Urban Fantasy discussion

Many years ago, I watched a series on the Sci Fi channel. It was about a wizard in Chicago that helped people as a private investigator. The show was OK and I watched all the episodes. Thought nothing of it. I was reading Science Fiction and Fantasy and the thought of Magical Beings hidden in the "real world" was interesting. Was in Barnes and Noble when I found the first book which the series was "loosely" based on. I try it. Why not? I could not put the book down. The book had a complete world was not a sitcom / crime drama. What? There are more books in the series? More books coming? More please? Each book expanded the world. I've read them all. What to do until the next book? Hello Google. What is this U-R-B-A-N F-A-N-T-A-S-Y listing. How about Contemporary Fantasy? Paranormal Romance (not sure, but it is current day and fantasy)? "As the dark stranger enter the room. His shirt open wide .." Stop. Where is the magic missle? That is not what I was talking about. OK, some of the writing is good, but that is an other group.

Comment #1 To ANYONE looking at Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden. Read the first three books. If you are not hooked at that point, thanks for giving it a fair shake. Paranormal Romance or other authors may be you cup of tea. If you read all the way though #15 Peace Talks and care anything about the characters, you will have your heart ripped out and stomped on and you will be looking for Princess Bride because "Life is Pain". On the other hand, you will be in a world of flawed, wonderful, evil, good, funny, horrible characters that you believe could walk down your street with a hoard of evil monsters (some human) trying to destroy or rule the world. "In the name of the Pizza Lord, Charge."

Comment #2 Urban Fantasy is my primary read now. While waiting for the next Dresden book. I have been looking for the list to end all lists. It does not exist. I found this group that has not been updated since 2019. Where did you all go? It has a great core of books on the bookshelf (332 when I found it). Let's see if we can get it to 700.

Comment #3 I have started updating and adding the writers that I found and have been reading. I hope you enjoy Urban Fantasy as much as I do and find the bookshelf a place where you can find new authors. Let's get this group active again.

Comment #4 Read this book and the rest of the series and two book collections of short shorts. It is worth the time. Hell's Bells, this is longer than I planned. OK thanks for reading this. Better go now "The building was on fire, and it wasn't my fault".

I was never very active on the list, and had given up completely when it became just a bunch of ads for beta reading.
I came to the Harry Dresden stories in book form, and barely noticed the TV show when it was on, but I did stumble across a game based on the series, and that was almost as good as the books.

Hi Jim, I have been "in" this group for many years now and folks just stopped posting at some point. I still look for the notifications in case someone posts something of interest. I am a huge fan of the Dresden Files and have read the entire series (up to this point). I also enjoyed Jim Butcher's other series' although they aren't considered Urban Fantasy, more high fantasy and steampunk, I think. One of my favorite series is the October Daye tales by Seanan McGuire. A unique take on the fay set in contemporary San Francisco. Might be up your alley if you are suffering from Dresden withdrawal.

Actually, the Incryptid series by Seanan McGuire gets overlooked, but it's twisted in some of the same ways that the Dresden Files stories are. The complexities of cryptid ecology in the stories are fascinating, too.
I've recently become hooked on the new series by Charlaine Harris. It's an alternate history urban fantasy series, set in an America that collapsed totally during the Great Depression. The first volume was called "An Easy Death," and it was so off the wall that I couldn't put it down.

Nick wrote: "Actually, the Incryptid series by Seanan McGuire gets overlooked, but it's twisted in some of the same ways that the Dresden Files stories are. The complexities of cryptid ecology in the stories ar..."

I tried to start the Incryptid series several years ago and just couldn't get into it. I am hit or miss with Charlaine Harris. I may have to go back and give both a go. If you like the "odd creature" in an urban fantasy setting, have you tried the Kate Daniel series by Ilona Andrews yet? Alternating waves of technology and magic make for some interesting stories in present-day Atlanta. Cheers!

Yes, I read the first couple of books in the Kate Daniel series years ago, before I joined Goodreads. For some reason I had trouble finding the next book, and didn't continue. I'll have to look around and see if I can pick that series up again. I loved the weird magic/technology blend in the story, as I recall.

Robin (DocRob) wrote: "Hi Jim, I have been "in" this group for many years now and folks just stopped posting at some point. I still look for the notifications in case someone posts something of interest. I am a huge fan ..."

Nick wrote: "Yes, I read the first couple of books in the Kate Daniel series years ago, before I joined Goodreads. For some reason I had trouble finding the next book, and didn't continue. I'll have to look aro..."

I am always suffering from Dresden withdrawal. After the long wait for Peace Talks and Battleground, I waited until both were available before getting them. In the long wait, I redid the entire series as audiobooks instead of text then listened to the two books back to back. Considering that I enjoy hearing Dresden, I considered listening to audiobooks on the drive to work. That ended when I was luck enough to be told work from home for a few weeks instead of we don't need you any more. A year and a half + later, I am working hybrid office / remote. Since Audible was not cost effective and our library had limited physical access, I finally considered going all digital when possible. Audio books and ebooks were available in Overdrive. Our library has great access to digital material for the low price of free. So the mad hunt for Urban Fantasy moved to full speed. I have been consuming series as fast as I can. I put an audio book on and wash dishes, yard work, or the like. I live in Atlanta, so Kate Daniels screamed to be read. I am working on all the urban fantasy series written by Andrews now. The library digital card catalog for our library and Libby are worthless. After searching, I found Goodreads again. So now it is my source for new series. I usually have one ebook on the Kindle (free for three weeks) and three audiobooks on my Overdrive app on the phone (three weeks each on those). If I play the reserve game with the library then the price is still free. I just have to remember where I was if I can't renew for another three weeks. Sometimes the library completely misses an author or series; Faith Hunter and Incryptid have no copies in any format. So now I am going to update Goodreads and swim in the Urban Fantasy sea. 8-13 hours of audio gets fast when driving to work and house projects. Less than a week per book is the norm now. Thanks for responding to this. I hope to build out the Goodreads Bookshelf. Maybe I can add the most books than anyone else. Oh, Oh, a new project. Let's see :)

Jim wrote: "Robin (DocRob) wrote: "Hi Jim, I have been "in" this group for many years now and folks just stopped posting at some point. I still look for the notifications in case someone posts something of int..."

Overdrive has a recommend feature. Search for the title/author, if nothing comes up, then there should be a recommend button off to the left, click that. It will show books that your library has available to buy, click the recommend button.

Now that doesn't mean that your library will purchase the book, but they at least know they have an audience for it. My library just activated this, so if your library doesn't have it, then check with them on how you can request they purchase different books. I find that if my library has the book available to purchase, they will purchase it. But often the publisher/author has made not available for library purchase, or if it's an audio, it will be audible exclusive.

Since my "day job" is with a library system, I thought I'd mention that there are actually very few books that are not available for purchase by libraries, and usually it's because they're not distributed through major book distributors. Even some of those can be purchased by a library, though, if they have set up accounts through a local bookstore. Sadly, Darcy is correct that there are still a bunch of audiobooks not available too libraries.

Nick wrote: "Since my "day job" is with a library system, I thought I'd mention that there are actually very few books that are not available for purchase by libraries, and usually it's because they're not dist..."

Ignore some of the national comments about Georgia. Cobb County has been and is getting new material regularly. In many cases, there is just one copy. I am happy with one copy of many vs many copies of a few. My wife and I consider the librarians as friends and they are excited to talk about the new material and then the conversation goes to Overdrive. The search sent me here. Look for more adds to the bookshelf as I work through the searches :)

National comments about Georgia? Other than about the whole zombie tree frogs thing? Or was I not supposed to mention that? :-)
Seriously, what I did see recently was an article about a library in Georgia that let its patrons check out musical instruments, sewing machines and cooking equipment. That sounded interesting.

Nick wrote: "National comments about Georgia? Other than about the whole zombie tree frogs thing? Or was I not supposed to mention that? :-)
Seriously, what I did see recently was an article about a library in ..."

Keeping out of politics and the level or lack of education in Georgia. Just shake head at some of the people connected with Georgia's image. Georgia has been home for many writers, singers, and those promoting education and the arts. Also Jeff Foxworthy and many others in the state are smarter than a fifth grader . And yes considering Atlanta is a transportation hub, we have many invasive species in the animal, spider, and plant areas. The Hollywood filming groups are not considered invasive since they leave money and interest place to see from your favorite TV shows and movies in their wake.