25 Plus Books I have read for my Urban Fantasy Book List
I have started to sort out the fantasy books I have both read and that fall under this genre for my Urban Fantasy book list. And you can bet this list will keep on growing. I am of an age now that urban fantasy really appeals. I am past my era of deep and meaningful reading!
Urban Fantasy fascinates me. I suppose that stems from childhood when the ‘beast under the bed‘ scared the daylights out of me. Urban fantasy at its best even though I wouldn’t, at the age, have named it thus.
Urban Fantasy characters from legend and lore
My father had several books based on the lore of various countries. One of my favourites was ‘Redskin Morning’ by Joan Grant. Published in 1944, it can only be found by stealthy research on the internet or possibly in well hidden second hand book stores. ‘Redskin Morning’ was tales of the North American native people. These tales were wonderfully full of lore and spirits.
Urban Fantasy has borrowed these spirits along with ones from other countries and intermingled them with newly created beings and elemental beings of earth, sir, fire and water. There are spirits and pranksters as per Charles de Lint’s tales, supernatural beings such as Bram Stokers Dracula and a diverse mix of otherworld characters existing side by side with the ‘real’ world.
And there is even a schizophrenic Satan who argues with himself (themselves?)!
Urban Fantasy the List
| Book | Comment | Author | Published. |
| War of the Worlds | Urban = London; Fantasy = Mars. A very good and enjoyable older book | HG Wells | 1898 |
| Moonheart | Excellent Read | Charles de Lint | 1980 |
| Into the Out Of | Very Good Read | Alan Dean Foster | 1986 |
| Magic Kingdom of Landover | Fun Books | Terry Brooks | 1986 – 2009 |
| To the Vanishing Point | Very Good Read | Alan Dean Foster | 1988 |
| Vickie Nelson Series (TV series Blood Ties) | Adult vampire Reads | Tanya Huff | 1991 – 1997 |
| Newford Series | Mostly Excellent | Charles de Lint | 1993 – 2009 |
| Vampire Hunter (1 – 6) | Started well became boring, stopped reading | Laurell K Hamilton | 1993 – 2008 |
| Bride of the Rat God | Surprisingly good read | Barbra Hambly | 1994 |
| Neverwhere | Through the world under London | Neil Gaiman | 1996 |
| Harry Potter Series | Yikes almost forgot HP! Good books, better than the movies | JK Rowling | 1997 – 2007 |
| Keepers Chronicles | Lots of fun | Tanya Huff | 1998 – 2003 |
| Faerie Tale | A gripping read | Raymond Feist | 1998 |
| Dresden Files | What can I say – very good | Jim Butcher | 2000 – 2014 |
| Women of the Underworld | Ditto above | Kelley Armstrong | 2001 – 2012 |
| Sookie Stackhouse Series (TV series True Blood) | A down to earth heroine | Charlaine Harris | 2001 – 2013 |
| Smoke Series | Very enjoyable fantasy | Tanya Huff | 2004 -2006 |
| The Mystique Trilogy | A bit mystic but fun | Traci Harding | 2005 – 2008 |
| Cal Leandros Series | Gritty and dark reading | Rob Thurman | 2006 – 2011 |
| The Mortal Instruments | An easy read, a bit young | Cassandra Clare | 2007 * 2014 |
| The Darkest Powers & Darkness Rising Trilogies | A hint of her Underworld series. Looks like they will mesh. | Kelley Armstrong | 2008 – 2013 |
| Enchantment Emporium | Now this is a great book to get absorbed in! | Tanya Huff | 2009 |
| Hyddenworld Spring | The gem of spring is lost | William Horwood | 2010 |
| The Infernal Devices | An easy read, a bit young | Cassandra Clare | 2010 – 2013 |
| A Discovery of Witches | I really liked the two I have read. | Deborah Harkness | 2011 – 2014 |
| The Dirty Streets of Heaven | Tad writes a mean tale. Bobby needs whacking sometimes. I guess that means the book enthrals. | Tad Williams | 2013 |
| Happy Hour in Hell | Tad Williams | 2014 | |
| Sleeping Late On Judgement Day | Tad Williams | 2014. | |
| The War of the Flowers | Also a dark fairy tale. | Tad Williams | 2014 |
Urban Fantasy the Living Book List
I believe these stories appeal as they are so plausible. I have read quite a few and have begun a list of these. This is a ‘living document’ and will be updated as I continue to read (or remember the books I have read in the past) and as books are recommended to me in comments made by you, my site visitors.
There are so many choices of these books out there and sometimes they don’t find their way into our Tasmanian, or even Australia in general, book stores. I often have to find a new author to follow by looking at the covers of book. Alas that is a poor way to choose. Some of the best books I have read don’t have cover illustrations.
So believe me your comments, likes and dislikes are very welcome. From them I can find a whole new world of authors and books. So please do name your favourite books and nicely suggest to me that I would enjoy reading them with a brief description so I can whet my appetite.