy. He puts out at least one book a year. They're fun and range from alternate history to ya.

Kushiel's Legacy series, by Jacqueline Carey. It's alternate history, set in renaissance-era France and other parts of the world. LGBT, mild BDSM, definitely with adult content, but all of that is secondary to the plot which in some of these nine books really knocked my socks off. And was at least entertaining in the rest.

The Firebrand, by Marion Zimmer Bradley. One of a couple of twice-told-tales (that is, known stories retold from a different character's perspective) Bradley wrote, and my favorite. The Mists of Avalon is more famous, and also a good read. There's a strong them of gender inequality and struggle in both.

Jackaroo, by Cynthia Voigt. This is a historical YA novel that tells the story of a young woman who finds the disguise of fabled Jackaroo, a Robin Hood figure. She decides to become the legendary hero to help the people she loves, but soon discovers she may have taken on more than she can handle.

Part one of my serial novel, The City Darkens. Blurb: Summoned to the capitol of Ódalnord to attend the coronation of the new monarch, Myadar must navigate the perils of the decadent court as she becomes increasingly concerned with evidence of a rising tyranny. This is a dieselpunk fantasy setting that blends 1920s and 30s style and strife with Norse gods, a vicious royal court, and a vigilante hero.

Part of Pratchett's series for young adults about teen witch Tiffany Aching, this is a wonderful book in so many respects. As always, there is a strong element of humour, but also a passionate anger against injustice and cruelty. It contains beautiful evocations of an English landscape in the context of Dsicworld.

This story by Kari Sperring is truly haunting, and puts some fascinating characters in a situation of real and painful jeopardy. The setting is post-renaissance and the city and kingdom become very real. It includes some of my favourite themes, such as personal responsibility and the boundaries between life and death.

This is the second of Jane Routley's impressive trilogy set in her alternate world. She also writes about the persecution of those with magical powers by intolerant religious groups, and also has a demon as a main character. Her writing is gripping and fun to read and her heroine is tough and likeable.

My novel, Malarat, concerns a family of alternate-world Russians, called shamans because their psychic powers include the ability to visit the underworld. In this story, which has a steampunk flavour, a mediaeval society clashes with a Victorian, industrial one, as an ambitious magnate and a ruthless Inquisitor set out to annex an entire country.

The Gunslinger - The entire Gunslinger series is one of my all-time favorites. I love the mishmash of genres-- King blends the Old West (or the Weird West, if you prefer), with action/adventure and fantasy. I especially love how this series blends the world we know with one that is only too possible. But my absolute favorite aspect of this series is the dimension and time travel. These books make me long for other worlds.

Storm Front - I see several other folks on this thread have been influenced by Butcher's work. Not really surprising. I wonder if it helps that I hail from the same town as Butcher? Anyway, like the Gunslinger series, I love that the Dresden File series takes place in the world we know. I like to read about real places, with people I can readily imagine living on my street, then shade it in with fantastical elements. The characters are very real and very funny-- I love Harry's wry observations. And Bob. I need a Bob in my life.

Dead Until Dark - once again, I have to recommend an urban (sort of?) fantasy series to round out this list. Sookie Stackhouse doesn't live in a city, per se, but she lives in a world that I know very well-- a world with Sonic Drive-Ins, hairigamis, and Wal-Mart shopping expeditions. It's a world well-lived in. Sookie is also such a fun character-- she's funny, down-to-earth, and knows herself very well. My kind of heroine.


My series, The Order of the Four Sons Book I, which I co-author with Coyote Kishpaugh, starts out in this world. But in the O4S-verse, magic and mystical creatures exist, immortality is possible, and not only is there a hell of a good universe next door, it's but a hop, skip and a jump away. Our heroes are a part of a secret and ancient organization that fights evil (the Order of the Four Sons, natch) who get sucked through a series of interdimensional gates and have to find their way back home again. Oh, and they also have to find this incredibly powerful artifact known as the Staff of Solomon to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. (That would be Starry Wisdom and MJ-12-- two rival organizations that are also down with the mojo).

Bridge of Birds: A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was: Two adventurers in ancient China must solve a mystery that leads to the very gates of Heaven.

Scarred Lands: With the death of their god, the elves of Termana lost their immortality, but the god's high priest concocts a bold and audacious plan to resurrect their fallen deity and save his people. (The title of this book is actually "Forsaken," and it's the first in the Dead God Trilogy by Richard lee Byers)

Cugel's Saga: Stranded half a world from home by his arch-enemy, roguish rapscallion Cugel the Clever must use all of his wits to survive a perilous trek across the planet and obtain vengeance.

Sensation: A Superhero Novel: Blessed with a plethora of superpowers, Jim - an outcast since his disastrous tryout for a superhero team - is hunted by super villains bent on world domination.

Disclaimer: the fourth book is my own, and is currently ranked #1 in three categories on Amazon.

Merkabah Rider: Tales of a High Planes Drifter - The first in a 4 part series, it's the tale of a Hasidic gunslinger on a path of revenge against his former mentor. Well researched Jewish Mythology galore, and oozing with the unknown horrors of Lovecraft, the lone adventurer of Howard, and everything you could love about the wild west.

Vampire Hunter D - Also the first in a series but that series is still ongoing. The story chronicles the travels and adventures of the legendary vampire hunter known only as "D." The series has been going since the 80s and is pretty formulaic but it's a fun formula. D ends up where a Vampire is attacking a town somehow, investigates, fights, wins, rides off into the sunset. Definitely a big influence on my would-be series.

Hellboy, Vol. 1: Seed of Destruction - Yet again, the first volume of the now 20 year old series. This is the story that made the first Hellboy movie as well. If you don't know how Hellboy, well, he's a big ol' demon summoned to Earth with the key to the end of the world attached to his right arm. And he's a big, pancake-eating, friendly, blue-collar guy whose job just so happens to be paranormal research and defense...at the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense.

Now, my book isn't out yet so I can't add its page here. I AM, however, in the last 11 days of my kickstarter campaign to get it funded, with a hopeful release of March. Here are the details:

A Demon In The Desert - First book in a would-be series about a demon-hunting Orc gunslinger. The first book involves a mining town out in the Wastelands (an area of the world that is basically a post-apocalyptic desert) being terrorized by a demon. Grimluk, the Orc hunter, answers the call to investigate.

Between Hellboy and Vampire Hunter D, I think you can get a pretty good idea as to where my book (and potential later books) is going. I'm really proud of the work I've done and I have busted my butt. I hope you'll check it out and maybe kick a few bucks my way.

This may be too far down to get much notice, but if you haven't read these books then you're missing out.

The Rook - So funny. It's urban fantasy set in the UK. A MIB-like agency keeps track of supernatural spooks. I laughed until I cried reading this book.

Blue Moon Rising - Starts off campy, ends in a blaze of awesome. It's clearly an early-in-his-career work, but Simon Green really hits this one out of the park. Sword and sorcery fantasy with enough fighting to last me a while.