Urban Fantasy Recommendations

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by Waylander

Hi, i've been looking for some new urban fantasy to read. I've read all the Dresden Files books, all the Alex Verus books, all the Iron Druid Chronicles books, gave up on the Harry Connolly and Mike Carey Felix Castor books, and am now stuck. I've had a look at Steve Bein, M.L.N. Hanover, Ilona Andrews, Kalayna Price, Ben Macallan, Brian Lumley, Tim Waggoner, Maurice Broaddus, Lee Collins, M.L Brennan, G.T. Almasi, Trent Jamieson, Marcus Pelegrimas and Simon R Green. I've not read any of these yet, and some, like the Kalayna book look to female oriented for me, while I'm not sure about the Ilona Andrews book. Any advice, and any additions?

Originally Posted by AlbertaCowboy

I liked the Kim Harrison "Hollows" series. The covers look pretty "romancy" but they contain a pretty solid urban fantasy premise.

I'm highly seconding The Hollows! While Romance is a part of the series, it is by no means the main focus of the series. In fact, it's barely secondary!

Oh, and make sure you look for Kim Harrison, because there is apparently another series out now called The Hollows as well. I really didn't think authors did that! Kim's series has been around so long, and is so well established (13+ books and quite a few short stories), that I'm surprised to find that there is another series with the same name. Its new and that author has 2 books.

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

I'm highly seconding The Hollows! While Romance is a part of the series, it is by no means the main focus of the series. In fact, it's barely secondary!

Oh, and make sure you look for Kim Harrison, because there is apparently another series out now called The Hollows as well. I really didn't think authors did that! Kim's series has been around so long, and is so well established (13+ books and quite a few short stories), that I'm surprised to find that there is another series with the same name. Its new and that author has 2 books.

She actually released the last book in the series this year. So if you're hoping to find a series that's actually done and not just going on and on....

Of course, like all long-running series, there is a vocal group that hated how she ended it.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

She actually released the last book in the series this year. So if you're hoping to find a series that's actually done and not just going on and on....

Of course, like all long-running series, there is a vocal group that hated how she ended it.

Thats right 13 was the end, like Southern Vampires (Sookie Stackhouse - which , apparently, has a really hated ending).


I stopped reading both, Sookie at #9 and Rachel at #7, so that I could collect the remainder of both series - short stories and all - in paperback, since thats how I started them, and then read them from start to finish.

[FizzyWater]

Yeah, I stopped reading them both, too, although my friends kept on. Reader expectations. I didn't like where the author went, and that was the end of the series for me.

I used to belong to a Yahoo Group for The Hollows - and I seem to remember the book series was originally set for maybe a third of the length it ended up being....and the stories went downhill when the publisher pushed her to stretch it out. I don't know if that was true or just speculation...

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

Yeah, I stopped reading them both, too, although my friends kept on. Reader expectations. I didn't like where the author went, and that was the end of the series for me.

I used to belong to a Yahoo Group for The Hollows - and I seem to remember the book series was originally set for maybe a third of the length it ended up being....and the stories went downhill when the publisher pushed her to stretch it out. I don't know if that was true or just speculation...

I haven't heard any complaints about the The Hollows, and I was definitely still enjoying them when I stopped reading them. I just wanted to save up for a "big read".

As for Sookie, I do remember being a bit disappointed in book #9, but not enough to abandon the series. All of the hate poured towards the ending has actually made me more curious as to what exactly went down. From the little bit I did allow myself to find out, it was obvious that a lot of readers either:

• Didn't see/read an interview Harris did years ago explaining something that was NEVER going to happen.
• Didn't believe what Harris said (or were hoping she would change her mind).
• Ignored her warnings about two of the main characters.
• Ignored her warnings about one and misunderstood her warnings about another.

[leaston]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Just don't read his other books...

Funnily enough, I've never read anything else by him. Bad?

[leaston]

Originally Posted by Xanthe

Check out the "Liaden Fans Help Me Out" thread in the Reading Recommendations forum here, if you have any questions.

Brill, thank you I found the thread. I did have a look on a site listing the works and the differences between the reading orders. I was lost within a few minutes and sacked the idea. Hopefully, the thread you mentioned will help

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by leaston

Funnily enough, I've never read anything else by him. Bad?

He wrote a great series called Riftwar, with 30 books. Unfortunately, the last 3 were pathetic -- partly because they appear not to have been edited. Not just typos but even continuity errors are noticeably present. (Book two of the last trilogy has Pug coming to the Pantathian island twice, both times for the first time, without having left, IIRC.)
And in general the last five books just weren't up to snuff and got progressively worse.
It really killed the series, because you cannot just read SOME of a series, can you?

It is one of my big pet peeves. You know what they say about intense love and intense hate...

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

He wrote a great series called Riftwar, with 27 books. Unfortunately, the last 3 were pathetic -- mostly because they appear not to have been edited.
It really killed the series, because you cannot just read SOME of a series, can you?

It is one of my big pet peeves.

I guess I don't view all of the books set in the Riftwar universe as a single series, wiki shows 10 separate series in that setting. The ones I have read have a start and an end and don't leave too much dangling. I think you can certainly read the first few "Riftwar Saga" (through A Darkness at Sethanon) or even just Magician (most of the time published in 2 volumes; Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master) and find it very entertaining and complete enough. Everything else can be seen as sequels rather than the same story. I have never tried to read everything in that world and don't feel the need.

/Enough side tracking from the thread though, Riftwar is certainly not urban fantasy.

[treadlightly]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

Yeah, I stopped reading them both, too, although my friends kept on. Reader expectations. I didn't like where the author went, and that was the end of the series for me.

I used to belong to a Yahoo Group for The Hollows - and I seem to remember the book series was originally set for maybe a third of the length it ended up being....and the stories went downhill when the publisher pushed her to stretch it out. I don't know if that was true or just speculation...

IMHO, it is the truth.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

I guess I don't view all of the books set in the Riftwar universe as a single series, wiki shows 10 separate series in that setting. The ones I have read have a start and an end and don't leave too much dangling. I think you can certainly read the first few "Riftwar Saga" (through A Darkness at Sethanon) or even just Magician (most of the time published in 2 volumes; Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master) and find it very entertaining and complete enough. Everything else can be seen as sequels rather than the same story. I have never tried to read everything in that world and don't feel the need.

It is part of the same universe story arc. Of course it is the same series. Stop with this sacrilege.
Are you telling me you do not feel a compulsion deep within your soul to read every other book set in that world?
</pedantic>

OK, no more now.

[Hampshire Nanny]

Originally Posted by theducks

Mercedes Lackey - Dianna Tregard

Originally Posted by pwalker8

That was her first urban fantasy and a pretty good series (very hard to find until just recently), she also had the Bedlam's Bard series that started in 1990 and ran through 2005. Plus the Serrated Edge series in the early 1990's. Both are somewhat lighter than the current Urban Fantasy and lack the romance elements of the current UF.

http://www.mercedeslackey.com/biblio_series.html

I just finished reading the first two Diana Tregarde novels and the 2014 prequel (Magic 101) and enjoyed them mightily. Just need to carve out some time to read the last book of the series.

Originally Posted by Nyssa

I haven't heard any complaints about the The Hollows, and I was definitely still enjoying them when I stopped reading them. I just wanted to save up for a "big read".

I have one more book to read. I think #12, The Undead Pool was a refreshingly better book than the couple which came before. I'm waiting for my name to percolate to the top of the reserve list for The Witch With No Name at my local library.

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by Hampshire Nanny

I just finished reading the first two Diana Tregarde novels and the 2014 prequel (Magic 101) and enjoyed them mightily. Just need to carve out some time to read the last book of the series.

I have one more book to read. I think #12, The Undead Pool was a refreshingly better book than the couple which came before. I'm waiting for my name to percolate to the top of the reserve list for The Witch With No Name at my local library.

FYI - she apparently also just released a book of short stories in the Hollows universe. It showed up on my eLibrary site.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by Hampshire Nanny

I just finished reading the first two Diana Tregarde novels and the 2014 prequel (Magic 101) and enjoyed them mightily. Just need to carve out some time to read the last book of the series.

I have one more book to read. I think #12, The Undead Pool was a refreshingly better book than the couple which came before. I'm waiting for my name to percolate to the top of the reserve list for The Witch With No Name at my local library.

I'm glad to hear the series doesn't go completely down hill!! I'm really looking forward to rereading the earlier books and finishing the series as a whole.

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

FYI - she apparently also just released a book of short stories in the Hollows universe. It showed up on my eLibrary site.

Oh really! I hope there is some sort of reading order guide/suggestion type thing to go along with it - unless its all of her previously published short stories collected in one volume, similar to what Jim Butcher did with Side Jobs (although he did not include his Big Foot trilogy, nor about 3 or 4 others).

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

Oh really! I hope there is some sort of reading order guide/suggestion type thing to go along with it - unless its all of her previously published short stories collected in one volume, similar to what Jim Butcher did with Side Jobs (although he did not include his Big Foot trilogy, nor about 3 or 4 others).

That is because Side Jobs came first.

On the other hand, alansplace has discovered that Brief Cases, the sequel to Side Jobs, should be released sometime next year and contains all those newer stories.