Urban Fantasy discussion

Anybody know any good books where the main character becomes something else than what they once where? Turned into a vamp? Bitten by a were? Become a Half Demon?

One of the things Im guilty of when reading a new series is scouting out the books ahead to see if the main character changes in one of those ways. I really enjoy it when my protagonist can stand face to face with what ever they are fighting on equal ground.

Jeanne C. Stein is the author of a series where a human is changed over into a vampire. She was a bounty hunter when she was a human and has to figure out what to do now that she's changed over.

the first book is: The Becoming. There are four or five in the series so far.

The Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost -
The main character does not transform; she doesn't become anything different from how she started.
However, she is half vamp/half human and in the first book she is taught how to fight and over the course of the series she becomes very strong and capable of standing against her foes. She kicks ass but she's not annoying... I really love that series.

So do I Nichole, :D, its good!

Im reading the Anna Strong series now Jess, thanks for pointing it out to me.

Succubus Blues might be on the outskirts of what you're looking for. Main character is a succubus, but she does her best to be as bad at it as possible. You also see how she became a succubus in "flashbacks."

The books show good and evil as falling in very grey areas, in a world in which demons, vamps and one fallen angel like to get together and, say, play Texas Hold 'em.

A Rush of Wings also has a transformation and an inner battle for one of the main characters, as he learns that he's something more than just a vampire and that secrets are being kept from him.

LOVE Night huntress series.

Michael that is a really interesting point as I sit here and ponder this I think whatever the protagonist was at the start of the book is what they remain.

Outside of Jeanne Stein what about Jennifer Armintrout Blood Ties series she starts out as human right?

I find this is a hard question!

I'll have to look at my shelves...

Rachel Caine's Weather Warden series, particularly book 2 , Heat Stroke, includes a drastic transformation, in my opinion. Probably ideally what you are talking about, but I do not want to give anything away since book 1 might win as the next group read.

Hm, there is Richelle Mead's Dark Swan series. There is a transformation later on. Won't spoil. LOL. Unfortunately, I can't really recall any others right now.

Dirty Job! Nice normal man suddenly gets the job of Death.

Cassie Palmer series...Cassie turns out to have far more power and be far more important than she ever dreamed. The beginning of the first book is crappy. Hold out til she gets to the vamp Council. The rest of the series has been very good.

You Suck is another Moore book with a transformation, though it is NOT my favorite of his. Many like it though. Main character becomes a vamp.

Dead Girls are Easy-near death experience causes the main character to see ghosts.

I really liked Christopher Golden's trilogy called The Veil, which starts with The Myth Hunters. Many of the characters go through transformations over the course of the three books. Very well written with a plethora of mythological characters from all over the globe.

The Dark Swan book was really good, I Just finished reading it. Now I have to wait for the second in the series! Thats the worst thing about books is waiting for them to come out.

Amy Lane's Little Goddess series might fit that bill. Cory starts out the book as a quiet teen working a midnight shift at a mini-mart, trying to save money for college when she is touched by a fae which suddenly reveals a hidden world she'd never known existed. She also comes to realize she isn't just a normal girl - however I don't want to give any more away. Filled with fae and vamps. I loved the series.

I'm two-thirds of the way through a book now that fits the bill: Midnight Mass by Wilson.

A priest, a rabbi and a lesbian walk into a church...

It's a throwback to the traditional definition of vampires-no romanticizing here-as they try to take over the U.S., and focuses on a small band of people who try to rise against them (in JERSEY, no less).

The tone is a little reminiscent of The Stand-switching back and forth between the perspectives of the survivors and the oppressors.

Fast-paced and horrific, with great characters.

Ok, updates, Ive gotten ahold of the Blood Ties series and the Succubus Blues series (Richelle Mead is turning out to be an amazing author, First I read the Vampire Academy series, then I read the Dark Swan book, now the Succubus Blues books, Im surprised because its rare for me to like an author's entire body of work).

The Blood Ties series was pretty good but I have some SERIOUS issues with the last book. It really taints my view of the whole series unfortunately. It's one of those "way to tidy" endings, and there was a mechanic that was good the first time it was used, but not the second, third, or fourth. If you've read the series I think you'll know what Im talking about.

Anything else you guys can think of?

Have you read Sunshine by Robin McKinley? (The current group read?) The main character undergoes fairly drastic change, of the self-discovery variety.

for humour--try the "Accidently" series. First book is Accidently Werewolf, then Accidently Dead and the last book in the series is Accidently Human. These are classified as Romance, but they are still very funny. Author is Dakota Cassidy.

How about the Zodiac Series by Vicki Petterson? I was surprised how much I loved it and it's become my go-to series when I need to pick up something familiar. She basically has a birthday and comes into some powers which force her to become part of a 'secret society' of superhero's. Sounds hokey, but OMG, what a great series. The 4th one is coming out shortly.

Casey Daniels has a series about a girl who hits her head and can now communicate with dead people. It's on the lighter side- but cute and an easy read

For transformation- the best I've seen yet is the Riley Jenson series by Keri Arthur. I just finished book seven so book one is a little hard to remember- I'm not sure she makes any big transformations in the first book- but she does go through some huge transformations throughout the series...
She's half werewolf half vampire and it's a kind spiderman/incredible hulk thing she gets exposed to a drug that changes her...

Just finished "Some Girls Bite" by Chloe Neill and it definitely falls into this category. It's the first book in the Chicagoland Vampires series and is all about Merit struggling with her new vampire status.

Raven by S.A. Swiniarski - probably out of print. An ex-cop wakes up in a storm drain to find that he is a vampire.

The Vampire Files by P.N. Elrod

Jennifer wrote: "Ebby wrote: "Casey Daniels has a series about a girl who hits her head and can now communicate with dead people. It's on the lighter side- but cute and an easy read"

Sounds something like Terri ..."

Well, the both involve people who suddenly can see and communicate with the dead, but there are some differences. Casey Daniels series came out first.

I just finished book four of Richelle Mead's Succubus series. I wouldn't tout as a transformation series. But it's still well worth the read.

J.F. Lewis's books are terrific. The man has become some sort of vamp and turns his girlfriend, who can also become a cat. I'm reading them now and loving them.
All of the Lynsay Sands Argeneau Vampire books involve vamps falling for humans, who all turn sooner or later. Great romances, if you like that sort of thing.
MaryJanice Davidson's Undead series is about a girl who becomes a vampire. Silly good fun.
Laurell K. Hamilton's books about Anita Blake are all about her changes. She gains powers and abilities in every story, and really wrestles with the issues surrounding that.
Devon Monk's books are very good, about a woman who's magic powers are growing in startling ways while she's dealing with a mystery.