Another Books Thread (Urban Fantasy.. Now with Steampunk!)

InkSplat

So, I'm having a hell of a time finding some good dark urban fantasy or fantasy noir.

Most of the books in the genre seem to have female protagonist's who are basically there to have sex.
And the others feel like they're headed by Gary Stus (the Nightside series is a big one here).

Basically, I'm looking for something in the genre that amounts of something more than published fanfic.

Peen

What kind of things have you already read and liked?

Sir Carcass

A Song of Ice and Fire

InkSplat

Honestly, I haven't found much to read in the genre.

I read "Something from the Nightside" the other day and more or less liked it except for the ridiculous Gary Stu-ness of the protagonist.

Artereis

Try the Dresden Files.

Peen

Artereis wrote: »

Try the Dresden Files.

I'd also say the first three or four Anita Blake books by Laurell K. Hamilton hold up pretty well, just whatever you do don't keep reading them.

TychoCelchuuu

Neil Gaiman. Especially Neverwhere.

InkSplat

Oh! Neverwhere. I've read that an loved it.

My hesitation with Dresden Files is that he loved the Nightside books (his blurbs are all over them) and I decidedly didn't.

Adda

Have you tried checking out any of China Mieville's work?

TychoCelchuuu

I've heard 2 good things and many bad things about the Dresden Files stuff. I can tell you that Neil Gaiman wrote a whole lot more than Neverwhere, though. American Gods and Anansi Boys are both awesome.

JHunz

Try the Mercedes Thompson books by Patricia Briggs. Female protagonist, yes, but the books aren't littered with lurid sex scenes and the writing is pretty good.

The Dresden Files have already been mentioned, and they're pretty awesome. I third the recommendation. They're not too much like the first Nightside book. The main character is more fallible, and the world actually has some rules in place.

I feel your pain, though, there's a lot of awful stuff in the genre.

Tomanta

culdrasbit*h wrote: »

Artereis wrote: »

Try the Dresden Files.

I'd also say the first three or four Anita Blake books by Laurell K. Hamilton hold up pretty well, just whatever you do don't keep reading them.

Dresden Files are my definitive urban fantasy books.

Anita Blake starts out ok. I'd say you could possibly read as far as book 10 (Obsidian Butterfly). But for the love of God, don't read any further than that unless you like reading stuff that Penthouse would refuse to publish.

Gaiman is a good recommendation, too. Basically I have nothing to say that hasn't already been said...

noir_blood

To be honest, I haven't really found much in the terms of Urban Fantasy that don't adhere somewhat to your description OP. Dresden files is good, and less stu-like than Nightside(which I personally enjoyed)

you might want to try Kim Harrison's Dead Witch Walking series. It's (like so many of the other books) very similar to Anita Blake, except better written and less sex.

Also, I can't recommend Charlie Huston's Joe Pitt books enough. It's more Urban than fantasy, but it mixes vampire and noir very well.

JdNoa

Sunshine by Robin McKinley. I generally avoid urban fantasy (same reasons the OP gave) but really enjoyed this one - McKinley's a good writer. Don't think she's done any other urban fantasy though.

Teriferin

Neil Gaiman's American Gods, Neverwhere and Anansi Boys are all pretty fantastic Urban Fantasy.

Good Omens by Pratchett and Gaiman is pretty hilarious and feels a bit like Urban Fantasy.

As others have mentioned, you might want to give The Dresden Files a try. It took me awhile to bring myself to give it a try last summer, and is now some of my favourite brain candy.

badpoet

As others said, Dresden Files. The first two books aren't indicative of the later quality (they're fine, the rest of the series so far are fantastic). I don't think they fall into the gritty category, but they are great.

Mark Del Franco's Connor Grey books are good, but again not really gritty.

You could try Nightlife by Rob Thurman. It's a decent read. There are books after that one you can check out if you like that one, it's grittier than Dresden.

InkSplat

Hm.. well since there's only a handful of options, maybe I'll throw out a different request:

Steampunk Adventure. So.. not like techno-babbly Steampunk, but like actual adventure-y Steampunk with zepplins and goggles and guns and adventure!

TychoCelchuuu

You didn't answer the China Mieville question.

virgilsamms

Wind Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami comes to mind, as does quite a bit of Ray Bradbury's stuff, The Illustrated Man for example - not so much urban as spooky small town stuff.

Edit: my ideas for dark urban fantasy, not steampunk.

InkSplat

TychoCelchuuu wrote: »

You didn't answer the China Mieville question.

Sorry! I had looked at some of his stuff previously but not read any. The City & the City sounded interesting, as does The Kraken.

Can you recommend any of them in particular?

TychoCelchuuu

InkSplat wrote: »

TychoCelchuuu wrote: »

You didn't answer the China Mieville question.

Sorry! I had looked at some of his stuff previously but not read any. The City & the City sounded interesting, as does The Kraken.

Can you recommend any of them in particular?

No, because I haven't gotten around to him yet, but I believe Perdido Street Station is the classic one people always recommend.

Peeps Chicken

InkSplat wrote: »

Hm.. well since there's only a handful of options, maybe I'll throw out a different request:

Steampunk Adventure. So.. not like techno-babbly Steampunk, but like actual adventure-y Steampunk with zepplins and goggles and guns and adventure!

Look at Boneshaker by Cherie Priest. It's jam packed with steampunk Zeppelin goggle goodness.

Dalboz

culdrasbit*h wrote: »

Artereis wrote: »

Try the Dresden Files.

I'd also say the first three or four Anita Blake books by Laurell K. Hamilton hold up pretty well, just whatever you do don't keep reading them.

The Anita Blake books are good, although I found the first book to be a bit meh. The series is good up through the ninth book (Obsidian Butterfly), but it did feel like the franchise was getting a bit fatigued at that point. After the tenth book, it becomes little more than lycanthropic porn. So if you're into that sort of thing...

Nappuccino

You might want to check out Some of the books by Jeff Vandermeer. He blurs a lot of genres so it won't be precisely what you're looking for, but it might be worth a shot if you can find it cheap enough

edit: although, I wouldn't call it steam punk. I should read more before posting.

Adda

Any of it is good. City and the city is different to most and I don't think kraken is out yet. Perdido street station is a good start and king rat is a nice stand alone.

zeeny

Mike Carey Felix Castor novels is a series that I like significantly more than the Dresden files.(not sure about US availability)
Charlie Huston's Joe Pitt Casebook is an urban noir which is also entertaining.
There really isn't a lot worth reading in the genre though.
Cherrie Priest's Dreadful skin & Boneshaker are ok reads too, closer to a steampunk than urban.

Edit: As mentioned above, VanderMeer's City of Saints and Madmen(ss) and Shriek are superb and worth reading.

ceres

I have a friend who's been talking about this book pretty much nonstop for what feels like a million years. I've yet to read it (though I become more convinced I should each day), but I'll throw the name out here because it's definitely urban and definitely fantasy: Palimpsest, by Catherynne M. Valente.

Lot of sex in it, from what I understand, so that would have to not bother you.

zeeny

Valente's Palimpsest is good, but it will make your head hurt.
It reminded me a lot of Hal Duncan's Vellum duology. If you end up liking it, give Hal Duncan a shot.

Edit: Also Valente's Orphan tales are a much easier read even if largely different.

Xagarath

Agree with Gaiman and Mieville wholeheartedly.

Charles DeLint's not bad, and writes urban fantasy pretty much exclusively.