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Unfortunately, I can never pay attention to what characters look like in series (my brain just skips over most of the time). Unless it is said again and again and again, I'm just not noticing it. I literally have to be beat across the head with it to notice it.
I can give you some series I liked that I think there is a low probability of it happening though:
Cainsville by Kelley Armstrong (I know you said you didn't like WotO but the two series feel pretty different imo. This series does have a love triangle, though, but it is the best love triangle I have ever had the pleasure of reading.)
The Others by Anne Bishop, if you somehow haven't read it before.
Realm Walker by Kathleen Collins
Colbana Files by J.C. Daniels, like lupa280 suggested
Skindancer by Anthony Francis
All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness (this probably is focused on a bit, but mostly because love, it doesn't spread to the secondary characters.)
Elemental Mysteries by Elizabeth Hunter (book one is currently FREE on amazon)
don't do Downside Ghosts by Stacia Kane because I doubt we are ever getting an ending to that, despite it being so damn good.
Hunter Kiss by Marjorie M. Liu
October Daye by Seanan McGuire
Jaz Parks by Jennifer Rardin
The Sixth World by Rebecca Roanhorse is only 2 books right now, and it will be a while until the third is added. The Fifth Season by N K Jemisin is a 3 book series. Many people really love it, though it was a bit too fantasy and not enough urban for my taste. And the Aurora Sky series is 6 books, but sold as 2 box sets, so it won't eat up credits.
If waiting for audible credits is why you want short series, look into Overdrive from your local library. It lets you check out audiobooks through your local library, so you can get through books much faster.
If you want to buy audiobooks without giving money to Amazon, and supporting local bookshops, you can use Libro.fm since they give money to a local bookstore of your choice.
This is a good example of co-mingling aliens and other planets/worlds into the usual urban fantasy line up. In my opinion - see edit.
Ive read a few other series that treated one or more of the usual suspect races as aliens. Elves being aliens, refugees from a destroyed planet - etc
So its been done - and its often successfull so long as you can create a justification for their presence in the urban fantasy environment. If your lore is ok, then the story will work.
Edit:
I just noticed the book I linked is labelled under fantasy and sci fi - but so is Kate Daniels... so Im like whatever Amazon. To my mind this is Urban fantasy with a dose of science fiction softcore. If you got a story in you, go for it.
One that I feel is overlooked in general and that I rep in other posts is the Rupert Wong, Cannibal Chef series by Cassandra Khaw. A little bit brutal and gory, but also funny and really original. First book int he series (containing the first two novellas) here.
I was the editor for Welcome to San Cicaro. The premise involved strange occurrences in a fictional Californian city, many of which take a dark twist. You may enjoy that.
I have to say that horror and cities aren't an easy pairing however. Aside from books, the two horror urban fantasy movies I can think of are the original Child's Play and Candyman, and maybe the recent Us.
If you don't mind a little self-promotion, my series, the Demon Squad, is ten books in (not counting novellas or shorts). The first book came out late 2009, just a couple months after Kadrey's Sandman Slim, so not exactly new. It's similar in nature to SS, dark and twisted and over the top. The first book, Armageddon Bound, is free on Amazon and all the rest are in KU.
Most UF seems to avoid romantic resolution so as to get the reader to buy the next book. Series that don't tend to jump to related characters in the same world with each book. A couple favorites of mine in that vein are:
- The Edge by Ilona Andrews
- Women of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong
Both start off semi-dark so as to give the romance tension and the main character girl a chance to grow. However all the books in each series have happy endings and escape the UF cliche of "sassy super-girl who succeeds despite herself"
Edit: I recommended them despite the POV switch because unlike GOT there is no real tension to get back to the old character. In fact the old resolved relationship guy/girl pair usually befriend and help the new pair in the latest adventure (ie old POVs become secondary characters)
MG Gallows writes the Alex Fossor, Necromancer series. He's two books in so far, but it sounds like it would be right up your alley. He's also got a free prequel you can read if you want to sample his work. All three can be found via the link:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B092KPVLT4?ref_=dbs_p_mng_rwt_ser_shvlr&storeType=ebooks
Absolutely do this one. If your books went more casual than dresden, Alex Verus goes the other way, but its an outstanding series.
And as I've mentioned previously the iron druid by Kevin Hearne is a must read series too.
Once you plow through those (massive series) I'll shameless self plug here for my no romance UF Eternal Payment series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CXSF7G7
And the sequel: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KVCBLBX
Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09C2WQRCN
Blurb:
‘Copper’s teenage superheroes, fighting the syndicate in all corners of its corrupt, crime-ridden, catastrophe of a city. The Awesome Three, the answer to our prayers—I hear that pitch spin around me one too many times. Curse my persona, or the label that these fans
think of me. Because to be honest, I’m just Brynn. To everyone else, I’m the silent avenger, that one cool goth chick with the telekinetic powers. Eh, I rather be seen as a freak, because that’s what I end up turning out to be, right after I went pre-grave robbing in my own father’s funeral.
Call it karma, call it fate—I call whatever this is annoying. I wish I could go back that morning and rewrite history, because ever since I stole that necklace off his grimy, greedy corpse,
I’ve been regretting the burning consequences. Now, the mayor gives me an assignment, you know, besides the usual kick-butt, crime-fighting shindig I got going on with my two sisters after the sun falls. To spy on a potential double-mole cop, a guy who happens to be drop-dead
gorgeous. I call him a clean Clark Kent, a real eye-candy.
Oh, did I mention the guy also happens to be my fraternal twin sister’s boy-toy?
Yeah, I’m more than knees-deep with this one, and with this new symbol on my wrist to mark my thievery, things aren’t looking up for me at all. Add that with this foreign drug called
Chemical Z, potentially turning average Joes into sups like me—I don’t think things could get any worse.'
Shotguns and Sorcery is Urban Fantasy that features zombies. The last bastion of civilization is on a dragon's mountain with high walls built around it. If I remember the zombies are mostly setting and not necessarily story until later.
https://www.amazon.com/Shotguns-Sorcery-Omnibus-Matt-Forbeck/dp/1945528699
Here to add a little more info about In Plain Sight by Dan Willis. I liked each book in the series and as an added bonus, the whole series thus far is available through KU ☺ The world building is subtle and it reads more of a gumshoe mystery than hardcore UF.
If you would like to pre-order on Amazon here's the link: https://www.amazon.com/Immortal-Remains-Tim-Reaper-Novel-ebook/dp/B01GSP7JC2/ref=sr_1_5_twi_kin_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466199565&sr=8-5&keywords=sean+cummings
If you would like a free e-arc to do a review, just email me
The first book in my urban fantasy series, Devil's Due, just came out and it's pretty much exactly what you're referring to. It's 99¢ right now on Amazon, so really low barrier for entry.
And so this isn't completely self-promotion, I'll also recommend Demon Moon, the first book in Brad Magnarella's Professor Croft series.
Sacred Cat Island is a novel about an NPC family that moves to an island of retirees for a summer, where the dad takes over a general store from his recently deceased uncle.
The book works on several levels and is my first that is suitable for all ages. By several levels I mean you could read it slowly for the odd, maybe Pixar-esque take on slow progression, or you may pick up on the parts about growing old, or being stuck in a job that seems mindless, or the whimsical nature of youth and how things that shouldn’t be magical often are.
There’s a lot to unpack here, and I suspect that different scenes will affect different readers in profound ways. While it is slice of life, there is progression fantasy here (albeit subtle), island cultivation, LitRPG, the importance of family and community, action and a serious dose of magical realism that can lean dark a la Neil Gaiman, or light like some of the Studio Ghibli stuff.
I don’t want to ruin the surprises but there are some HUGE surprises, so look for those…
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LDSMGMT
​
Thanks for checking it out :-D
I don't want to self promote too much, but I released a comedic urban fantasy in May called Investigation, Mediation, Vindication that might scratch that itch. The MC is male and a bit of an idiot but there are some fun female characters (and a vegetable demigod) who people seem to like.
https://www.amazon.com/Investigation-Mediation-Vindication-Travails-Smith/dp/1733482458
I'll pick up a UF series if something about it piques my interest. For example if it's playing around in an area of mythology I like or it handles magic in some interesting or unique manner, or most especially if it has a well-written protagonist with a defined character. I mostly judge this stuff based on comparisons to other series I've read.
Give The King Henry Tapes by Richard Raley a try. I genuniely believe it bears the weight of comparison to the Dresden Files effortlessly. It's canny, funny, self-aware, heartfelt, convincing, thought-out UF with a cast of rounded, well-executed characters and wonderfully coherent worldbuilding.
I will avoid UF series if they feel low-effort or unironically tropey. Series that are transparently just apeing more successful works (there might as well be a dresden-knockoff subgenre). Also, I don't dislike the paranormal romance thing on the whole (works great for Ilona Andrews, Kim Harisson, and Seanan McGuire's books, for example), but there's a significant number of series I've read where those elements fall flat, or aren't enough to save otherwise weak work, so I'm always a little leery about picking up new ones. I'll drop a series if enough little things about it bother me, too.
Hello!
My Paranormal Academy Urban Fantasy series just dropped book 2 this weekend, and my co-author and I have a sale for ebooks. Both are 0.99 this week for US and UK!
Book 1 will be on sale until the 23rd of December, and book 2 will be on sale until the 31st of December.
Book 1 Blurb:
**What if you discovered magic…
…the night your father murdered your mother?
Would you seek revenge?**
Leah Ackerman had everything a fifteen-year-old could wish for. A home in the suburbs of Chicago with a loving family, friends she partied with, and a bright future ahead of her. But everything changed that gut-wrenching night.
Now, there's only one thing she wants.
The truth.
It lies in her mother’s past. One with mysterious ties to a secret society of demon hunting mystics. Can she trust them to teach her what she needs to know, or will she just become another pawn in their game?
Uncovering this truth leads Leah to the edge of the rabbit hole.
Is she ready to take the leap?
You'll love this gritty tale, because good and evil clash into shades of gray, and survival comes at a cost.
Links: US Series Page UK Series Page
My favorite stories are ones where the magic is shaped by society, or shape society.
Be it the rural warlock who is powering their magics with drugs that don't exist in the olden days, with a familiar who's a feral possum(Bob McGough's fantastic Jubal County Saga), or an off-the-cuff spell animating a crossing guard sign, or using the implicit rules everyone's agreeing to when they're using public transport, or a demon hiding in the explicit boilerplate everyone agrees to with software, my favorite stories are about how modern magic would be different now than it was in Ye Olden Dayes, and how present-day magic would be different than the world is
The Alex Fossor, Necromancer series has a clunky name but it's got a great setting and diverse cast of characters. Lots of good world-building and dark, dry humor.
The author has a free short on Amazon along with the entire series (four books and an anthology of tie-in short stories so far) so there's plenty to dig your teeth into. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B092KPVLT4
Latest one that was Kickstarted is out.
https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Gate-Twenty-Palaces-ebook/dp/B0BGYCYW31/
Second Kickstarter one ("The Flood Circle," I think) should be out soon, I understand he wrote them more or less back to back.
Sufficiently Advanced Magic is great, but does it qualify as urban fantasy? I feel like the setting is more steam-punky. (But still, OP, check out Andrew Rowe. His books are great!)
None of these are vampire-centric, but they are very good nontheless:
Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas series https://www.amazon.com/Odd-Thomas-Novel-ebook/dp/B000T8F50S/ref=sr_1_2?crid=30LY301NCECXP&keywords=odd+thomas&qid=1658162273&sprefix=odd+thomas%2Caps%2C129&sr=8-2
Lincoln Child's Jeremy Logan series (6 books) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081RZNH66?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk
SK Ehra's Call from the Crossroads (the second book in this series is due out in a few days)
Hey all! Super proud to finally get this sucker done and published. This is the start of my new series Extraordinary Events starring Jay Larken. :)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B4GQSP1T
What happens when video footage of Bigfoot is undeniably captured on a home security system?
Jay Larken, professional crime journalist from Seattle, is a gung-ho believer in the paranormal who will risk everything to get the truth.
One quiet morning, Jay is sent pictures of a big hairy creature from his usual mysterious informant. Now armed with clues, he embarks on an adventure into a nearby mountain town, meeting with both skeptics and believers, running into local law enforcement, tracking down his informant and eventually setting off into the wilderness, in order to prove Bigfoot truly exists!
Extraordinary Events is a fast paced book series featuring the adventures of Jay Larken and the world of the paranormal, unexplained, monsters and occult. Jay's mission is to show the world that extraordinary things are out there and real.
The Alex Fossor Series by M.G. Gallows. The MC is a necromancer who hacks up bodies to feed his undead buddies, he gets framed for murder and the Illuminati come looking for him.
I'll rec my own stuff: the Terrestrial Affairs series.
https://www.amazon.com/Terrestrial-Affairs-6-book-series/dp/B098F1XYFP
In a world where the Magical and the Mundane exist side by side, Agent Astrid Stone and Terrestrial Affairs help keep the mundane safe and the magical alive. They're overglorified social workers who network ghosts to ethical exorcists, hook up vampires with the blood bank, and go to schools to combat pro-Fae propaganda like Tinkerbell and the Tooth fairy.
When a Texas senator campaigns on ending the Rights of Magical Persons act, he becomes target number one of every Witch, Faerie, vampire and "Other" on the census...and this makes him Astrid Stone's newest client. She's all that stands between him and a rogue mage of unknown origin. It doesn't hurt that his protection detail includes fairly hot federal agent David Acton. But when the would-be assassin makes their move, Astrid, Acton and their client all become trapped in a ritualistic game to the death...and the consequences of failure may unleash the unthinkable.
There are five books out (plus a couple novellas and a few short stories) and the sixth comes out July 4th. First two books are discounted and the whole series is enrolled in KU.
Hope I am not speaking out of turn here but I'm an author releasing the first book in my urban fantasy series next week. It is about my adventures in the paranormal as a reporter. The first book has to do with a "cryptid" out in the Washington mountains, ahem, Bigfoot. It's fun, quick and I'm super proud to finally share it. Thanks!
My recluse lifestyle hadn’t prepared me for my first day of college. I understood I was an outcast, an introverted gamer nerd with a system of avoiding anything that breathed. But that was because I had a pretty horrid past, one involving wolves ripping through my parents at the dinner table when I was four.
Much like what was happening right now…
Like I said, minimal experience socializing with people. But when a bunch of guys from school randomly decided to chase me down park lines and turned into a pack of wolves, I started to think that my anti-social skills weren’t the problem.
The last time I managed to escape by the skin of my teeth—this time, not so much. And when the blood moon suddenly answered to my death with a full-blown wolf awakening, I felt like there was more to me than my orphaned life led on. I was saved and told that I was destined for the alpha throne of a fallen pack.
And to resurrect the Sire Wolves, I needed to breed, grow, and protect.
TAGS: tsundere, yandere, alpha, beta, omega, wolf pack, monster girl, werewolves, turf wars
Sure
One more I can think of, it's Axes + Swords Urban fantasy though
Swords of Haven, and Guards of Haven
>They're the battle-scarred crimebusters of a never-ending urban war. Hawk rules the streets by battle-axe. Fisher cracks down on outlaws with sword and dagger.
>Their merciless beat is the sinister city misnamed Haven: a dark and violent town overrun with spell casters, demons, and thieves--a place where money will buy anything...except justice.
You probably have a pretty big list by now!
If you're ok with self-recommendations, my book "Merchant Magician" (https://www.amazon.com/Merchant-Magician-John-Champaign-ebook/dp/B08VHL5YH5 you can read for free with Kindle Unlimited) has leprechauns, mermaids, demons, angels, vampire hunters, elementals, dwarves, Lovecraftian gods, nymphs, and a minotaur. It takes place in rural Illinois (Lincoln), San Francisco, Iceland, and Taipei (Taiwan).
Readers have told me they laughed out loud at parts of it (the humor was intentional ;-P).
My series, The Many Travails of John Smith, might fit the bill.
The first book, Investigation, Mediation, Vindication is primarily vampire-focused (with two demigods), but subsequent books include merpeople (by reference only), goblins, demons, devils, witches, werewolves, wereboars, zombies, roach mercenaries, and more.
Also contains a slow-burn romance, a well-meaning but often ridiculous main character, possibly too many jokes (many at the MC's expense), and an ambulatory, seven-foot-tall asparagus. Because why not?
All four currently released books are on Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0874QPCSR
Here's the first blurb for book 1:
The stakes are real. The mediator isn't.
"Investigation, Mediation, Vindication." That's how the Yellow Pages ad starts, and if it sounds like the sort of thing a drunk teenager might come up with... well, you'd only be wrong about the teenager part. John Smith owns San Diego's smallest private investigation firm, but he doesn't know the first thing about mediation. Or vindication.
On the other side of town, vampire Lucia Borghesi is having a terrible century. Stripped of her throne and banished from Italy, she's now somehow found herself in a dispute with the local demigod of nightmares and terror. And to top it all off, the long-time city mediator has been assassinated and her second-in-command just hired a human to fill that role.
If he wants to survive, John will need to prove his value to Lucia and her people while keeping that demigod from sucking San Diego into an unnamed hell dimension. And he'll have to work fast, because his beloved Corolla is parked curbside in Logan Heights, like an open invitation to the neighborhood's graffiti enthusiasts.
Come take a walk on the weird side of urban fantasy, in what Kirkus Reviews described as an "entertaining tale that’s sure to leave readers anticipating the protagonist’s next misadventure."
The Wizard of Mysteries Series is family focused urban fantasy from independent author Trevor Cooley. Two books out, a third on the way.
The Eleanor Morgan novels by Amy Cissell might work for you. A bit more spice than Briggs, but not drastically so. Romance subplot, but firmly not the main plot or even the series B plot. It's a complete series at 7 books. First in series is free pretty much every where. It starts as a road trip story as Eleanor and her band of paranormal misfits have to open the portals separating the human world from the fae world. Fae, dragon shifters, werewolves, vampires, witches. It's got a good sense of humor.
Another recommendation I should mention is the Peter Grant series, by Ben Aaronovitch. It is my favorite series, and is a police procedure with magic, style books. The audiobook is expertly narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, and highly recommendable.
Dead Drops and Dragons is a new novel coming to Kindle on February 25th. It is the first in a planned eight-book series called The Pact.
Description:
Terry Graham is a loser. But that changes when he and his buddies find a trash bag full of cash stuffed beneath a dumpster. Now they're rich, and everything they ever wanted is within their grasps. But before they can enjoy more than a taste of that high life, the money's original owners track them down-- and they're mad. Terry and his buddies will need to pay back what they stole, but they might not survive the experience. After all, now they know things that they were never meant to...
The world is full of secrets, and secrets have keepers. The mysterious Paktritter now have Terry in their sights, and they won't rest until they have him in their hands. At every turn, he is hunted; by a man with too many teeth, by a billionaire who saw the fall of Rome, by a woman who can turn into a wolf. He'll have to fight tooth and nail to survive in a world that's nothing like he thought it was.
His life will never be the same.
I can rec my own series. First book is called Stone's Throw The shifter aspect really kicks in book two. It involves large sea monsters. Lots of faeries and werewolves and vampires and other things too. The basic premise is everybody knows magic exists and the Civil Rights Era brought some protections for Magical Persons too, and the main characters are sort of glorified social workers for the Terrestrial Affairs agency.
I also have a little werewolf book. and eventually the girls are going to get a whole lot more love.
If you like Butcher check out Shayne Silvers. The Nate Temple Series shares a ton of fans with Dresden. Nate is an anti-hero wizard. Check it out!
https://www.amazon.com/Obsidian-Son-Supernatural-Thriller-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B009NNHPIA
MG Gallows just put out his third book, and it's very Dresden-like. He's got a freebie on Amazon if you wanna take a peek, too.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B092KPVLT4?ref_=dbs_p_mng_rwt_ser_shvlr&storeType=ebooks
This one just dropped recently, it was a fun read. Definitely YA urban fantasy, bit of a light-hearted, quirky feel to it. Sadly, no audio book (nor do I have any idea if one's planned). I really enjoyed it though. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09L6V9RWM/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_navT_g_TEBZQSSAPXMCMESKBFY8
You might take a gamble on my series. The MC is a drug addict who's addiction has ruined his life. The series marks his long, slow climb up from the bottom. It's been compared to Sandman Slim series which other folks are recommending. Too be fair though it does have a good bit of humor to it.
I recommend this: https://www.amazon.com/Fantasy-Fiction-Formula-Deborah-Chester-dp-0719097061/dp/0719097061/ref=mt_other?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=
There are no hard rules, but this will help you to know what works and why, so that you can make informed decisions about when to break with convention.
This pic isn't the cover, but if you want the details on the book they're right here. Kickstarter currently running:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/803135611/shallow-veins-the-oscured-book-one
Sandman Slim has been recommended a lot here. My books have been compared to his. My MC is a drug addict, redneck wizard in the deep south. Not super violent, but there are a lot of shenanigans. And if you have KU, they are on there.
Jaq understands running.
At sixteen, she escaped the mystic cult that raised her, stealing a million dollars on her way out. She's been on the move ever since.
Jaq understands hiding.
Staying quiet is the only strategy that works against monks who enslave dead gods to keep a lid on the supernatural world.
Until the monks find her, a mass murderer begins stalking her, and she's forced to stand in the path of a Divine Force of Destruction.
All within the course of a week.
...might be time for a new strategy.
Yeah. One comes out every year. 9 so far, with the 10th due in July. There will be at least 12, maybe 13-14.
Here's the goodreads link if that helps: https://www.goodreads.com/series/40454-chronicles-of-elantra
Looking up noir, some definitions specifically mention crime films, others don't https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/noir - this is one of the doesn'ts. By rural urban fantasy, I meant something with the plot feel of urban fantasy, but set in the countryside, or a rural town. You could say some of Ben Aaronvitches are like that - as in Foxglove Summer - cos that takes the urban fantasy wizard cop character and puts him out in the sticks. (Where at times he tends to bitch about the countryside - or at least comment on it being alien to him.) I thought cyber punk was purely sf - and very noir :D. But to get a bit twisty here (or do I mean tangled) I've seen discussions of science fantasy and some folks put Dune and Star Wars in that category. So depending on how fantasy-istic the tech is, maybe you could make an argument for urban science fantasy :)
Available for Pre-Order: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09J924HMC
The Apocalypse approaches…
No big deal. Right? It’s the end of the world every other day in Hope City. Monsters, magical catastrophes and gridlock traffic are a daily occurrence in this city at the edge of the world.
But, this time, it may be different.
The most dangerous man in the world is coming. The man who killed my parents and made me into a killer.The real war is about to begin. And it will take every skill, every ally, and every stitch of the power I have worked so hard to build, to survive it.
My name is Kat Drummond. I’m the Last Light of Hope City, and I will save my home.
The Last Light is the 14th book in the action-packed urban fantasy Kat Drummond Series. This episode cannot be missed, as Kat faces her ultimate foe in a conflict of apocalyptic proportions.
Also contains Demonic Departure, a short story starring the famous and fiery Hammond York and how he saves his cat from his demonic ex-wife.
If you want to try something new and undiscovered, take a look at my book: Young & Wild & Free: the Werewolves of Southern California. My werewolves have the choice to sleep thru the full moon instead of wolfing out, so it's a little different from other books. The ebook will be free this Saturday and Sunday so wait until then.
The Kat Drummond Series was made for you! Set on Earth after rifts to mythological realms and other worlds brought in magic and monsters onto our world. It's not just hidden world stuff. Pure magical Earth and all that involves.
Kat is a determined badass who doesn't care about romance except as a distant after thought after the hunt.
And you're in luck, as the first four books are on sale for only 99c for the box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08955SV7Y
Yeah I was gonna suggest my book
Where the love triangle isn't about how hot the guy is... because the guy is a geeky nerd, and the third person is a second girl. My protagonist is a bi teenage vampire.
But magic isn't exactly out. In fact magic doesn't exist in my world, it used to until it was wiped from the planet in the ancient past. Now only magical creatures and artifacts exist.
The Hunter Overture (The Hunter Symphony Book 1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B162JQC
There's a bit of romance, but it's more action adventure. Magic is known in the world, though the main character isn't a wizard. She is magically and technologically enhanced. You might enjoy it.
I can rec my own series, Terrestrial Affairs. Lots of action, very slow burn romance (little bit of a love triangle but there are Plot Reasons) with an emphasis on healthy relationships and exclusive storytelling. TL:DR magical social workers have to save the world amid massive amounts of paperwork.
My paperbacks are my babies. I shill the ebooks because they're a nice, affordable intro, but I put so much work into those books and I think they're pretty.
You're talking about Paul Sating's Zodiac series, right?
​
this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0883BKJT6 ?
​
Yeah, I do dig it. The author runs a pretty cool facebook group too. Lots of fun.
I’m probably the obscurist of obscure authors so I’d shed inky tears of joy if you checked out my super strange book Fable Unbound.
https://www.amazon.com/FABLE-UNBOUND-Anthony-Kocur/dp/0578541386
I'll throw my hat in the ring as an unknown author. The first book in my urban fantasy meets the deep south series just came out, and is actually free for the next few days. Redneck wizard in Alabama, solving small town mysteries. No romance, very adult.
If I might make a plea as an obscure author for my own work. 2 series, each connected to the other. Mind Over Magic and The Hunter Symphony. I'll add links to each first book. Some horror and plenty of violence. I'm not big on romance so it is absent from Mind and minimal in Hunter. There are a lot of books out and more coming rapidly. There will also be more series in other genres connected as time goes.
I'm open to questions as well.
Poison Magic https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078VV9ZW7
The Hunter Overture https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B162JQC
I want to thank the community here for the advice you gave me, when I asked if a 'rural' setting would actually work some time back. That, and a few other things, helped give me the confidence to pursue this project. So thank you!
Here is the link to pre-order it.
Since you asked for suggestions, might I recommend my indie novel, Involuntary Admissions, a gripping medical-psychological thriller available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions. Happy reading to you. 😀📚 USA Paperback version Https://www.amazon.com/Involuntary-Admissions-D-R-Markham/dp/1794375791
Aztec shapeshifters, mercenary main character, search for el Dorado, power couple.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08ZQW6MWC
So the link is more visible!! If you love urban fantasy and vampire hunting then you need to read this book! It’s a side story from the Kat Drummond universe but is a great stand alone as well!
This series of books has that family hunting feel Cal Leandros series
Also the Hellboy graphic novel series might be something to explore.
First things first. Thanks to all of you who were early readers of Astral Cuts!
Second, for all of you who'd still like to read, it is officially available on Amazon in paperback, ebook, and Kindle Unlimited.
The story is a twisting contemporary fantasy about a son’s revenge, an imaginary friend with a magical dagger, and a journey between the planes of existence in search of one sinister cowboy.
Listen, it's a weird one, as you may be able to tell from the pitch above. However, if you're into things like metaphysical pseudoscience, pondering on the nature of consciousness, out of body experiences, thought manifestations, ghostly-bois, AND Fantasy like I am, you'll probably get a kick out of it.
Here's the link to the amazon page
Content Warning: Suicide, Substance Abuse
You could try Misfit Mage by Michael Taggart. It has a unique spin where the main character has magical powers, but he uses them in a fun way. He creates magical cartoon like constructs that might look cute and fun, but can have a heck of a "punch".
You could try Misfit Mage by Michael Taggart. It's centered around a man who learns he has magical powers and that underneath the "normal" world, a world of magic and the supernatural really exists. The main character learns how to use his powers as well as fight off numerous magical enemies who want his powers and to destroy the new friends he has made. I love this story because Taggart puts his own unique spin on this magical world where the main character creates cartoon like magical constructions that are fun and dangerous all at the same time.
I wrote an Urban Fantasy heist series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HL4LXRP
The MC tries to have a relationship/romance, but he fails at it pretty hard both times.
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And 0 investigation.
This is actually rather hard. Most of the books I've heard others suggest don't quite qualify.
The Black Wolves of Boston by Wen Spencer is great. It has four viewpoint characters (switching viewpoints is handled rather well), and one is involved in a low-drama hookup. Kind of a lot of investing, though.
The Corpse Eater Saga by Leod Fitz is mostly action. Half the books in the series involve mysteries...the others don't. (The first does.) There is a kind of dark comedic supernatural romance parody in some of the books.
Ghost Electricity (Hawthorn House Book 1) has mystery elements but isn't remotely a romance.
A quick thank you to those who reached out and read/reviewed the book. A few days after launch I now have 9 positive reviews on Amazon, so aside from the fact that you've helped make the book visible, it appears you also enjoyed it.
Anyone who wants to have a look now can find the book here:
https://www.amazon.com/Emily-Voss-Box-Set-Episodes-ebook/dp/B08Q4JLVG5
Thank you!
You can find my new book available from Amazon and all good bookshops here in the UK
I have the perfect series for you.
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There is almost no romance in the sense that its nothing like the last 20 yrs of YA vampire stories, and I cant actually remember if there is sex, if there is, its very minor and maybe off the page.
The romance sort of drives the protagonist but is not actually the main ingredient in the storytelling. I can see now from the blurb that its being upplayed a bit, but I got these books in hardcopy back in the 90s and it certainly wasnt back then. It was more of a story of an ancient immortal, and the existential stuff that haunts her.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007MAXH1A/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0
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I highly recommend it.
If you want to see the more tender side of UF, you can try 'The Seelie Recipe'. It's an orphan, good reviews, lackluster sales. But it was a lot of fun. :)
My brother wrote a book recently and I liked it -- super hero kind of thing but pretty introspective. Very urban and faced paced but he creates a pretty cool world. (Guardians of Democracy was my idea ;)
https://www.amazon.com/Super-Violette-Sometimes-Hero-Uncertainty-ebook/dp/B08FW43C6M/
edit: this cracks me up
>I would like to believe that is all the fault of the protagonist of the book, who is writing this all down like a diary... so the typos are a mark authenticity! That is my story, and I am sticking to it.
How about Boris Chronicles series by Paul C Middleton (book 1 Evacuation set in the Michael Anderle Kurtherian universe? it might drift a little closer to sci fi at times but ive found if i want more action less kissy face that is the direction the stories lean that i end up finding. That whole universe has a different take on were's in general than most fantasy ive read. These stories tend to lean more toward military opera (and eventually military space opera) than fantasy but ive never been picky if the story is good and the Boris (and the Bad Company ones) books are definitely worth it. The TH Walton books are great too if you like post-apoc wild west meets lord of the flies flavoring with a dash of x-men for good measure.
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Illona andrews has a differetn take on werewolfes in the Innkeeper books but theres only a few characters and they are supporting actors mostly at best....and of course romance because illona andrews.
I am writing a lighthearted urban fantasy series that might be your cup of tea. Low on romance (there is one in later books but it's a very, very, very slow burn), high on silliness and humor. The MC is male but one of the standout characters is a female punk-loving vampire (the other is a vegetable demigod). People seem to be enjoying it.
Book 1 came out in late May: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0874QPCSR
Book 2 is coming next spring.
This isn’t vampires but The Case Files by Honor Raconteur Magic and the Shinigami Detective (The Case Files of Henri Davenforth Book 1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CH8KVSZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_1dtqFbYFRNV9M Is really good. It’s about an FBI agent who is kidnapped by magic to another world. Then she becomes a detective there. There is a tiny bit of relationship building between another character but it’s really slow. Her books are really refreshing and interesting because they are really different but still happy.
I really enjoyed the two that I read, don't remember how many there are. It's very brutal and gritty, so if you enjoy that, I would totally recommend it. Another rec is the Rupert Wong, Cannibal Chef series (first book here) by Cassandra Khaw. The magic is way more asian oriented than the usual, and the world building is really good too, so it feels extra fresh, while still being really brutal and interesting
Okay I initially removed this because it looks like spam, but I actually clicked the link and it does appear to have a link to what appears to maybe be an urban fantasy book.
Without A Heartbeat: (A HASEA CHRONICLES PREQUEL NOVEL) by Stuart Meczes
>Now Comes the End of Everything. The Convergence – Coming September 21st 2020
>Not much is known about the mysterious Vampire, Scarlett. Until now. The year is 1872. A darker, more unforgiving Alliance is working in the shadows, struggling to keep order on the streets of London. Meanwhile in Ireland, a young girl is about to take up a position as scullery maid in the sinister Oakley Manor. It is a decision that will alter her life forever and send her on a path of destruction and death.
>A path that leads right to the Alliance.
>DILECTI SURGEMUS - SOCII POLLEMUS (Chosen we rise - Allied we prevail)
I'll keep it approved for now, but next time please post something other than a meme.
Ah then. Maybe I can assist you. Here's the Amazon link. And thanks much for the list. It's given me books to hunt for. In a different time I would have LOVED to own a bookstore. 2 books in series aimed for ages 12-18. The series is called: The End (Stages of Earth Book 1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082VXPZ6M
If you don't mind a heaping helping of erotica, my novel features a lesbian, mtf main character who becomes a succubus and is thrust into a mystery. I'm currently writing the sequel. You can check it out on Amazon here.
They are both available on Kindle you can find the first novel - HellCorp - here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/HellCorp-Jonathan-Whitelaw/dp/1911583727
Of course - you can find the books here on Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Man-Dark-Jonathan-Whitelaw/dp/1912666464/ref=pd_sbs_14_1/261-5110982-3570009?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1912666464&pd_rd_r=79771b63-5ab0-4125-8d15-950e986d1dbe&pd_rd_w=kHBfM&pd_rd_wg=41piT&pf_rd_p=2b420a2f-6593-478e-8b5f-cb43865ff16f&pf_rd_r=8NMWR3H9KENKC716Q2FR&psc=1&refRID=8NMWR3H9KENKC716Q2FR
You might enjoy the Hunter Symphony series. It's unrealistic with magic and power, but the main character has issues which haven't been worked out as of book 3. She is learning and growing as it goes. Book 1 is The Hunter Overture. She is played as a badass, but she isn't perfect. I may be wrong about your tastes, but you might enjoy it. A link is below.
Check out the Mind Over Magic series by Josh D Sanders. It has a Dresden feel with some different aspects. The main character, Trevor Harrison, is a psychic instead of a wizard. It's pretty fun. Book one is Poison Magic.
The Demon Within https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T69ZCRC/
It's by a new author. It's quite good. The reviews range from "he is the Dan Brown of urban fantasy" to "it's like an episode of Supernatural only better"
My second novel - HellCorp- was released in July and it's been described as "philosophical" and "thought-provoking" by readers and critics.
It's a urban fantasy/crime thriller that sees The Devil long to go on vacation. But he's first tempted by God to solve the murder of a man who took 40 years to die. Stripped of his powers and put on earth, it's not long before Old Nick is up to his pitchfork in trouble.
A darkly comic crime novel that is ideal for fans of Christopher Fowler and Ben Aaranovitch.
Would love to know what you think.
My house DOESN'T have stairs - although you need to get up some stairs to get to it. Does that count?
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And that's very kind of you for the promo. Details below with cover and author pic on Amazon page if needed:
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HellCorp: Even The Devil deserves a vacation
Life is hard for The Devil and he desperately wants to take a holiday. Growing weary from playing the cosmic bad guy, he resolves to set up a company that will do his job for him so the sins of the world will tick over while he takes a vacation. God tells him he can have his vacation just as soon as he solves an ancient crime.
But nothing is ever easy and before long he is up to his pitchfork in solving murders, desperate to crack the case so he can finally take the holiday he so badly needs...
This is a perfectly-pitched darkly comic crime novel that is ideal for fans of Christopher Fowler and Ben Aaranovitch.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/HellCorp-Jonathan-Whitelaw/dp/1911583727
My UF novel, Stage Fright, is free on Amazon until August 13.
Twenty-three-year-old Cassandra Jaber worries that her acting career has ended before it even got started. Instead of making curtain calls, she’s filling coffee cups at her uncle’s restaurant. Then she meets the influential playwright Victor Stuyvesant. Cruel, bloodthirsty Victor is willing to make Cassie his leading lady. But only if she agrees to pay his terrible price.
But before Cassie can make her decision, she meets Isaiah Griffin, a broken man with a mysterious past who knows more about Victor than he’s willing to admit. As Cassie pursues him hoping to find the truth, she wonders if Isaiah holds the key to her salvation. And her heart.
I thought this one was pretty good... Can't remember if there were multiple races in the book though.
Didn't find this post until today!
I'm the author of Talon's Grasp (book 2 due out in a few months) and a writer on the horror podcast The Blood Crow Stories
All girls are tested at birth, Those with the power are taken away and locked up in Laboratory Prisons
No capital on the word "Those" and "Laboratory Prisons"
Chris, 17 survives a magical explosion in the tower block where he lives, now he's a wanted terrorist.
Bad comma after Chris, you want parathentical comma "Chris,17,"
Meanwhile, an ancient, darker force is at play, carefully using humans and magicians to move humanity to a point of abject fear and servitude.
Whoa thats a weird parathentical comma. "Meanwhile, an ancient,darker force". So is chris a dark force and this new thing a daker force? What is this threat darker than?
I don't know why the age's matter in your little selling line. Also you should link to the book:
https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Rough-Guide-Nathan-McGrath/dp/152066785X
Ohh the tidbit on amazon is nice.
My Luther Cross series has very little romance and features a male protagonist. The first book, Devil's Due, is out now and the second book will be coming soon.
Out This Week:
- Enigma by Tonya Kuper (Shrodinger's Consortium #2) [07/03/17]
- Heroine Worship by Sarah Kuhn (Heroine Complex #2) [07/04/17]
- Waking for Winter by Katherine McIntyre (Philadelphia Coven Chronicles #4) [07/04/11]
- Grave Ransom by Kalayna Price (Alex Craft #5) [07/4/17] (I'm not certain I trust this date based off past author habits, but everything is preceding like it should for a real release.)
Out This Month:
- Besieged by Kevin Hearne (Iron Druid Chronicles Short Story Collection) [07/11/17]
- Loved by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast (House of Night Other World #1) [07/11/17]
- A Kiss Before Doomsday by Laurence MacNaughton (Dru Jasper #2) [07/11/17]
- Fury of a Phoenix by Shannon Mayer (Nix #1) [07/11/17]
- Dark Exodus by Thomas E. Sniegoski (The Demonists #2) [07/11/17]
- The Delirium Brief by Charles Stross (Laundry Files #8) [07/11/17]
- The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell [07/18/17]
- Accidental Sire by Molly Harper (Half-Moon Hollow #6) [07/24/17]
- Wildfire by Ilona Andrews (Hidden Legacy #3) [07/25/17]
- The Brightest Embers by Jeaniene Frost (Broken Destiny #3) [07/25/17]
- Dark Rites by Heather Graham (Krewe of Hunters #22) [07/25/17]
- Blood Gamble by Melissa F. Olson (Disrupted Magic #2) [07/25/17]
- Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw (Dr. Greta Helsing #1) [07/25/17]
- Talon of God by Wesley Snipes and Ray Norman [07/25/17] (Yes, that Wesley Snipes)
- A Dragon of a Different Color by Rachel Aaron (Heartstrikers #4) [07/28/17]
Giveaway
Loved by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast Ends July 11th.
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Out This Week:
- The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell [07/18/17]
Out This Month:
- Enigma by Tonya Kuper (Shrodinger's Consortium #2) [07/03/17]
- Heroine Worship by Sarah Kuhn (Heroine Complex #2) [07/04/17]
- Waking for Winter by Katherine McIntyre (Philadelphia Coven Chronicles #4) [07/04/11]
- Grave Ransom by Kalayna Price (Alex Craft #5) [07/4/17] (I'm not certain I trust this date based off past author habits, but everything is preceding like it should for a real release.)
- Besieged by Kevin Hearne (Iron Druid Chronicles Short Story Collection) [07/11/17]
- Loved by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast (House of Night Other World #1) [07/11/17]
- A Kiss Before Doomsday by Laurence MacNaughton (Dru Jasper #2) [07/11/17]
- Fury of a Phoenix by Shannon Mayer (Nix #1) [07/11/17]
- Dark Exodus by Thomas E. Sniegoski (The Demonists #2) [07/11/17]
- The Delirium Brief by Charles Stross (Laundry Files #8) [07/11/17]
- Accidental Sire by Molly Harper (Half-Moon Hollow #6) [07/24/17]
- Wildfire by Ilona Andrews (Hidden Legacy #3) [07/25/17]
- The Brightest Embers by Jeaniene Frost (Broken Destiny #3) [07/25/17]
- Dark Rites by Heather Graham (Krewe of Hunters #22) [07/25/17]
- Blood Gamble by Melissa F. Olson (Disrupted Magic #2) [07/25/17]
- Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw (Dr. Greta Helsing #1) [07/25/17]
- Talon of God by Wesley Snipes and Ray Norman [07/25/17] (Yes, that Wesley Snipes)
- A Dragon of a Different Color by Rachel Aaron (Heartstrikers #4) [07/28/17]
Out This Week:
- Besieged by Kevin Hearne (Iron Druid Chronicles Short Story Collection) [07/11/17]
- Loved by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast (House of Night Other World #1) [07/11/17]
- A Kiss Before Doomsday by Laurence MacNaughton (Dru Jasper #2) [07/11/17]
- Fury of a Phoenix by Shannon Mayer (Nix #1) [07/11/17]
- Dark Exodus by Thomas E. Sniegoski (The Demonists #2) [07/11/17]
- The Delirium Brief by Charles Stross (Laundry Files #8) [07/11/17]
Out This Month:
- Enigma by Tonya Kuper (Shrodinger's Consortium #2) [07/03/17]
- Heroine Worship by Sarah Kuhn (Heroine Complex #2) [07/04/17]
- Waking for Winter by Katherine McIntyre (Philadelphia Coven Chronicles #4) [07/04/11]
- Grave Ransom by Kalayna Price (Alex Craft #5) [07/4/17] (I'm not certain I trust this date based off past author habits, but everything is preceding like it should for a real release.)
- The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell [07/18/17]
- Accidental Sire by Molly Harper (Half-Moon Hollow #6) [07/24/17]
- Wildfire by Ilona Andrews (Hidden Legacy #3) [07/25/17]
- The Brightest Embers by Jeaniene Frost (Broken Destiny #3) [07/25/17]
- Dark Rites by Heather Graham (Krewe of Hunters #22) [07/25/17]
- Blood Gamble by Melissa F. Olson (Disrupted Magic #2) [07/25/17]
- Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw (Dr. Greta Helsing #1) [07/25/17]
- Talon of God by Wesley Snipes and Ray Norman [07/25/17] (Yes, that Wesley Snipes)
- A Dragon of a Different Color by Rachel Aaron (Heartstrikers #4) [07/28/17]
Giveaway
Loved by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast Ends July 11th.
Out This Week:
- The Spawn of Lilith by Dana Fredsti [06/27/17]
- The Sweetest Burn by Jeaniene Frost (Broken Destiny #2) [06/27/17]
- Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory [06/27/17]
- Colt Harper: Esteemed Vampire Cat by Tyrolin Puxty [06/27/17] (Bwahahaha I have to read this!)
- Double or Nothing by Craig Schaefer (Daniel Faust #7) [06/27/17]
Out This Month:
- Moonbreaker by Simon R. Green (Secret Histories #11) [06/06/17]
- The Kill Society by Richard Kadrey (Sandman Slim #9) [06/06/17]
- All Good Things by Emma Newman (The Split Worlds #5) [06/06/17]
- Evil's Unlikely Assassin by Jenn Windrow (Alexis Black #1) [06/06/17]
- Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire (Wayward Children #2) [06/13/17]
- Strange Magic by Syd Moore (Essex Witch Museum Mystery #1) [06/13/17]
- Silver Silence by Nalini Singh (Psy/Changeling Trinity #1) [06/13/17]
- Dog Men Issue #1(of 6) by Jim Butcher (Dresden Files #??)[06/14/17)
- Scorpion Trap by Pippa DaCosta (The Soul Eater #4) [06/19/17]
- Spanky by Christopher Fowler [06/20/17]
- Dragon Bites by Allyson James (Stormwalker #6) [06/20/17]
Any release dates or news you want to update us on? Just want to discuss the news? Post it here in this comment! Keep off topic comments to this comment thread, please.
Also: Have any thread ideas? Post them here.
I'm probably a touch biased because I wrote the books, but I've been hearing some great things about the Ghosted series! https://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Hell-Uncanny-Kingdom-Fantasy-ebook/dp/B06X3RKL7J/
Out This Week:
- Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire (Wayward Children #2) [06/13/17]
- Strange Magic by Syd Moore (Essex Witch Museum Mystery #1) [06/13/17]
- Silver Silence by Nalini Singh (Psy/Changeling Trinity #1) [06/13/17]
- Dog Men Issue #1(of 6) by Jim Butcher (Dresden Files #??)[06/14/17)
Out This Month:
- Moonbreaker by Simon R. Green (Secret Histories #11) [06/06/17]
- The Kill Society by Richard Kadrey (Sandman Slim #9) [06/06/17]
- All Good Things by Emma Newman (The Split Worlds #5) [06/06/17]
- Evil's Unlikely Assassin by Jenn Windrow (Alexis Black #1) [06/06/17]
- Scorpion Trap by Pippa DaCosta (The Soul Eater #4) [06/19/17]
- Spanky by Christopher Fowler [06/20/17]
- Dragon Bites by Allyson James (Stormwalker #6) [06/20/17]
- The Spawn of Lilith by Dana Fredsti [06/27/17]
- The Sweetest Burn by Jeaniene Frost (Broken Destiny #2) [06/27/17]
- Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory [06/27/17]
- Colt Harper: Esteemed Vampire Cat by Tyrolin Puxty [06/27/17] (Bwahahaha I have to read this!)
Any release dates or news you want to update us on? Just want to discuss the news? Post it here in this comment! Keep off topic comments to this comment thread, please.
Also: Have any thread ideas? Post them here.