Basil Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations I'd add Flying Dutch, also by Tom Holt, and Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. BTW, the Lord Darcy books are set in the 1960's (the date is given in the narrative of most/all of the stories); it feels, somewhat, like they're set earlier, but that's because magic has replaced technology (as we understand the term) and the result is a somewhat Edwardian to between-the-world-wars feel. I have saved the best for last; IMO the best urban fantasy story ever, and one of my all-time top-of-the-line favorites is The Wizard of the Pigeons by Megan Lindstrom. Good luck finding it, but if you do, grab it immediately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thag13 Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations I would have to recommend Garrett, PI books by Glen Cook for a great urban fantasy. Hard boiled PI solving crimes in a fantasy setting. Most of the books are pretty good. John Belairs The House With a Clock in Its Walls is a great book with modern witches, ghosts and such. There are several books that feature the lead character Lewis Barnavelt. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_House_with_a_Clock_in_Its_Walls Also, the Friday the 13 series was a great urban horror fantasy. The TV series was not connected to the Jason character, but was about 2 young people who inherited a antiques shop, only to discover the items were cursed, and now had to get them all back. Decent show actually, as was pretty scary for a TV show, and often didn't have happy endings.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations I would have to recommend Garrett' date=' PI books by Glen Cook for a great urban fantasy. Hard boiled PI solving crimes in a fantasy setting. Most of the books are pretty good.[/quote'] With respect, I have to disagree with this recommendation. While they're great books, and have a marvelous noir feel to them, they aren't really "urban fantasy" as that term is used. They are not set in the modern world or anything even close. The setting is definitely pseudo-medieval (as most fantasy stories from Dunsany onwards), with nothing of technology (or tech-replacing magic) to them. A great read, but not IMO what Steve is looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StGrimblefig Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations Nobody has yet mentioned the Incarnations of Immortality series by Piers Anthony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StGrimblefig Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations And let's not forget Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury, along with probably a dozen or so short stories that escape me at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted September 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations Well, after checking the local used bookstore first and having almost no luck (one Dresden Files book), I just placed a nice large order with Alibris for various of these books (no doubt the first of several such orders ). Thanx for the suggestions and feel free to keep 'em comin'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Democracy Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations Well' date=' after checking the local used bookstore first and having almost no luck (one Dresden Files book), I just placed a nice large order with Alibris for various of these books (no doubt the first of several such orders ). Thanx for the suggestions and feel free to keep 'em comin'! [/quote'] I've got three copies of Chase the Morning if you want me to send you one...my wife is putting pressure on my shelf space! Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FenrisUlf Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations Thanx for the recommendations so far, everyone! I'm not sure I can ever read these. I morally object to them on the grounds that Kurtz should write more Deryni novels, dammit, not this other stuff. Yeah, but if you want to read about reincarnated Templar hermetic ritual magicians fighting evil Tibetan Nazi black magicians in Scotland, there's no better source. Oh, yes -- it'll be hard to find, but look for Runespear by Melinda Snodgrass and Victor Milan (I think). Set right before WW2, it tells of a SS-sponsored expedition to Greenland in search of Gungnir. Very pulpish, very different (these aren't your typical fictional Nazis), and some truly amazing characters. It's a great book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FenrisUlf Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations Another "I cant believe these have not been mentioned yet" is Michael Scott Rohan's Chase the Morning; Gates of Noon and Cloud Castles. The first of those is the best and the other two dont add too much as they essentially are variations of the first novel. Chase the Morning is one of my favourite novels. Doc I'll add my recommendation to Doc Democracy's. They are beautiful books and amazingly adventurous modern fantasies. And I dunno if this counts, but A. Merritt's Burn Witch Burn, Creep Shadow Creep, and The Fox Woman and Others are all incredibly well-done dark fantasy/horror tales set in the pulp era. Jack Williamson's Darker Than You Think is another great pulp-era 'modern fantasy'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Desmarais Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations Well' date=' after checking the local used bookstore first and having almost no luck (one Dresden Files book), I just placed a nice large order with Alibris for various of these books (no doubt the first of several such orders ). Thanx for the suggestions and feel free to keep 'em comin'! [/quote'] I coulda loaned you most of these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted September 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations I definitely appreciate the offer, John, but when I'm reading novels for research (and quotes), I tend to mark them up and be pretty rough on them, so I wouldn't want to borrow anyone's copies. They're cheap enough on Alibris that I don't mind the investment... and this way I can keep the ones I like! Compared to writing the LOTR RPG, this is pretty inexpensive. For that I went out and bought all-new sets of all of Tolkien's Middle-Earth fiction so I could mark them up and write in the margins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flames Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations Is there going to be a thread going on this supplement in regards to suggestions for sections or topics? I have some ideas about it that have been rattling around in my head as I try to come up with a homebrew urban fantasy campaign setting of my own. Whether I ever get to run it, well, that's another matter. I can tell you one thing, though, it won't have friggin' Jedi in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mayapuppies Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations I can tell you one thing, though, it won't have friggin' Jedi in it. Ah, well, Warrior Mage or Paladnin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maur Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations Flaming sword, lightsaber, what's the difference... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Obvious Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations A lot of Manly Wade Wellman's stuff fits pretty well. The Silver John stories, while not urban, are still modern. The John Thunstone stories are pretty good, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FenrisUlf Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations I've got three copies of Chase the Morning if you want me to send you one...my wife is putting pressure on my shelf space! Doc Heck, I'd take/buy one if you were willing to part with it! EDIT: And how could I have forgotten Manly Wade Wellman? My brain is drying out in my old age. Good on you for mentioning him, Captain Obvious. Rep to you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilFleischmann Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations How about Shea and Wilson's Illuminatus trilogy? Maybe not exclusively fantasy, but there's a lot of fantasy elements in it (talking animals, magic, ancient gods, undead, etc.). And the Woody Allen movie Alice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Obvious Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations Heck, I'd take/buy one if you were willing to part with it! EDIT: And how could I have forgotten Manly Wade Wellman? My brain is drying out in my old age. Good on you for mentioning him, Captain Obvious. Rep to you! Thanks. You're the one that turned me on to his stuff, IIRC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobrunnicles Posted September 28, 2007 Report Share Posted September 28, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations Along the same vein as some of the recent suggestions' date=' [i']Hellboy[/i] should be pretty good source material. Agreed (both comics and the movie); and if we're including movies how about Dark City? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightshade Posted September 28, 2007 Report Share Posted September 28, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations I don't know if other gaming books is what you wanted, but I highly recommend the Everlasting series. They were originally written by Steven Brown, who used to work for White Wolf and as far as I know now runs a gaming store down in Georgia. I found them far superior to the World of Darkness in terms of world building. Of course, I use the HERO system to run the game due to the, IMO, inferior system (although basically a cross between HERO and WoD). The setting itself is very cool, though, and the ideas in it are pretty interesting. Nightshade PS I just realized that I am basically advertising someone else's products on the HERO boards. If this is a problem, let me know and I'll edit. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightshade Posted September 28, 2007 Report Share Posted September 28, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations If TV shows are something you were interested in, if you can find Poltergeist: the Legacy and Forever Knight, those were some pretty reasonable Urban Fantasy shows. Nightshade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkdguy Posted September 28, 2007 Report Share Posted September 28, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations If we're including television series, Highlander: The Series comes to mind. And I agree with Nightshade that Poltergeist: The Legacy and Forever Knight are also good choices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Democracy Posted September 28, 2007 Report Share Posted September 28, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations Heck, I'd take/buy one if you were willing to part with it! EDIT: And how could I have forgotten Manly Wade Wellman? My brain is drying out in my old age. Good on you for mentioning him, Captain Obvious. Rep to you! Sold to the man, for free. Drop me an address in a PM and I'll send you a copy - I'll send Steve the most beat up copy - it's yours Steve use and abuse at will. My wife will be happy - I will only have one copy of the book! Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Desmarais Posted September 28, 2007 Report Share Posted September 28, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations How did I forget this? Books of Magic (comic) -- by John Ney Rieber, Jane Yolen, & Neil Gaiman Books of Magic (novelizations) -- by Carla Jablonski. Although the comic is decidedly better, the novels - aimed at the teen market - offered a slightly different take on the basic premise that made them worth reading as well. there were two spin-off or equal series as well. I'd skip Books of Magick: Life During Wartime by Si Spencer unless your a fan of "odd purely for the sake of being odd" - but The Names of Magic by Dylan Horrocks wasn't bad and provided a lot of addition background info on the main character and the magical world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Desmarais Posted September 28, 2007 Report Share Posted September 28, 2007 Re: Urban Fantasy Recommendations I definitely appreciate the offer, John, but when I'm reading novels for research (and quotes), I tend to mark them up and be pretty rough on them, so I wouldn't want to borrow anyone's copies. They're cheap enough on Alibris that I don't mind the investment... and this way I can keep the ones I like! Compared to writing the LOTR RPG, this is pretty inexpensive. For that I went out and bought all-new sets of all of Tolkien's Middle-Earth fiction so I could mark them up and write in the margins. Heck, after my wife's gotten hold of one, you'd be hard pressed to do any additional noticeable damage - but I must admit, it is nicer to have one's own copies for later perusal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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