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Urban Fantasy?


emberling

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[quote name='Dylanfanatic' post='1660525' date='Jan 23 2009, 22.53']Tim Pratt's begun writing an urban fantasy series that's fairly well-received. I read the first novel a year or two ago and it was good, although much different from his short stories (which I enjoyed quite a bit). I'll try to think of others later.[/quote]
I read the first two, reviewed them for SFFWorld, and really enjoyed them. The "high-concept" pitch (in my mind) would go something like this:

[b]Sopranos[/b] meets [b]Dresden Files[/b], by way of Lovecract with a tough broad in the Tony Soprano/Dresden role.

A bunch of other good ones were mentioned like Charlie Huston's [b]Already Dead[/b] and Liz Williams [b]Detective Inspector Chen[/b] books.

I've got Briggs's latest on the to read pile so I can eventually chime in about that one.

I'll be the lone [b]Sunshine[/b] dissenter as I thought it one of the most boring, turgid, and overwrought novels I ever read.
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  • 2 months later...

A little thread necromancy because I don't think this warrants a new thread of it's own.

Tim Pratt's begun writing an urban fantasy series that's fairly well-received. I read the first novel a year or two ago and it was good, although much different from his short stories (which I enjoyed quite a bit). I'll try to think of others later.

Anybody read Pratt's Marla Mason books?

I listened to his Origin Story (you can hear it here if you'd like), and it was fantastic. So good that I'll likely buy the first book regardless of whether I get feedback or not, but any feedback would be appreciated.

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I just read this thread for the first time so I am thankful for the necromantic acts.

Honestly, I like girls kicking ass, although I could do without the leather. So I have no problems with this form of 'literature.' I get pretty sick of those fantasy versions of love stories, all folk-lorey and stuff. At least these are more exciting and have people blowing shit up. But I hate werewolves. I am seriously sick of werewolves (even though I would highly recommend Carrie Vaughn).

Lilith Saintcrow - I know Maia was appalled, but I enjoyed the Dante series a lot when I read them. And of course there is a lot of formulaic stuff going on and gross romance (particularly disturbing in this one, but not any more twisted than Twilight). I like the Jill Kismet series more I think, though the overlap/repetition might be a little too much. I am so sick of urban fantasy love triangles, but I really enjoy Saintcrow's world building, the magic systems, the little details, that sort of thing. And although Saintcrow got criticized for her post on Pat's Fantasy Hotlist, I think she's correct about the growing interest in exploring power and violence from a woman's perspective. It may not be done in the most perfect and artistic and successful manner, but at least people are trying to get at it. I'm a sucker, I know.

Dresden Files - What gives, people? I read the first one and found it to be pretty mediocre, in the Patricia Briggs meaning of mediocre. Everyone keeps talking about how it rules. Does this mean I have to give it another try? Damnit.

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I also have no problem with chiks kicking ass, what I do have a problem with is the chicks kicking the ass of any and every thing that gets in thier way, taking minor wounds and then still being the object of lust for all their male (and some female) companions.

But I didnt mean to start out bitching.

Is their any series where magic is a intergrated part of the modern world and not just hiding in the shadows as we poor mundane sheep pass by blissfully ignorant of the truth.

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Dresden Files - What gives, people? I read the first one and found it to be pretty mediocre, in the Patricia Briggs meaning of mediocre. Everyone keeps talking about how it rules. Does this mean I have to give it another try? Damnit.

Luga, the first couple books are the weakest. After that, they get better progressively with each book with the high points around books eight and nine (Dead Beat and Proven Guilty). The reason why a lot people rave about the series is that not only does Butcher's writing skills get better but he introduces an overarching plot that explains some of what happens earlier and serves to raise the stakes so to speak. I think if you can get past the first two books, the series will pay off for you.

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Luga, the first couple books are the weakest. After that, they get better progressively with each book with the high points around books eight and nine (Dead Beat and Proven Guilty). The reason why a lot people rave about the series is that not only does Butcher's writing skills get better but he introduces an overarching plot that explains some of what happens earlier and serves to raise the stakes so to speak. I think if you can get past the first two books, the series will pay off for you.

I don't know, Ben. I've read up to book 5 and I still don't feel like this is anything special. I'll probably end up reading the rest of the books eventually but I feel no rush to do so. I mean, it does get better after book 3 or so, but not that better. And you say I got to wait until book 8 to reach the series' high point? That's kind of lame.

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Luga, the first couple books are the weakest. After that, they get better progressively with each book with the high points around books eight and nine (Dead Beat and Proven Guilty). The reason why a lot people rave about the series is that not only does Butcher's writing skills get better but he introduces an overarching plot that explains some of what happens earlier and serves to raise the stakes so to speak. I think if you can get past the first two books, the series will pay off for you.

I don't think Butcher is a particularly skilled writer, but I do think that, like say J.K. Rowling or Stephen King, he's a great storyteller. It does get better the farther in you get as well. True there are problems with the series, but I think the tone and pace of the story makes up for these. It also has the added advantage of being one of the only urban fantasies that isn't poorly disguised vampire pr0n.

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Anybody read Pratt's Marla Mason books?

I've read the first two. I liked 'em, and intend to get around to the others eventually. I wouldn't call them extra special good or anything, but, y'know, they're entertaining and they're at least a little deeper than pretty much anything else I've read in the genre (McKinley and GRRM excluded).

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I don't know, Ben. I've read up to book 5 and I still don't feel like this is anything special. I'll probably end up reading the rest of the books eventually but I feel no rush to do so. I mean, it does get better after book 3 or so, but not that better. And you say I got to wait until book 8 to reach the series' high point? That's kind of lame.

Book 5 was the big leap for me where the series went from nice filler in between other books to "gotta read them all right now ASAP". Book 7, Dead Beat, is still my favorite overall but otherwise I think every book has been better than the last.

YMMV and all of that, but Dresden comes closest to pushing the same buttons as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel for me. Aside from the supernatural similarities, it has the same great ensemble cast, comedy and drama in equal mix, great action, and a disciplined approach to plot that never sacrifices short term satisfaction at the expense of the macro plot of the series.

Honestly, if it wasn't for the generally great word of mouth, I doubt I would have made it much past Storm Front but I'm happy that I did.

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Is their any series where magic is a intergrated part of the modern world and not just hiding in the shadows as we poor mundane sheep pass by blissfully ignorant of the truth.

I can think of a few.

Anita Blake series by Laurell K Hamilton, though I don't recommend it. The integrations is poorly thought out and the books eventually turn into porn.

Felix Caster series by Mike Carey, ghosts are accepted as real.

Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris, vampires are outed but most of the rest isn't.

Connor Grey series by Mark Del Franco

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I read the first one and found it to be pretty mediocre, in the Patricia Briggs meaning of mediocre. Everyone keeps talking about how it rules. Does this mean I have to give it another try? Damnit.

I wouldn't say it rules. I've always considered it pulp. It's fun to see Butcher improve as a writer, and the books do get slightly more depth as they go. They definitely get better than the first two, which I disliked. As the series progresses, there are a few shining moments, some great scenes among the average to good, but you don't really run into them until later in the series. My exposure to urban fantasy in general is fairly limited, so I'd have a hard time comparing to anything else. Overall, The Dresden Files entertains me, and I don't look for it to do anything else, which probably saves it from the kind of criticism I dump on series which start out strong and end up disappointing me.

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I never said Butcher has become a skilled writer, I only said he gets better. I'm certainly not claiming that he's on the same level as GRRM or Carlos Luis Zafon. The Dresden Files is just good, entertaining fun. If you don't like the series past books 3 or 4, then it's probably not for you.

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I've read the first two. I liked 'em, and intend to get around to the others eventually. I wouldn't call them extra special good or anything, but, y'know, they're entertaining and they're at least a little deeper than pretty much anything else I've read in the genre (McKinley and GRRM excluded).

Thanks for the input! :thumbsup: Have you read Charlie Huston's Joe Pitt Casebooks? If so how do they compare? The short story I linked was very dark, and I liked that quite a bit.

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The only Huston I've read is his Moon Knight stuff. Which I'd rate higher than the Marla Mason books. I'm not entirely sure I thought the novels themselves were all that dark, but then I'm pretty much at home reading Morgan or Bakker or Mieville or whomever. I am sure I thought that Marla's ruthlessness was told more than shown. There was maybe one incident where I thought, 'yeah, okay, that's not very nice'. The rest of the time I was wondering where this supposed ruthlessness was hiding. If I'm doing a Huston comparison, Marla's a hell of a lot less psychotic than Moon Knight. Although maybe that goes without saying. It's possible I've simply been desensitized by too much ruthlessness in my fiction and I simply don't recognize it anymore. But. I don't really think so.

Okay, so I'm currently listening to the story. About halfway through. It doesn't seem very dark to me either, if that helps you gauge where I'm at.

ETA: Finished it. Liked it, but yeah, not especially dark by my standards. Not even by my comic superhero standards :P

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Do I get to pimp Lukyanenko now? I love the Night Watch books. I guess mostly because they feel so... Russian? Or at least it's incredibly refreshing to read something that ISN'T british or american.

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Do I get to pimp Lukyanenko now? I love the Night Watch books. I guess mostly because they feel so... Russian? Or at least it's incredibly refreshing to read something that ISN'T british or american.

Ditto. Lukyanenko kicks ass.

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Do I get to pimp Lukyanenko now? I love the Night Watch books. I guess mostly because they feel so... Russian? Or at least it's incredibly refreshing to read something that ISN'T british or american.

Thirded.

But i will add that i thought the series got worse as it went on, with Daywatch still being pretty good and the last one being pretty damn bad.

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The only Huston I've read is his Moon Knight stuff. Which I'd rate higher than the Marla Mason books. I'm not entirely sure I thought the novels themselves were all that dark, but then I'm pretty much at home reading Morgan or Bakker or Mieville or whomever. I am sure I thought that Marla's ruthlessness was told more than shown. There was maybe one incident where I thought, 'yeah, okay, that's not very nice'. The rest of the time I was wondering where this supposed ruthlessness was hiding. If I'm doing a Huston comparison, Marla's a hell of a lot less psychotic than Moon Knight. Although maybe that goes without saying. It's possible I've simply been desensitized by too much ruthlessness in my fiction and I simply don't recognize it anymore. But. I don't really think so.

Okay, so I'm currently listening to the story. About halfway through. It doesn't seem very dark to me either, if that helps you gauge where I'm at.

Thanks again!

ETA: Finished it. Liked it, but yeah, not especially dark by my standards. Not even by my comic superhero standards :P

Really? That was a much darker origin story than most supervillains, imo. And while there's a lot of stuff out there that's much darker than this story, I do think that it is pretty dark for what it is.

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Really? That was a much darker origin story than most supervillains, imo. And while there's a lot of stuff out there that's much darker than this story, I do think that it is pretty dark for what it is.

The first superhero comic I read was Rising Stars. Followed by The Authority. So, y'know...my metric's a little skewed.

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Thirded.

But i will add that i thought the series got worse as it went on, with Daywatch still being pretty good and the last one being pretty damn bad.

I don't think Last Watch was *bad* but yes, it was inferior to the first three. (I rather liked at least the first Twilight watch, but then I love seeing Svetlana kick ass)

EDIT: Also NAZI ZOMBIES!

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