Hard Spell by Justin Gustainis
Jennie Ivins
Stan Markowski is a detective in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Like many normal detectives, he has a partner, drives an unmarked car, and carries a gun. A gun loaded with silver bullets…
urban fantasy
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Jo Warne
As the title suggests, this novel is about a young woman (dob. 1976, my age, so yes still young) who was born a witch. One day whilst researching in the…
Sandman Slim: A Novel by Richard Kadrey
Chloe Smith
Vacation season is coming and it’s time to give yourself a break, stretch out by the pool or on the beach, and distract yourself with a relaxing summertime read about…demons,…
Kraken: An Anatomy by China Miéville
They say there are no new stories, just tropes, myths and archetypes that appear over and over again in different guises. This is, perhaps, especially the case in genres such…
The Rise of Urban Fantasy
In 2003, I walked into an obscure little shop, away from the main drag in Parramatta (just west of Sydney). I was attracted to the Buffy display in the window.…
Going Old School: Re-Re-Defining Urban Fantasy
I have a confession: I have not always maintained my current, high-intensity level of fantasy fandom. There was a period (which coincided with several years of full-time school), during which…
Subgenre Bingo – Urban Fantasy
Liz Fellshot Ambrose
After epic fantasy and sword and sorcery (widely considered the staples of the fantasy genre), it is now time to breeze on over to something a little more modern. There…
Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Chelsea Haller
My name is Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden. Conjure by it at your own risk. I’m a wizard. I work out of an office in midtown Chicago. As far as I…
I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
Itachimaru
John Smith is not your average teenager. He regularly moves from small town to small town. He changes his name and identity. He does not put down roots. He cannot…
Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Chicago’s mean streets are probably the last place you’d think to look for a fully certified, practicing wizard, but that’s exactly where Harry Dresden decided to set up shop. You’d…
Why I Broke Up with Anita Blake
The following is based on the 17 books in the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton. This article contains spoilers if you have not read up to the most…