Urban Fantasy?

[kcf]

I finished up Spiral Hunt by Margaret Ronald. It's new urban fantasy and OK - I liked it well enough and got what I expected. (full review)

[Rumarumo]

Right, so lately I've been on an urban fantasy kick. Problem is, and no disprespect meant, all I can find anywhere is the Underworld-leather-vampire kind. Does anyone know of a more Hellblazer-ish kind? I can't find the comics, so I'm looking for a similarly dark novel substitute. Dresden has been recommended to me, and I'm going to look into that, but anything else my fair people?

[The Evil Hat]

Charlie Huston is recomended a lot around here, though I have yet to read his stuff myself.

[shah8]

for Yerman,

Mike Carey Felix Castor series

Wayne Douglass Barlowe's stuff

TA Pratt's Marla Manson series

Lyn Benedict

Going deeper into fantasy, CS Friedman's When Darkness Falls and sequels might also appeal.

[RedEyedGhost]

Charlie Huston is all kinds of awesome, but I'd put him more in the Underworld category than Hellblazer.

You might check out Richard Kadrey's books:

Butcher Bird, I have but I have not read it yet.

Buffyand Angel fans are likely to enjoy Kadrey's offbeat supernatural romp, which blends demonic evil and quirky humor. The relatively normal life of San Francisco tattoo artist Spyder Lee goes thoroughly crazy when he's rescued from a mugger by Shrike, a mysterious blind woman who reveals that Lee's assailant was actually a demon. The wounds he suffered in the assault give him the ability to see the Dominions, other spheres of existence that regular mortals are unaware of. Soon Spyder finds himself hip-deep in demonic trouble, protecting his friend Lulu by offering his body to the organ-collecting Black and then dragging her off to join Shrike on a madcap journey to Hell, where they encounter monsters, Lucifer and even an alternate-time version of Lee himself. Kadrey (Kamikaze L'Amour) juxtaposes gore and brash insouciance in the face of apocalyptic evil, a blend that may not suit everyone's taste. (

Sandman Slim got some positive reviews around the blogosphere, and might be exactly what you're looking for.

Kadrey (Butcher Bird) provides biting humor, an over-the-top antihero and a rich stew of metaphoric language in this testosterone- and adrenaline-charged noir thriller. James Stark spent 11 years killing monsters in Lucifer's arena for the entertainment of fallen angels, but now he's back in seedy, magic-riddled L.A., trying to avenge his girlfriend's murder and hunt down Mason Faim, the black magician responsible for getting him sent downtown. He meets with some initial success, beheading second-rate magician Kasabian (whose head becomes Stark's smart-mouthed sidekick), but he can't find Faim. Instead he encounters Homeland Security agents, a near-psychotic angel and some odd nonhuman, nonangelic beings called the kissi. Darkly atmospheric settings, such as a posh gentlemen's club where angels are tortured in an attempt to bring about Armageddon, bring this violent fantasy into sharp, compelling focus.

[Rumarumo]

Thanks all, nice few to add to my list there. I obviously wasn't looking hard enough. Kadrey's stuff especially seems worth a look.

[kcf]

I read Soulless by Gail Carriger. It's was a fun bit of reading. Hard to classify - part urban fantasy, part alternative history, part steampunk, part paranormal romance. The self-aware humor of it works well. (full review).

[needle]

Just a heads up - for the love of God, do not buy anything by Rachel Caine.

I bought the first three of the Morganville Vampires series because I could get 3 books for 5 quid, and they are so painfully painfully bad I have no words. Makes Stephanie Meyer look like a nobel prize winner. Now I know why they were so cheap :P

[ants]

My thoughts on books below. Note that most of these won't win literary awards, but that is generally hard to find in any popular genre.

The better part of darkness, deadtown and Spider's Bite are three first off books by new authors in the last six months. All weren't too bad at all. All involve magic being openly known, although the way thats incorporated into society is different. Suzanne McLeod's first two books aren't too bad either.

Soulless & Changeless - nice humour, has a bit of a go at the whole genre + older England. Quite a bit of fun.

Jenna Black's Morgan Kingsley - new concepts, with a strongly visualised magic structure that is pretty unique. Very limited kicking ass by the main character. Books are intelligent and the series has now been neatly tied off in a way that fits.

Seanan McGuire's first two books are quite good, the first one being Rosemary and Rue. Not exactly ground breaking.

C.E.Murphy has two UF series - the Urban Shaman series is pretty bog standard UF, but quite decent and enjoyable. Her Negotiator series is much more different, with the main character having no special abilities other than her mind and finding out about the other side. Very well done books, with a gargoyle as the main fantasy creature - which is quite different as well.

Really really recommend the Ilona Andrews books. Love them.

I don't think its been mentioned but the Anita Blake books are first class if you stop reading after Obsidian Butterfly. They get truly awful after that.

Devon Monk's magic to the bone series started well, with a reasonably unique magic system, where magic is incorporated into the real world with costs and benefits. Not entirely convinced by the third book though.

Karen Chance's books haven't been mentioned. Strong on the cliche's and romance, but I enjoy them a lot.

And why has nobody mentioned Tanya Huff? Love the humourous Summon the Keeper, and her Blood Books are quite strong as well.

Just add kudos to Jim Butcher, Lillith St Crow (I loved the Dante books), Kim Harrison, Sunshine, Mike Carey, Kit Whitfield and Sagara's Elantra books.

Got to admit, read the first charlie Hutton and wasn't partiularly impressed. But will try a few more of them.

On Rachael Caine, the weather wardens were fine "bleh" books, a bit of fun, not particularly great (although more dark bits that many series). But I couldn't even finish the first Morganville book.

[Migey]

I dont know much about this genre, i tend to avoid it since most of it is horrendously bad.

Yet one book i did stumble across - The Night Watch, and its 3 sequels, by Sergei Lukyanenko, was absolutely amazing. I love books set in Russia <3

It was written in a slightly odd style, and the main character does tend to think to himself alot, but i still found the books great. Very good overarching plot, and lots of little sub plots. Interesting characters and awesome names. For some reason i just cant get enough of a guy who lives in modern Russia and calls himself 'Zabulon'. Although despite his stupid name, hes the best.. well not exactly villian, ever.

[Maia]

a guy who lives in modern Russia and calls himself 'Zabulon'. Although despite his stupid name

I am pretty sure that it is a Biblical name, maybe in slightly idiosyncratic transcription. And judging by the film, he is some sort of demon, no?

[Migey]

Theres a film of The Night Watch???

And no.. he isnt a demon.... hes a powerful dark magician and he can appear as a demon but he isnt actually one :P

[LugaJetboyGirl]

Theres a film of The Night Watch???

Oh my god, yea. It came out a few years back and totally ruled.

. They also did

, which was not quite as awesome.

Incidentally, I read Soulless based on your recomendation, kcf. I enjoyed it, so thanks!

[Max the Mostly Mediocre]

Karen Chance's books haven't been mentioned. Strong on the cliche's and romance, but I enjoy them a lot.

Only thing I remember about her books is that they had infodumps on every other page.

[murphy]

Only thing I remember about her books is that they had infodumps on every other page.

And I thought they were very funny in spots.

[Gigei]

I second Kadrey's Butcher Bird and Sandman Slim books, very good urban fantasy stuff.

[Maia]

I second Kadrey's Butcher Bird and Sandman Slim books, very good urban fantasy stuff.

What makes it good? Are there a lot of romance, a queen bee and alpha males (my personal UF red flags)?

[Gigei]

RedEyedGhost already has the plot summaries and links above my post.

[Migey]

Oh my god, yea. It came out a few years back and totally ruled.

. They also did

, which was not quite as awesome.

Sorry to say, i thought the trailer and film looked very bad... I wikipediad the plot and its not accurate to the book at all. They have anton mixed up with the prologue of book 2, all the names wrong, and they make it look like a cheesy horror film. I hate it when films destroy perfectly good books.

[lady narcissa]

You might try Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels series. That starts with Magic Bites, followed by Magic Burns, Magic Strikes and due to be released sometime in May, Magic Bleeds. Pretty dark.

Based on this I picked up the first Kate Daniels as well as the first in the Edge series Andrews has started. I ended up reading On the Edge first which turned out to not really be Urban Fantasy as it takes place near a small town. So I guess that makes it Rural Fantasy? LOL. Actually it was probably more Paranormal Romance as it seemed to be about 50/50 with the romance and fantasy. I'm going to try the Kate Daniels next.