If you’ve been hearing about the runaway train that is the Urban Fantasy craze and you’re eager to jump on but don’t quite know where to start, this list is for you. Here are five New York Times Bestselling authors who are hugely popular for a very good reason – they’re good.
Below are only the first books in their respective series. Have at it.
1) Patricia Briggs – Moon Called (Mercy Thompson #1)
Book Jacket:
Mercy Thompson’s life is not exactly normal. Her next-door neighbor is a werewolf. Her former boss is a gremlin. And she’s fixing a VW bus for a vampire. But then, Mercy isn’t exactly normal herself…and her connection to the world of things that go bump in the night is about to get her in a whole lot of trouble
You can read an excerpt here.
Byrt says:
Patricia Briggs pretty much started the werewolf trend with this series, and it’s by and large considered to be the best werewolf series in the genre. Mercy is the perfect blend of smart, tough, and vulnerable.
2) Kim Harrison – Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows #1)
Book Description (the jacket is cheesy):
The underground population of witches, vampires, werewolves — creatures of dreams and nightmares — has lived beside humans for centuries, hiding their powers. But after a genetically engineered virus wipes out a large part of humanity, many of the “Inderlanders” reveal themselves, changing everything.
Rachel Morgan, witch and bounty hunter with the Inderland Runner Services, is one of the best at apprehending supernatural lawbreakers throughout Cincinnati, but when it comes to following the rules, she falls desperately short. Determined to buck the system, she quits and takes off on the run with an I.S. contract on her head and is reluctantly forced to team up with Ivy, Inderland’s best runner . . . and a living vampire. But this witch is way out of her league, and to clear her name, Rachel must evade shape-changing assassins, outwit a powerful businessman/crime lord, and survive a vicious underground fight-to-the-death . . . not to mention her own roommate.
You can read an excerpt here.
Byrt says:
The engineered virus that wiped out the human population? It came from a tomato =). I love Kim Harrison’s ironic sense of humor and the intricate world she created. This series has loads of action and intrigue, but the fascinatingly complex relationships are the best part. Following Rachel as she’s forced to learn, as she puts it, another freaking life lesson, is a whole lot of fun.
3) Charlaine Harris – Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse #1)
Book Jacket:
Sookie Stackhouse is just a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. Until the vampire of her dreams walks into her life-and one of her coworkers checks out….
Maybe having a vampire for a boyfriend isn’t such a bright idea.
You can read an excerpt here.
Byrt says:
These books were hugely popular long before HBO started airing True Blood (the TV show based on them). Oodles of southern charm, lots of things that go bump in the night, and a solid mystery at the core.
4) Ilona Andrews – Magic Bites (Kate Daniels #1)
Book Jacket:
Atlanta would be a nice place to live, if it weren’t for the magic…
One moment magic dominates, and cars stall and guns fail. The next, technology takes over and the defensive spells no longer protect your house from monsters. Here skyscrapers topple under the onslaught of magic; werebears and werehyenas prowl through the ruined streets; and the Masters of the Dead, necromancers driven by their thirst for knowledge and wealth, pilot blood-crazed vampires with their minds.
In this world lives Kate Daniels. Kate likes her sword a little too much and has a hard time controlling her mouth. The magic in her blood makes her a target, and she has spent most of her life hiding in plain sight. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, she must choose – do nothing and remain safe or pursue his preternatural killer. Hiding is easy, but the right choice is rarely easy…
You can read an excerpt here.
Byrt says:
This series is refreshingly original. Kate is the perfect blend of savvy and smart ass. There’s almost a noirish vibe to these books, in the grit, bruises and internal monologue. It’s a close race, but right now this is my all time favorite UF series.
5) Jim Butcher – Storm Front (Dresden Files #1)
Book Jacket:
Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he’s the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the “everyday” world is actually full of strange and magical things — and most of them don’t play well with humans. That’s where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a — well, whatever.
There’s just one problem. Business, to put it mildly, stinks. So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry’s seeing dollar signs. But where there’s black magic, there’s a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry’s name. And that’s when things start to get… interesting.
Magic. It can get a guy killed.
You can read an excerpt here.
Byrt says:
Yes, men write Urban Fantasy too, and Jim is definitely the top guy in the field. You might recognize the name Harry Dresden from the short lived TV adaptation (the show aired on SyFy). Harry has an old school detective vibe – except he uses a hockey stick as a wand. And as a bonus, this series has THE perfect audio book reader in James Marsters (Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer).
And there you have it – Byrt’s top 5 Urban Fantasy picks. Get ready to loose some sleep =).
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