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Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance v. 4.0


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9 minutes ago, ants said:

Guys, can we avoid spoilers a bit?  I'm like @lady narcissa, that I haven't kept up with that series.  But do plan to go back. 

Also, is it really paranormal romance and not just fantasy?  

.....................................

I'm always a bit put off by Aaronvitch's novellas because they're so expensive.  That one is more than most full books cost on Amazon.  

Oh I am sorry if I spoiled something for you but confused...are you talking about me talking about the Sarah J Maas "Court of" series?  Because if that is what you are referring to, I think I was under the impression that other than Kair no one else here reads that series and I think we were more chatty in our discussion as a result.  But I did try to avoid saying anything really spoilerish about the plot and tried to limit myself to the more window dressing items which are what I liked best.  And if you are asking about that series, yes, the most recent book has firmly stepped into the Paranormal Romance category.  The bulk of the story is the romantic relationship of the main couple and there are lots of fairly detailed sex scenes.  The fantasy aspects are just the window dressing.  If you were referring to being spoiled on another series, I'm totally confused but still sorry if I spoiled anything for you.

Regarding the Aaronovitch novellas...I buy those as ebooks from amazon.  They are only a couple of dollars here which is reasonable for their length, they are a decent length.  But I get that unfortunately that is not an option worldwide.

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Yes, I was referring to SMJ's court series. I think I'm still at book 3 or 4.  

A few new series I've read recently.  Several quite good ones, but nothing absolutely stunning.  Trying to think the last time a new UF series blew me away.  

Touchstone by Andrea K. Höst

This series is technically science-fiction, but when the key focus is psychic abilities most UF readers will love it.  The series is complete.  It is a little bit young adult, with the main protagonist just completing school when she accidentally is shifted to another world.  The series is written as a number of journal entries, and is both engrossing and interesting.  The action isn't a huge focus, but the heart of the books is the mystery of what happened to the civilization of the first world the protagonist ends up on.  The author is Australian, so doubly worth a plug! :) I'm definitely checking out her other work.

Sundance Series by C.P.Rider

Read the first book and started on the second.  So far seems decent, reasonably bog-standard UF.  Not much standing out at this stage even negatively or positively.  

Twisted Luck Series by Mel Todd

Again, a decent read but not really stand out.  The third book has jumped the shark a bit, with a significant powering up of the main character.  The first book is very low action, following a young protagonist finishing university. The world is quite interesting in that it has a high level magic content, and the social structures are not bad.  The protagonist is unmagical, but we all know how long that will last!  I really enjoyed the first two books, but the third one is just a bit too silly.  Will probably read a fourth when its out.

(Oh, and does anyone else hate it when a UF book has something like this in the title "My Luck: Urban Fantasy where magic is common, snark is plentiful, and adulthood sucks"?  I got this one, but it is so often a turn-off for me.  

Spellbreaker by Charlie N. Holmberg 

Not a bad initial book, although again nothing really stands out from it.  Historical urban fantasy.   

Manners and Monsters by Tilly Wallace

A delightful historical UF series that is up to 4 books, with a 5th on the way.  I would recommend this series, although its not a huge amount more than fluff.  Very good for a casual read.  

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@ants Ah okay, sorry then.  I will be more careful going forward.  Don't know if you saw Maas has teamed up with Ron Moore for a potential show on Hulu based on the series.

 

Oh and speaking of Aaronovitch's novellas,  I should add I finished What Abigail Did That Summer and I found it very enjoyable and satisfactory.  I do like how he expands the universe with these novellas and they show how the universe works with multiple characters outside of Peter.  If he wanted to, he could come up with a successful middle grade / YA fantasy series with Abigail as a main character.  I could see him not wanting to get locked into that.  But an occasional novella like this would be enjoyable.

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On 3/31/2021 at 3:51 AM, lady narcissa said:

Oh and speaking of Aaronovitch's novellas,  I should add I finished What Abigail Did That Summer and I found it very enjoyable and satisfactory.  I do like how he expands the universe with these novellas and they show how the universe works with multiple characters outside of Peter.  If he wanted to, he could come up with a successful middle grade / YA fantasy series with Abigail as a main character.  I could see him not wanting to get locked into that.  But an occasional novella like this would be enjoyable.

I saw Aaronovitch at a book signing shortly before such things stopped being possible and he did comment that one problem with introducing new characters to the supporting cast is that there is a temptation to tell their stories as well and he doesn't have the time to do that for all of them. This was before the Abigail book was announced but I get the impression that no character other than Peter is going to have regular stories focusing on them.

I've not read the new book but I'll probably get it soon.

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https://booknest.eu/reviews/charles/2218-quincyharkerdemonhunteromnibusvolumeone

4/5

QUINCY HARKER, DEMON HUNTER OMNIBUS ONE is a collection of the first three Quincy Harker collections, which already sounds like an oxymoron or at least redundant. In fact, the series is based around a series of novellas that were collected into novels that have since been collected into this huge 1369 page omnibus. If that sounds like a lot of bang for your buck then you are correct.

I actually feel guilty for getting it in Kindle Unlimited form because its such a fantastic amount of urban fantasy goodness. The full purchase price is about 10 dollars and compared to the much-much smaller books available from traditional publishers for more (I bought Wild Sign by Patricia Briggs recently for 12 dollars), it's an excellent value. I don't normally bring up the issue of price but I feel like it needs to be underscored in these penny saving pandemic times.

The premise is that Quincy Harker, son of Mina and Jonathan, is now an exorcist and demon hunter in the Modern Era. Traveling around Charlotte, South Carolina, he deals with possessed teenagers, Reinfelds, evil angels, and demonic bar keeps. He's assisted by his "Uncle Luc" who is actually the still-surviving Vlad the Impaler a.k.a Dracula and an angel named Glory.

The books are incredibly funny and entertaining, feeling a bit like the Dresden Files but with an even more frantic and entertaining pace. Quincy is a deadpan snarker who takes absolutely nothing seriously but he has the benefit of being genuinely funny, unlike many similarly sarcastic irreverent protagonists. I also like his relationship with Detective Flynn, a woman somewhat similar to Karen Murphy but having a much faster paced relationship.

The mythology of the world is simple but efficient with demons being eccentric but menacing while angels are distant but ultimately good (unless they aren't). We also get a bunch of Victorian novel descendants and folk mythology characters. This starts with the characters of Dracula being real is only the beginning as we soon meet descendants of John Watson and John Henry too. I'm especially fond of Gabby Van Helsing, who is a psychotic Buffy the Vampire-slayer analog that I wanted to see more of.

The Quincy Harker series benefits from being primarily novella based. Oddly, I'm going to make a comparison to the Witcher. As much as I love the novels, I think it's a commonly held belief that the short story collections are the best of Sapkowski's series. Similarly, these stories are at their best when they're short entertaining works of our sarcastic hero versus his demonic foes. Like a somewhat goofier Hellblazer.

Generally, I prefer the more grounded Quincy Harker adventures with him versus smaller scale threats than his attempts to prevent the apocalypse or a peculiar quest to find missing archangels. I call this the "Supernatural Paradox" which is based around the premise that the best episodes of the series were season 1-5 with everything afterward being best when they're doing standalone mission against vampires or monsters of the week. The mythology grew too much and loses some of its power when events are too global.

In conclusion, I strongly recommend getting the Omnibus that contains the first three "years" of writing about Quincy's adventures. They're well-worth the price and while I don't much care for the larger metaplot at the end, I absolutely love the characters as well as their interactions. There are a lot worse ways of spending your afternoon than dealing with a guy who figures the best way to defeat a warlock he can't beat is to summon an even bigger demon than the one his foe has.

Edited by C.T. Phipps
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On 4/1/2021 at 3:04 PM, williamjm said:

I saw Aaronovitch at a book signing shortly before such things stopped being possible and he did comment that one problem with introducing new characters to the supporting cast is that there is a temptation to tell their stories as well and he doesn't have the time to do that for all of them. This was before the Abigail book was announced but I get the impression that no character other than Peter is going to have regular stories focusing on them.

Thanks for sharing the information. I do get that. I am probably okay with that so long as he keeps writing the Peter stories - and enjoys writing them and has fresh stories to tell.  But I do feel it speaks well for this world he created when the stories are not dependent on Peter being in them.  Not all authors are so successful when trying to broaden their universes.

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9 hours ago, lady narcissa said:

Thanks for sharing the information. I do get that. I am probably okay with that so long as he keeps writing the Peter stories - and enjoys writing them and has fresh stories to tell. 

He said then that he is still enjoying writing the books, and I think his publisher is probably going to be happy for him to continue doing that as well.

But I do feel it speaks well for this world he created when the stories are not dependent on Peter being in them.  Not all authors are so successful when trying to broaden their universes.

I'd definitely be happy to read, for example, a sequel to The October Man if he wrote it.

 

 

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I recommend the VAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE: WINTER'S TEETH comic book for those familiar with the old 90s World of Darkness. This is about a vampire punk girl Embraced in the 90s that has since become an enforcer for the local vampire monarch. She's done this because her sister was prematurely suffering dementia and needed a place to be kept. Now she's dealing with the weight of all the evil stuff she's done to maintain her medical care. The first 5 comics have been compiled into a single volume.

https://booknest.eu/reviews/charles/2194-vampirethemasqueradewintersteeth

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  • 2 months later...

Its maybe not technically urban fantasy (although its entirely set within urban limits), but has anyone else read the Grey City series?  Its very enjoyable, set in a medieval city where intrigue is a way of life.  Follows the protagonist as she tries to claw her way up the power system, and slowly learns more about the city.

On the face of it no magic, but that comes subtly later. 

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On 6/10/2021 at 9:08 AM, ants said:

Its maybe not technically urban fantasy (although its entirely set within urban limits), but has anyone else read the Grey City series?  Its very enjoyable, set in a medieval city where intrigue is a way of life.  Follows the protagonist as she tries to claw her way up the power system, and slowly learns more about the city.

On the face of it no magic, but that comes subtly later. 

I think the city almost feels like one of the characters in it, so urban fantasy does seem like a reasonable description.

A long time ago @TrackerNeil posted a link to the first chapter of Duchess of the Shallows possibly in the 'boarders writing a novel' thread and I thought it seemed intriguing so I did pick up the book and I enjoyed it. I thought the second and third books improved on the first one and had some interestingly convoluted plotlines although there were times when I think Duchess maybe shouldn't have been trying to multitask quite so much. It did develop a good cast of characters as well. I'd definitely read a fourth book although I haven't heard any news about one.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 6/12/2021 at 5:12 PM, williamjm said:

A long time ago @TrackerNeil posted a link to the first chapter of Duchess of the Shallows possibly in the 'boarders writing a novel' thread and I thought it seemed intriguing so I did pick up the book and I enjoyed it. I thought the second and third books improved on the first one and had some interestingly convoluted plotlines although there were times when I think Duchess maybe shouldn't have been trying to multitask quite so much. It did develop a good cast of characters as well. I'd definitely read a fourth book although I haven't heard any news about one.

Hey, thanks!

We're back at work on the fourth novel in the series. The pandemic wrecked my creativity, but now my imagination is recovering. :D

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1 hour ago, TrackerNeil said:

We're back at work on the fourth novel in the series. The pandemic wrecked my creativity, but now my imagination is recovering. :D

That's good to know. I can see how the last 18 months is likely to have been tricky for a lot of authors, even doing simple things can seem challenging in these times let alone writing a novel.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 6/22/2021 at 2:25 AM, TrackerNeil said:

Hey, thanks!

We're back at work on the fourth novel in the series. The pandemic wrecked my creativity, but now my imagination is recovering. :D

Yay!

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  • 1 month later...

Two series I've recently completed (or at least, got up to date on) which roughly fall within this genre. Both were very enjoyable.

_______________________________________________________________________

The Stariel Quartet by A.J.Lancaster is a series of four books (duh) which is now complete. It is based in a medieval world similar to the UK which is going through the industrial revolution. And when I say based on the UK, I mean very very similar. A small number of humans have magic, and faeries use to be around but have been gone for long enough much of the population think they are myths (especially southerners). 

Stariel is a province(?) in the north of the country which has a much stronger magic, with all members of the noble family having a land sense and being able to interact with the spirit of the land (Stariel). The series follows primarily two-three main characters with alternating POVs, with a few others coming in later or here and there. It is around the changing of the lordship and the simultaneous impacts of the faeries returning to the mortal world.

The series mixes a little mystery, some romance, some fighting scenes, and the protagonists trying to find stability in the changing world very well. The book is a mix of 'countryside' fantasy and UF, with a touch of off-world in faerie thrown in (not much). It is well written with good characters, good plotting and world building, while having very much an UF feel.

Not going to knock your socks off, but if you're looking for some nice reading on a completed series, it is there.  

_______________________________________________________________________

The Beaufort Scales series by K.M. Watt is an ongoing series with four main books to date. Another 'countryside' fantasy series, it is set in middle England in a small town in Yorkshire. The books are murder mysteries of the Stephanie Plum style except with old ladies, a put upon police detective, lots of baking, and dragons! The POV shifts between four main protagonists, one of whom is a dragon. With lots of mayhem, disasters, lots of food, lots of character, the books move along at a good pace that keep you either chuckling along, hungry, and sometimes laughing out loud.

Oh, and recipes at the back of the books. Foodies should definitely read them! 

A really enjoyable read. K.M.Watt has another series, which off the back of this I'll definitely be trying out. 

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12 hours ago, ants said:

The books are murder mysteries of the Stephanie Plum style except with old ladies, a put upon police detective, lots of baking, and dragons!

This sentence alone has me committed to trying this series!  However, I must object to the placement of the word 'except' in that sentence. Stephanie Plum books include old ladies, a put upon police detective, and baking. The only 'except' is the dragons!

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On 8/3/2021 at 6:07 AM, lady narcissa said:

This sentence alone has me committed to trying this series!  However, I must object to the placement of the word 'except' in that sentence. Stephanie Plum books include old ladies, a put upon police detective, and baking. The only 'except' is the dragons!

I meant the Stephanie Plum character is replaced with an old lady(ies)! I did not mean to slander Grandma Mazur. 

Edited by ants
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Finally got around to the 6th Eric Carter Novel by Stephen Blackmoore.  Other than his reference to Portland, Washington, it's been a good addition to the series.  Some excellent character development and some interesting things from the first couple books coming home to roost. 

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I got derailed from the Mercy Thompson series after #8.  It wasn't that I disliked the series, but I think I started #9 and got interrupted and never finished it.  I did pick the subsequent books up whenever the ebooks were on offer so I have kept up with purchasing them.  In any case I was reminded of them because amazon had the 12th one today as one of their deals of the day so I picked up it.  Having 9-12 to read now, I think I will get back to them.

On 8/4/2021 at 3:55 AM, ants said:

I meant the Stephanie Plum character is replaced with an old lady(ies)! I did not mean to slander Grandma Mazur. 

Oh I did not think you were slandering her! I was just delighted to see the Plum reference as I love them. And everything you mentioned can be found in the Plum books, except dragons...although that being said, I would not be surprised to find a dragon tattoo mentioned if not a Komodo dragon reference.

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I've got soooo many books on my to read list, but work has been so crazy for the last six months that I keep avoiding anything substantial that will make me stay up through the night. So the latest black jewels and Kim Harrison are both still waiting for me......

:(

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just given up on the first Harry Dresden book. I was prepared for it being a bit lame, having been warned that it was written for an assignment as a joke, but I couldn't find anything to like about it, and the way the female characters were described gave me the creeps. Ugh.

I'm glad it wasn't my introduction to urban fantasy. (Thank you, Ben Aaronovitch). 

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