Friday Favorites: Urban Fantasy

 

Urban Fantasy is a genre that became more popular starting in the 1980s. In Urban Fantasy, the magical shares our world, but is often hidden in some way. It differs from Magical Realism in that in Magical Realism, the magic is accepted as a normal part of the world. Not everyone has magic, but those that do or those around them more or less accept it as part of the status quo. When you think of Urban Fantasy, think about perhaps some of the magical people/creatures living underground in old subway tunnels. Or perhaps inhabiting an arts studio where their eccentricities might be discounted rather than really noticed.

My introduction to Urban Fantasy came with the book Dreams Underfoot by Charles de Lint. It is a collection of short stories that take place in the fictional city of Newford. Since the birth of Newford, the author has gone on to write many more stories that take place there as well as in other locations. Newford is a favorite of fans as are some of the characters that inhabit there such as Jilly Coppercorn and The Crow Girls.

Terri Windling is also of note as she has been editor, writer, artist and more in the genre and beyond starting when it became more popular.

Some other favorites of mine include, but are not limited to:

C.E. Murphy - The Walker Papers

Faith Hunter - The Jane Yellowrock series and the Soulwood series

Seanan McGuire - The InCryptid series and October Daye series

SM Reine - Preternatural Affairs and more

Kim Harrison - The Hollows series

Patricia Briggs - The Mercy Thompson Series

Jennifer Estep - The Elemental Assassin Series

Jim Butcher - The Dresden Files 

Kevin Hearne - The Iron Druid Chronicles

If you enjoy contemporary fantasy, you will most likely enjoy urban fantasy. I remember being surprised at how many people chose to use a blend of Celtic and Native American beings. For example, in book one of the Walker Papers, Urban Shaman, Joanne Walker discovers that she is a shaman and must save people from the Wild Hunt. Some other authors design a magic system virtually from scratch - the Elemental Assassin series for example.

Question: Is it possible to have urban fantasy in a historical city setting such as Boston? An example here would possibly be The Whimbrel House series by Charlie N. Holmberg.

Please understand this is not a definitive list, but rather some Urban Fantasy authors I have enjoyed over the years. If you have a favorite you don't see here or have something you'd like to add, please feel free to do so in the comments. Happy Reading!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #276: Storm Cursed by Patricia Briggs

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings. 

From Goodreads:

In this new installment in the No. 1 New York Times bestselling series, Mercy Thompson must face a deadly enemy to defend all she loves . . . 

My name is Mercedes Athena Thompson Hauptman, and I am a car mechanic.

And a coyote shapeshifter . . . And the mate of the Alpha of the Columbia Basin werewolf pack.

Even so, none of that would have gotten me into trouble if, a few months ago, I hadn't stood upon a bridge and taken responsibility for the safety of the citizens who lived in our territory. It seemed like the thing to do at the time. It should have only involved hunting down killer goblins, zombie goats, and an occasional troll. Instead, our home was viewed as neutral ground, a place where humans would feel safe to come and treat with the fae.

The reality is that nothing and no one is safe. As generals and politicians face off with the Gray Lords of the fae, a storm is coming and her name is Death.

But we are pack, and we have given our word. We will die to keep it.

Storm Cursed by Patricia Briggs is the eleventh Mercy Thompson novel. It's due out May 7th, 2019 from Ace.

Why am I waiting on this one? I've really enjoyed the Mercy Thompson series so far. Storm Cursed looks good to me. It seems like it picks up on events from book #9 which was definitely open for follow-up events. The fae are tricky in the world of Mercy Thompson. This definitely spells trouble for her and for the humans who think they can treat with them. I am so looking forward to reading this one.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Waiting on Wednesday #162: Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. 

Synopsis from Goodreads:

In the #1 New York Times bestselling Mercy Thompson novels, the coyote shapeshifter has found her voice in the werewolf pack. But when Mercy's bond with the pack and her mate is broken, she'll learn what it truly means to be alone...

Attacked and abducted in her home territory, Mercy finds herself in the clutches of the most powerful vampire in the world, taken as a weapon to use against alpha werewolf Adam and the ruler of the Tri-Cities vampires. In coyote form, Mercy escapes only to find herself without money, without clothing, and alone in the heart of Europe...

Unable to contact Adam and the rest of the pack, Mercy has allies to find and enemies to fight, and she needs to figure out which is which. Ancient powers stir, and Mercy must be her agile best to avoid causing a war between vampires and werewolves, and between werewolves and werewolves. And in the heart of the ancient city of Prague, old ghosts rise...

Why am I waiting on this book? I love the Mercy Thompson series. I really enjoy the stories about this woman who can shapeshift into a coyote, but who is in love with a werewolf. She has tangled before with vampires and managed to come out alive. This sounds like the ultimate vampire story for her. The expected publication date is March 7, 2017 from Ace Books. You can find an excerpt from chapter one here.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by!

Waiting on Wednesday #116: Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

This week the book I am most waiting on is Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs. This is book #9 in the Mercy Thompson series. It's due to be released March 8, 2016 from Ace. 

Synopsis from Goodreads.com: e
Tensions between the fae and humans are coming to a head. And when coyote shapeshifter Mercy and her Alpha werewolf mate, Adam, are called upon to stop a rampaging troll, they find themselves with something that could be used to make the fae back down and forestall out-and-out war: a human child stolen long ago by the fae.

Defying the most powerful werewolf in the country, the humans, and the fae, Mercy, Adam, and their pack choose to protect the boy no matter what the cost. But who will protect them from a boy who is fire touched?

Why am I waiting on this book? Well for one thing, it's #9 in the series and I've read all the others. I really enjoy Mercy Thompson and her world. Patricia Briggs writes good urban fantasy. 

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday - Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of 

Should Be Reading. 

Rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs, #7 in the Mercy Thompson series, is an urban fantasy novel complete with werewolves, vampires, fae, and a coyote shapeshifter. Mercy is the coyote shapeshifter. Adam is her husband and the leader of the pack of werewolves. Zee is a fae.

This teaser comes from page 215 in the hardcover book.

"How do we break the spell?" Adam asked. "Killing the woman didn't seem to work."
"Love's true kiss," Mercy said, though Adam had been asking Zee.

I don't think it's a spoiler because I haven't gotten that far in the book and I have no idea what's going on in that scene, but find it intriguing myself. And I have no idea if Mercy is right and a kiss will indeed break whatever spell has been cast on someone.

What's your teaser this week?