The Best Urban Fantasy

Reading Tinker by Wen Spencer reminded me why I fell in love with Urban Fantasy long ago. While wondering what to say in my review of the book, I found myself thinking rather nostalgically of the Urban Fantasy novels I read back in college. They were so much fun. It’s been a long time since the genre produced anything like them, something that isn’t either vampire based or written for the young adult market. Don’t get me wrong, I’m as fond of blood suckers as the next gal, and I adore some of the recent YA novels like Holly Black’s Modern Fairie Tales and The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare; it’s just that I wish more authors would write true Urban Fantasy for grown-ups. You know, like something that takes longer than an hour to read and isn’t yet another girl meets vampire story.

Oh, Charles DeLint is still writing his Newford stories. Those are great, but they’re getting mighty repetitive after all these years. Yeah, and Neil Gaiman is still awesome even though he’s playing in the YA market at the moment. I’m sure someday he’ll produce another UF novel for adults, something as different from Neverwhere and Ananzi Boys as they are from each other. Emma Bull is still writing. Terri Windling is still editing. I’m certain there are tons of unpublished authors out there writing the kind of thing I want to read, I just wonder if they’ll ever get published if they don’t give in to the “girl kicks some butt then falls for a vampire” plot. Remember when Urban Fantasy meant something besides an excuse for hot vampire sex? I miss those days.

Way back when, the setting wasn’t just a backdrop to a love story; it was a metaphor for living on the edges of things. Magic came to the city and produced an atmosphere of uncertainty. It was a half-way place, neither one thing nor the other. The characters were always people who didn’t fit into mainstream society, neither one thing nor the other themselves; and that atmosphere gave them a place to grow and change. The stories were almost always about exploring individuality and finding a place to fit without sacrificing that individuality.

These novels caught me at a time in my life when I was struggling to do the same, so they really spoke to me. These days, I’ve pretty much got the individuality vs. fitting into society thing down to a sort of wobbly tightrope walk; I hardly ever plunge screaming to the ground anymore. Still, it’s fun to voluntarily muck around down there with my favorite characters every once in a while. When I do, the books below are the ones that take me back:

War for the Oaks by Emma Bull--This is the quintessential, genre defining Urban Fantasy novel. The novel may not have been the first, but it was the first that mattered. Eddi the rock musician gets dragged into a war fought in Minneapolis between the light and dark fairie courts. As she’s drawn deeper into their world, she realizes her creative potential, finds herself, and incidentally finds someone to love. War for the Oaks might seem dated to anyone who wasn’t a teenager in the eighties, but the power of the story transcends the intervening decades. A must read for any UF fan.

Bordertown--If War for the Oaks is the birthplace of Urban Fantasy, Bordertown is the genre’s beloved childhood home. Seriously, B-town rocks like an heirloom cradle covered with purple glitter paint. Terri Windling invented a world where magic and technology meet in the borderlands of Earth and Elfland, then invited all the best voices in SFF to come play there. It spawned quite a few short story collections and a couple of novels. I haven’t read them all, but everything I’ve read has been delightful. “Mockery” by Ellen Kushner and Bellamy Bach is an enduring favorite of mine.

Knights of Ghosts and Shadows by Mercedes Lackey and Ellen Guon--I’m never quite sure how I feel about Mercedes Lackey’s books. I can’t stop reading them, but I’m a little embarrassed to admit they still remain favorites. The things don’t even have a nodding acquaintance with literature. Nevertheless, this book deserves a place on the list, if only because it was the first Urban Fantasy book I ever read. Elves at the renaissance fair…on motorcycles no less! How can you not love this book? (If you want to read a novel by Ellen Guon set in the same universe, try Bedlam Boyz over at Baen Free Library. You can’t go wrong with something free.)

Memory and Dream by Charles DeLint--Charles DeLint always writes interesting Urban Fantasy when he visits Newford, but this particular book is the best of the best. It explores the nature of art, creation, and reality. Over the years, the characters have become like old friends. I’ll never tire of reading about Isabelle’s friendship with Kathy, her love story with a man from one of her paintings, or her love/hate relationship with her mentor. Good times.

Wraeththu by Storm Constantine--There’s never been anything remotely like this book. Ever. That makes it sort of hard to explain. You could describe the magical hermaphrodites in an apocalyptic world, or say that its an urban fantasy with pagan elements; you could rave about the beautiful language, point out the genius of the concept, or even describe how the basic naivety of the world building lends it an innocence that‘s almost heartbreaking. None of that would really do it justice. It’s a cult classic for a reason. Just read it. You’ll see. (And probably become obsessed.)


Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman--When I read American Gods, I knew Neil Gaiman would be important, not just to the urban fantasy genre but to literature as a whole. This was a book that you could call an “instant classic” without having to cross your fingers behind your back. His writing reminded me of Ray Bradbury, an author I absolutely adore. The only problem was that I hated American Gods. Violently. It gave me nightmares. The imagery made me so sick to my stomach, so full of dread, that I barely even took in the story. After that, I shied away from his books. It wasn’t until his publisher offered Neverwhere as a free e-book that I even glanced at any more of his words. I’m so glad I finally did, because Neverwhere is just about perfect. I’d even go so far as to call it the best of the new Urban Fantasy.

And there you have it, my guide to the best in Urban Fantasy. I hope it encourages you to read a whole bunch of good books.