Urban fantasy
Encyclopedia
Urban fantasy is a sub-genre of fantasy
defined by place; the fantastic narrative has an urban
setting. Many urban fantasies are set in contemporary
times and contain supernatural elements. However, the stories can take place in historical, modern, or futuristic periods. The prerequisite is that they must be primarily set in a city.
Several characters of urban fantasy are shown to have self-esteem issues or tragic pasts. These matters often tie into the larger story or the development of the protagonist.
Though stories may be set in contemporary
times, this characteristic is not necessary for the fiction to be considered urban fantasy, as works of the genre may also take place in futuristic and historical settings, real or imagined. Authors Marie Brennan
and Cassandra Clare
have set urban fantasies in Elizabethan
and Victorian
London
respectively.
, and often feature mythological
beings, paranormal romance
, and various female protagonists who are involved in law enforcement or vigilantism. Laurell K. Hamilton
's Anita Blake series—which follows the investigations of a supernatural Federal Marshal during paranormal cases—has been called a substantial and influential work of the genre. Kim Harrison
's Rachel Morgan
novels, also regarded as inspirational works, feature a bounty-hunting 'witch-born' demon who battles numerous supernatural foes. The Charlie Madigan series
, by Kelly Gay
, explores the challenges a police officer faces while trying to balance her paranormal cases with life as a single mother.
In addition to books which present largely independent characters, certain stories feature men and women who are regularly partnered on adventures—often with an underlying romantic element. The Jaz Parks series
, by Jennifer Rardin
, follows the titular CIA
operative and her vampire boss as they combat supernatural threats to national security. Jocelynn Drake's Dark Days novels follow a vampire named Mira and a vampire hunter named Danaus, who work together to protect their people from a mutual enemy. Night Huntress, a series by Jeaniene Frost
, centers around a half-vampire named Catherine and a vampire bounty hunter called Bones, who gradually become lovers while battling the undead.
's The Darkest Powers
series, a group of teens with paranormal talents go on the run while fleeing from a persistent band of scientists. The short story "The Supra Man: Simply Super" by Omar McIntosh features a young, innercity version of Superman
named Sean McBridden, who is Irish American
and has anger management problems. In Unearthly
, by Cynthia Hand, a girl discovers that she is part angel and gifted with superhuman abilities, leading her to seek out her purpose on Earth.
The Immortals
series, by Alyson Noël
, follows a girl who gains special abilities after recovering from an accident, and also grows close to a mysterious new boy at her school. In addition, love triangle
s play a prominent part in these and several other urban fantasy novels.
In certain books, a boarding school or similar institution holds a significant role in the story. Rampant, by Diana Peterfreund
, follows a group of young women at a cloister
s as they train to fight killer unicorns. The House of Night series, by P. C.
and Kristin Cast
, presents a school where future vampires are disciplined while on the path to transformation, during which several romantic conflicts and other clashes ensue. Claudia Gray
's Evernight novels center around a mysterious academy, where a romantic bond develops between a girl born to vampires, and a boy who hunts them. Fallen
, by Lauren Kate
, revolves around a student named Luce who finds herself drawn to a boy named Daniel, unaware that he is a fallen angel who shares a history with her. Other series, such as Carrie Jones
's Need
, have characters moving to new locations but attending public schools while discovering mysterious occurrences elsewhere in their towns.
A common thread running through almost all teen urban fantasy is that, in addition to these teens dealing with stakes possibly as large as the fate of the world, they're also coming into their own and learning who they are. These coming-of-age themes and a teen "voice" are what distinguish young adult urban fantasy from adult books in the genre.
have linked to services which offer such tracks. Publishers have also used music for book videos, including the trailer for Carrie Jones's Captivate, which features the work of songwriter Derek Daisey.
Original music is also produced. In 2010, musicians Alexandra Monir, Michael Bearden, and Heather Holley (a songwriter for Christina Aguilera
's Stripped) collaborated to create songs for Monir's debut novel, Timeless.
also produce regular video interviews with debuting authors.
s and manga
. Among the tales to be adapted are Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series, Patricia Briggs's Mercy Thompson stories, and Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely.
, "traditional urban fantasy" arose as an acknowledged sub-genre in the late 1980s and early '90s.
Several publications and writers have cited authors such as Laurell K. Hamilton
and Kim Harrison
as notable contributors to the genre. Entertainment Weekly
, USA Today
, and Time
have recognized the longevity and influence of Hamilton's stories, while The New York Times
and Amazon.com
have noted the work of Kim Harrison. Author Courtney Allison Moulton has cited Hamilton's early works among her inspirations. Kelly Gay has noted Hamilton, Harrison, and Emma Bull
as primary influences.
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
defined by place; the fantastic narrative has an urban
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
setting. Many urban fantasies are set in contemporary
Contemporary fantasy
Contemporary fantasy, also known as modern fantasy or indigenous fantasy, is a sub-genre of fantasy, set in the present day. It is perhaps most popular for its sub-genre, urban fantasy.-Definition and overview:...
times and contain supernatural elements. However, the stories can take place in historical, modern, or futuristic periods. The prerequisite is that they must be primarily set in a city.
Characteristics
Urban fantasy describes a work that is set primarily in a city and contains aspects of fantasy. These matters may involve the arrivals of alien races, the discovery of earthbound mythological creatures, coexistence between humans and paranormal beings, conflicts between humans and malicious paranormals, and subsequent changes in city management.Several characters of urban fantasy are shown to have self-esteem issues or tragic pasts. These matters often tie into the larger story or the development of the protagonist.
Though stories may be set in contemporary
Contemporary fantasy
Contemporary fantasy, also known as modern fantasy or indigenous fantasy, is a sub-genre of fantasy, set in the present day. It is perhaps most popular for its sub-genre, urban fantasy.-Definition and overview:...
times, this characteristic is not necessary for the fiction to be considered urban fantasy, as works of the genre may also take place in futuristic and historical settings, real or imagined. Authors Marie Brennan
Marie Brennan
Marie Brennan is the pseudonym of Bryn Neuenschwander, an American fantasy author. Her works include Doppelganger, its sequel Warrior and Witch, and numerous short stories. Her third novel, Midnight Never Come, was published on 1 May 2008 in the United Kingdom, and 1 June 2008 in the USA. It...
and Cassandra Clare
Cassandra Clare
Cassandra Clare is an American author who has written the bestselling young adult saga The Mortal Instruments.- Personal life :Cassandra Clare was born to American parents in Tehran. As a child Clare traveled frequently, spending time in Switzerland, England, and France...
have set urban fantasies in Elizabethan
Elizabethan era
The Elizabethan era was the epoch in English history of Queen Elizabeth I's reign . Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history...
and Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
respectively.
Adult fiction
Many urban fantasy novels geared toward adults are told via a first-person narrativeFirst-person narrative
First-person point of view is a narrative mode where a story is narrated by one character at a time, speaking for and about themselves. First-person narrative may be singular, plural or multiple as well as being an authoritative, reliable or deceptive "voice" and represents point of view in the...
, and often feature mythological
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
beings, paranormal romance
Paranormal romance
Paranormal romance is a sub-genre of the romance novel. A type of speculative fiction, paranormal romance focuses on romance and includes elements beyond the range of scientific explanation, blending together themes from the genres of traditional fantasy, science fiction, or horror...
, and various female protagonists who are involved in law enforcement or vigilantism. Laurell K. Hamilton
Laurell K. Hamilton
Laurell Kaye Hamilton is an American fantasy and romance writer. She is the author of two series of stories. Hamilton is known for her New York Times-bestselling Anita Blake series, featuring a professional zombie raiser/supernatural consultant for the police as the protagonist in a world where...
's Anita Blake series—which follows the investigations of a supernatural Federal Marshal during paranormal cases—has been called a substantial and influential work of the genre. Kim Harrison
Kim Harrison
Kim Harrison is a nom de plume of American author Dawn Cook. Under the name of Harrison, she is best known for her Rachel Morgan urban fantasy series set in an alternate history where a worldwide pandemic caused by genetically modified tomatoes led to the death of a large portion of the world's...
's Rachel Morgan
Hollows (series)
The Hollows series is a series of mystery novels in an urban fantasy alternate history setting by Kim Harrison that take place primarily in the city of Cincinnati. The city itself is mostly separated in two parts: The main part of the town and the enclave on the opposite side of the Ohio River...
novels, also regarded as inspirational works, feature a bounty-hunting 'witch-born' demon who battles numerous supernatural foes. The Charlie Madigan series
Charlie Madigan series
The Charlie Madigan series is a collection of urban fantasy novels by author Kelly Gay. The books present a future in which humanity has discovered two vastly different dimensions, making Atlanta a crossroads for various supernatural beings...
, by Kelly Gay
Kelly Gay
Kelly Gay is an American author, known for her work in urban fantasy. Gay has written books in both the adult and young-adult genres, penning the latter under the name of Kelly Keaton. She is particularly known for the Charlie Madigan series, a story about a police officer who attempts to balance...
, explores the challenges a police officer faces while trying to balance her paranormal cases with life as a single mother.
In addition to books which present largely independent characters, certain stories feature men and women who are regularly partnered on adventures—often with an underlying romantic element. The Jaz Parks series
Jaz Parks series
The Jaz Parks series is an urban fantasy collection of spy-fi novels by American author Jennifer Rardin. The story presents a contemporary world in which mythological beings such as vampires and several less famous creatures are real, and follows the efforts of the Central Intelligence Agency to...
, by Jennifer Rardin
Jennifer Rardin
Jennifer Rardin was an American author. Rardin lived in Robinson, Illinois and had a bachelor's degree in English Literature from Eastern Illinois University. She is best known for the Jaz Parks series of urban fantasy novels...
, follows the titular CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
operative and her vampire boss as they combat supernatural threats to national security. Jocelynn Drake's Dark Days novels follow a vampire named Mira and a vampire hunter named Danaus, who work together to protect their people from a mutual enemy. Night Huntress, a series by Jeaniene Frost
Jeaniene Frost
Jeaniene Frost an American fantasy author, known for her work on the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Night Huntress series and the Night Huntress World novels. Foreign rights for her novels have sold to fourteen different countries. Frost lives in Florida with her husband...
, centers around a half-vampire named Catherine and a vampire bounty hunter called Bones, who gradually become lovers while battling the undead.
Teen fiction
While several adult stories focus on professional heroes, many teen urban fantasy novels follow inexperienced protagonists who are unexpectedly drawn into paranormal struggles. Amidst these conflicts, characters often gain allies, find romance, and, in some cases, develop or discover supernatural abilities of their own. In Kelley ArmstrongKelley Armstrong
Kelley Armstrong is a Canadian author, primarily of fantasy works.She has published sixteen fantasy novels , set in the world of the Women of the Otherworld and the Darkest Powers series, also two crime novels in 2007 and 2009...
's The Darkest Powers
Darkest Powers
The Darkest Powers Series is a series of paranormal novels by Kelley Armstrong. The series revolves around The Edison Group, a team of supernatural scientists, and the subjects they experimented on. Armstrong divided the series into trilogies. The Summoning, The Awakening, and The Reckoning make...
series, a group of teens with paranormal talents go on the run while fleeing from a persistent band of scientists. The short story "The Supra Man: Simply Super" by Omar McIntosh features a young, innercity version of Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
named Sean McBridden, who is Irish American
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
and has anger management problems. In Unearthly
Unearthly
Unearthly is an shōjo Original English-language manga series written by Ted Naifeh, with art by Elmer Damaso and is published by Seven Seas Entertainment.- Characters :...
, by Cynthia Hand, a girl discovers that she is part angel and gifted with superhuman abilities, leading her to seek out her purpose on Earth.
The Immortals
Evermore (novel)
Evermore is a fantasy novel by Alyson Noël released in 2009. It is the first novel in the Immortals series. Evermore was an immediate bestseller and, as of August 11, 2009, had spent 25 weeks on the New York Times Bestsellers list for children's books.-Plot:After a horrible accident claims the...
series, by Alyson Noël
Alyson Noel
Alyson Noël is an American author writing from her home in Orange County, California.-Biography:Noel was raised in Orange County and attended Richard Nixon Elementary School for two years. She lived in Mykonos, Greece after leaving her high school, Troy High School...
, follows a girl who gains special abilities after recovering from an accident, and also grows close to a mysterious new boy at her school. In addition, love triangle
Love triangle
A love triangle is usually a romantic relationship involving three people. While it can refer to two people independently romantically linked with a third, it usually implies that each of the three people has some kind of relationship to the other two...
s play a prominent part in these and several other urban fantasy novels.
In certain books, a boarding school or similar institution holds a significant role in the story. Rampant, by Diana Peterfreund
Diana Peterfreund
Diana Peterfreund is an American author.- Biography :Peterfreund grew up near Tampa, Florida. She graduated from Yale University in 2001 with a double major in literature and geology.- Ivy League :...
, follows a group of young women at a cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
s as they train to fight killer unicorns. The House of Night series, by P. C.
P. C. Cast
Phyllis Christine Cast is an American romance/fantasy author, known for the House of Night series she writes with her daughter Kristin Cast, as well as her own Goddess Summoning and Partholon book series.-Career:...
and Kristin Cast
Kristin Cast
Kristin Cast is the coauthor of the House of Night series for young adults with her mother, P.C. Cast.She graduated from Broken Arrow Senior High in 2005....
, presents a school where future vampires are disciplined while on the path to transformation, during which several romantic conflicts and other clashes ensue. Claudia Gray
Claudia Gray
Claudia Gray is a pseudonym for Amy Vincent, a young adult paranormal romance author, best known for the Evernight series. She is published by HarperCollins. Her book Stargazer hit No. 4 in the chapter book category of the New York Times list of bestselling children books in April 2009. Gray is a...
's Evernight novels center around a mysterious academy, where a romantic bond develops between a girl born to vampires, and a boy who hunts them. Fallen
Fallen (2009 novel)
Fallen is a 2009 young adult fantasy novel written by Lauren Kate. The novel revolves around a young girl named Lucinda Price "Luce" who is sent to Sword and Cross Reform School in Savannah, Georgia, after she is accused of murdering a boy by starting a fire. At the reform school, she meets Daniel,...
, by Lauren Kate
Lauren Kate
Lauren Kate is an internationally bestselling author of young adult fiction. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages and include The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove and Fallen, which reached #3 on The New York Times Best Seller List for children's chapter books on January 8, 2010...
, revolves around a student named Luce who finds herself drawn to a boy named Daniel, unaware that he is a fallen angel who shares a history with her. Other series, such as Carrie Jones
Carrie Jones
Carrie Jones is an American author, known for her work in young-adult fiction. She has written books in both the fantasy and non-fantasy genres, including the paranormal novel series Need. Jones has received multiple awards and appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list.-Personal life and...
's Need
Need (novel series)
Need is a series of young-adult urban fantasy novels by American author Carrie Jones, beginning with the inaugural entry of the same name. The focus of the story is a teenage girl named Zara, who joins a struggle against a society of malicious pixies...
, have characters moving to new locations but attending public schools while discovering mysterious occurrences elsewhere in their towns.
A common thread running through almost all teen urban fantasy is that, in addition to these teens dealing with stakes possibly as large as the fate of the world, they're also coming into their own and learning who they are. These coming-of-age themes and a teen "voice" are what distinguish young adult urban fantasy from adult books in the genre.
Media tie-ins
In the case of urban fantasy novels, the use of other media has become a common part of creation and promotion.Music
Several urban fantasy authors cite music as an inspiration. On their official Websites, certain writers recommend numerous songs (or "playlists") which can be listened to while reading portions of their novels. In addition, authors such as Courtney Allison Moulton, Jaye Wells, and Sarah J. MaasSarah J. Maas
Sarah J. Maas is an American fantasy author. Her debut novel, Queen of Glass: The Eye of the Chosen, was purchased in March 2010 by Bloomsbury and is slated for a late 2012 release.-Biography:...
have linked to services which offer such tracks. Publishers have also used music for book videos, including the trailer for Carrie Jones's Captivate, which features the work of songwriter Derek Daisey.
Original music is also produced. In 2010, musicians Alexandra Monir, Michael Bearden, and Heather Holley (a songwriter for Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
's Stripped) collaborated to create songs for Monir's debut novel, Timeless.
Video
Book trailers are commonly used to promote urban fantasy novels. Publishers such as HarperCollinsHarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
also produce regular video interviews with debuting authors.
Comics and manga
Adaptations of urban fantasy novels have appeared in comic bookComic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
s and manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
. Among the tales to be adapted are Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series, Patricia Briggs's Mercy Thompson stories, and Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely.
History
According to Library JournalLibrary Journal
Library Journal is a trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey . It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional practice...
, "traditional urban fantasy" arose as an acknowledged sub-genre in the late 1980s and early '90s.
Several publications and writers have cited authors such as Laurell K. Hamilton
Laurell K. Hamilton
Laurell Kaye Hamilton is an American fantasy and romance writer. She is the author of two series of stories. Hamilton is known for her New York Times-bestselling Anita Blake series, featuring a professional zombie raiser/supernatural consultant for the police as the protagonist in a world where...
and Kim Harrison
Kim Harrison
Kim Harrison is a nom de plume of American author Dawn Cook. Under the name of Harrison, she is best known for her Rachel Morgan urban fantasy series set in an alternate history where a worldwide pandemic caused by genetically modified tomatoes led to the death of a large portion of the world's...
as notable contributors to the genre. Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
, USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, and Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
have recognized the longevity and influence of Hamilton's stories, while The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
and Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
have noted the work of Kim Harrison. Author Courtney Allison Moulton has cited Hamilton's early works among her inspirations. Kelly Gay has noted Hamilton, Harrison, and Emma Bull
Emma Bull
Emma Bull is a science fiction and fantasy author whose best-known novel is War for the Oaks, one of the pioneering works of urban fantasy. She has participated in Terri Windling's Borderland shared universe, which is the setting of her 1994 novel Finder...
as primary influences.
Urban fantasy authors
- Ben AaronovitchBen AaronovitchBen Denis Aaronovitch is a London-born British writer who has worked on television series including Doctor Who, Casualty, Jupiter Moon and Dark Knight...
(Rivers of London series) - Ilona AndrewsIlona AndrewsIlona Andrews is the pen name used by urban fantasy novelist Ilona Gordon with her spouse Andrew Gordon, also known as Gordon.Ilona was born in Russia and came to the United States as a teenager. She attended Western Carolina University, where she majored in biochemistry and met her husband...
(Kate Daniels series) - Kelley ArmstrongKelley ArmstrongKelley Armstrong is a Canadian author, primarily of fantasy works.She has published sixteen fantasy novels , set in the world of the Women of the Otherworld and the Darkest Powers series, also two crime novels in 2007 and 2009...
(The Women of the OtherworldWomen of the OtherworldWomen of the Otherworld is the name of a fantasy series by Canadian author Kelley Armstrong.The books feature werewolves, witches, necromancers, and vampires struggling to fit as "normal" in today's world...
and Darkest PowersDarkest PowersThe Darkest Powers Series is a series of paranormal novels by Kelley Armstrong. The series revolves around The Edison Group, a team of supernatural scientists, and the subjects they experimented on. Armstrong divided the series into trilogies. The Summoning, The Awakening, and The Reckoning make...
series) - L.A. Banks (Vampire Huntress series and Crimson Moon Novels)
- Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Golden, Platinum, and the Bailey series)
- Holly BlackHolly BlackHolly Black née Riggenbach is an American writer and editor, best known for writing The Spiderwick Chronicles, a series of children's fantasy books she created with illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi.-Early life and education:...
(Modern Faerie Tales series) - Marie BrennanMarie BrennanMarie Brennan is the pseudonym of Bryn Neuenschwander, an American fantasy author. Her works include Doppelganger, its sequel Warrior and Witch, and numerous short stories. Her third novel, Midnight Never Come, was published on 1 May 2008 in the United Kingdom, and 1 June 2008 in the USA. It...
(Midnight Never Come and In Ashes Lie) - Sarah Rees BrennanSarah Rees BrennanSarah Rees Brennan is an Irish young-adult fantasy author. Her first novel, The Demon's Lexicon, was released June 2009 by Simon & Schuster. Brennan's books are bestsellers in the UK.-Biography:...
(The Demon's Lexicon series) - Patricia BriggsPatricia BriggsPatricia Briggs is an American author, well-known for the Mercy Thompson urban fantasy series. Briggs was born in Butte, Montana, and lived in various cities in the Pacific Northwest...
(The Mercedes Thompson Series) - Terry BrooksTerry BrooksTerence Dean "Terry" Brooks is an American writer of fantasy fiction. He writes mainly epic fantasy, and has also written two movie novelizations. He has written 23 New York Times bestsellers during his writing career, and has over 21 million copies of his books in print...
(Word & Void series) - Emma BullEmma BullEmma Bull is a science fiction and fantasy author whose best-known novel is War for the Oaks, one of the pioneering works of urban fantasy. She has participated in Terri Windling's Borderland shared universe, which is the setting of her 1994 novel Finder...
(War for the OaksWar for the OaksWar for the Oaks is a fantasy novel by Emma Bull. The book tells the story of Eddi McCandry, a rock musician who finds herself unwillingly pulled into the supernatural faerie conflict between good and evil...
) - Jim ButcherJim ButcherJim Butcher is a New York Times Best Selling author most known for his contemporary fantasy book series The Dresden Files. He also wrote the Codex Alera series. Butcher grew up as the only son of his parents, and has two older sisters. He currently lives in Independence with his wife, Shannon K...
(Dresden FilesThe Dresden FilesThe Dresden Files is a series of contemporary fantasy/mystery novels written by Jim Butcher.He provides a first person narrative of each story from the point of view of the main character, private investigator and wizard Harry Dresden, as he recounts investigations into supernatural disturbances in...
series) - Rachel CaineRachel CaineRachel Caine is a pen name of Roxanne Longstreet Conrad, an American writer of science fiction, fantasy, mystery, suspense, and horror novels. She also publishes media tie-in novels as Julie Fortune.-Personal life:...
(Weather Warden series) - Karen ChanceKaren ChanceKaren Chance is an urban fantasy novelist. She grew up in Orlando, Florida. She has lived in France, Great Britain, Hong Kong and New Orleans, where she has taught history...
(Cassandra Palmer series) - Cinda Williams Chima (The Heir TrilogyThe Heir TrilogyThe Heir Chronicles, a series chiefly aimed for the age group ranging 10 and up, was created by Ohio author Cinda Williams Chima.The first in the series, The Warrior Heir, was released in 2006. The American Library Association included it on their Popular Paperbacks list The second book, The Wizard...
) - Cassandra ClareCassandra ClareCassandra Clare is an American author who has written the bestselling young adult saga The Mortal Instruments.- Personal life :Cassandra Clare was born to American parents in Tehran. As a child Clare traveled frequently, spending time in Switzerland, England, and France...
(Mortal InstrumentsThe Mortal Instruments (series)The Mortal Instruments is a series of four young adult science fiction and fantasy novels by author Cassandra Clare including City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, and City of Fallen Angels.-Publication history:...
series) - S. J. DaySylvia DaySylvia June Day is an American writer. She also writes under the pseudonyms S. J. Day and Livia Dare.Publishers Marketplace reports that Day's trilogy "in which angels, vampires, and lycans are all vying for power" went to auction in early 2010. New American Library was the winning...
(Marked series) - Jocelynn Drake (Dark Days series)
- P. N. ElrodP. N. ElrodPatricia N. Elrod is an American novelist specializing in urban fantasy. She's written in the mystery, romance, paranormal, and historical genres with at least one foray into comedic fantasy. Elrod is also an editor, having worked on several collections for Ace Science Fiction, DAW, Benbella Books,...
(The Vampire Files series) - Jeaniene FrostJeaniene FrostJeaniene Frost an American fantasy author, known for her work on the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Night Huntress series and the Night Huntress World novels. Foreign rights for her novels have sold to fourteen different countries. Frost lives in Florida with her husband...
(Night Huntress series) - Neil GaimanNeil GaimanNeil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
(NeverwhereNeverwhereNeverwhere is an urban fantasy television series by Neil Gaiman that first aired in 1996 on BBC Two. The series is set in "London Below", a magical realm coexisting with the more familiar London, referred to as "London Above". It was devised by Neil Gaiman and Lenny Henry, and directed by Dewi...
) - Kelly GayKelly GayKelly Gay is an American author, known for her work in urban fantasy. Gay has written books in both the adult and young-adult genres, penning the latter under the name of Kelly Keaton. She is particularly known for the Charlie Madigan series, a story about a police officer who attempts to balance...
(Charlie Madigan seriesCharlie Madigan seriesThe Charlie Madigan series is a collection of urban fantasy novels by author Kelly Gay. The books present a future in which humanity has discovered two vastly different dimensions, making Atlanta a crossroads for various supernatural beings...
) - Michael GrantMichael Grant (young adult author)Michael Grant is the co-creator and co-author of the Animorphs and the Everworld book series, and also the creator and author of Gone and The Magnificent 12 series. Michael was raised in a military family, attending ten schools in five states, as well as three schools in France...
(GoneGone (series)Gone is a young-adult dystopian science fiction book series written by Michael Grant. The first novel in the series, also entitled Gone, was originally published in 2008. The second book, Hunger, was released a year later, followed by the third book, Lies, on May 4, 2010. Book four, released on...
series) - Claudia GrayClaudia GrayClaudia Gray is a pseudonym for Amy Vincent, a young adult paranormal romance author, best known for the Evernight series. She is published by HarperCollins. Her book Stargazer hit No. 4 in the chapter book category of the New York Times list of bestselling children books in April 2009. Gray is a...
(Evernight series) - Simon R. Green (NightsideNightside (book series)Nightside is a series of fantasy novels by author Simon R. Green.After Just Another Judgement Day, Green has only three more books planned, which will bring an end to the series.-Setting:...
series) - Laurell K. HamiltonLaurell K. HamiltonLaurell Kaye Hamilton is an American fantasy and romance writer. She is the author of two series of stories. Hamilton is known for her New York Times-bestselling Anita Blake series, featuring a professional zombie raiser/supernatural consultant for the police as the protagonist in a world where...
(The Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter and Merry GentryMerry GentryMerry Gentry is the title character of fantasy series by US writer Laurell K. Hamilton, best-known for her previous series Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter...
series) - Cynthia Hand (UnearthlyUnearthlyUnearthly is an shōjo Original English-language manga series written by Ted Naifeh, with art by Elmer Damaso and is published by Seven Seas Entertainment.- Characters :...
series) - Charlaine HarrisCharlaine HarrisCharlaine Harris is a New York Times bestselling author who has been writing mysteries for over twenty years. She was born and raised in the Mississippi River Delta area of the United States. She now lives in southern Arkansas with her husband and three children...
(The Southern Vampire MysteriesThe Southern Vampire MysteriesThe Southern Vampire Mysteries, also known as The Sookie Stackhouse Novels, is a series of books written by bestselling author Charlaine Harris that were first published in 2001 and now serve as the source material for the HBO television series True Blood...
series) - Kim HarrisonKim HarrisonKim Harrison is a nom de plume of American author Dawn Cook. Under the name of Harrison, she is best known for her Rachel Morgan urban fantasy series set in an alternate history where a worldwide pandemic caused by genetically modified tomatoes led to the death of a large portion of the world's...
(The Hollows series) - Rachel Hawthorne (Dark GuardianDark GuardianDark Guardian is a series of young-adult paranormal romance novels by Rachel Hawthorne. The books follow a peaceful secret society of werewolves, known as Shifters, who are hunted by an ambitious research organization. Amidst this conflict, several of the teenage Shifters become protectors of their...
series) - Christina Henry (Madeline Black series)
- Mark HenryMark Henry (novelist)Mark Henry is an American urban fantasy author who spent twelve years working as a psychotherapist before receiving a contract for his first novel, Happy Hour of the Damned. Then titled The Undead Socialite's Guide to Nightlife, the novel, starring celebrity zombie Amanda Feral, the book won Henry...
(Amanda Feral series) - Nancy Holzner (Vicky Vaughn series)
- Tanya HuffTanya HuffTanya Sue Huff is a Canadian fantasy author. Her stories have been published since the late 1980s, including five fantasy series and one science-fiction series. One of these, her Blood Books series, featuring detective Vicki Nelson, was adapted for television under the title Blood...
(The Enchantment Emporium) - Carrie JonesCarrie JonesCarrie Jones is an American author, known for her work in young-adult fiction. She has written books in both the fantasy and non-fantasy genres, including the paranormal novel series Need. Jones has received multiple awards and appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list.-Personal life and...
(NeedNeed (novel series)Need is a series of young-adult urban fantasy novels by American author Carrie Jones, beginning with the inaugural entry of the same name. The focus of the story is a teenage girl named Zara, who joins a struggle against a society of malicious pixies...
series) - Lauren KateLauren KateLauren Kate is an internationally bestselling author of young adult fiction. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages and include The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove and Fallen, which reached #3 on The New York Times Best Seller List for children's chapter books on January 8, 2010...
(FallenFallen (2009 novel)Fallen is a 2009 young adult fantasy novel written by Lauren Kate. The novel revolves around a young girl named Lucinda Price "Luce" who is sent to Sword and Cross Reform School in Savannah, Georgia, after she is accused of murdering a boy by starting a fire. At the reform school, she meets Daniel,...
series) - Caitlin KittredgeCaitlin KittredgeCaitlin Kittredge is an American novelist of dark fantasy and urban fantasy noir living in Olympia, Washington. She is known for her Nocturne City series of adult novels, and for The Iron Codex, a series of young-adult books....
(Nocturne City and Iron Codex series) - Mercedes LackeyMercedes LackeyMercedes "Misty" Lackey is a best-selling American author of fantasy novels. Many of her novels and trilogies are interlinked and set in the world of Velgarth, mostly in and around the country of Valdemar...
(Elves on the Road universe) - Charles de LintCharles de LintCharles de Lint is a Canadian fantasy author and folk musician. He is also the chief book critic for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction....
(NewfordNewfordNewford is a fictional North American city, the setting in many of Charles de Lint's works of urban fantasy. De Lint generally avoids writing about cities that he has not been to; however, his hometown of Ottawa did not afford him the necessary freedoms for certain stories, and he began to set them...
series) - Melissa MarrMelissa Marr (author)Melissa Marr is an American author of young-adult/urban fantasy novels.-Poetry:*On Meeting the Surgeon *The Moment of Impact *Fighting the Tide *The Art of Becoming -Short Fiction:...
(Wicked LovelyWicked LovelyWicked Lovely is a young adult/urban fantasy novel by author Melissa Marr. It was published by HarperTeen, a division of HarperCollins, in June 2007...
series) - Seanan McGuireSeanan McGuireSeanan McGuire is an American author and filker. She also writes under the name "Mira Grant."-October Daye:# Rosemary and Rue...
(October Daye Series ) - Suzanne McLeod (Spellcrackers.com series)
- Richelle Mead (The Georgina Kincaid and Vampire AcademyVampire academy*Vampire Academy , a paranormal romance novel from Richelle Mead.*Vampire Academy , the novel series of Richelle Mead's novel.*Vampire Academy , a Romance Fantasy drama film based on the novel....
series) - Kelly Meding (Dreg City series)
- Devon MonkDevon MonkDevon Monk is an American writer of urban fantasy novels. She has also published over 50 short stories in fantasy, science fiction, horror, humor, and young adult magazines and anthologies...
(Allie Beckstrom series) - Courtney Allison Moulton (AngelfireAngelfire (novel series)Angelfire is a series of young-adult urban fantasy novels by author Courtney Allison Moulton, beginning with the inaugural entry of the same name. The story follows a teenager named Ellie, who learns that she is actually the reincarnation of a powerful warrior, tasked with aiding angels in their...
series) - C.E. Murphy (Walker Papers series)
- Alyson NoëlAlyson NoelAlyson Noël is an American author writing from her home in Orange County, California.-Biography:Noel was raised in Orange County and attended Richard Nixon Elementary School for two years. She lived in Mykonos, Greece after leaving her high school, Troy High School...
(ImmortalsEvermore (novel)Evermore is a fantasy novel by Alyson Noël released in 2009. It is the first novel in the Immortals series. Evermore was an immediate bestseller and, as of August 11, 2009, had spent 25 weeks on the New York Times Bestsellers list for children's books.-Plot:After a horrible accident claims the...
series) - Jackson PearceJackson PearceJackson Pearce is an American author. Her debut novel, As You Wish, was published by HarperCollins in 2009.-Personal life and education:Pearce was born in Raleigh, North Carolina and currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia...
(As You Wish and Sisters Red) - Marlene Perez (The Dead Is... series)
- Diana PeterfreundDiana PeterfreundDiana Peterfreund is an American author.- Biography :Peterfreund grew up near Tampa, Florida. She graduated from Yale University in 2001 with a double major in literature and geology.- Ivy League :...
(Killer Unicorns series) - Vicki PetterssonVicki PetterssonVicki Pettersson is an American author best known for her Zodiac urban fantasy series set in modern Las Vegas which sets Agents of Light and Shadow against each other for control over Sin City. The series follows casino heiress Joanna Archer, who discovers on her 25th birthday that she has...
(Signs of the Zodiac series) - Kalayna Price (Alex Craft Novels)
- Jennifer RardinJennifer RardinJennifer Rardin was an American author. Rardin lived in Robinson, Illinois and had a bachelor's degree in English Literature from Eastern Illinois University. She is best known for the Jaz Parks series of urban fantasy novels...
(Jaz ParksJaz Parks seriesThe Jaz Parks series is an urban fantasy collection of spy-fi novels by American author Jennifer Rardin. The story presents a contemporary world in which mythological beings such as vampires and several less famous creatures are real, and follows the efforts of the Central Intelligence Agency to...
series) - Natasha RhodesNatasha RhodesNatasha Rhodes is a British-born author best known for her contemporary fantasy book series Dante's Girl, starring supernatural crime-fighter Kayla Steele. She has also written many film novelizations of popular blockbuster movies such as Blade: Trinity and the Final Destination series of movies,...
(Kayla Steele Werewolf Huntress series) - Kat RichardsonKat RichardsonKat Richardson is an American author best known for her Greywalker urban fantasy series. The series thus far consists of six novels. Harper Blaine, the heroine of the series, is a private investigator living in Seattle and was killed whilst pursuing a case. She was dead for only two minutes and...
(Greywalker series) - Rick RiordanRick RiordanRichard Russell "Rick" Riordan, Jr. is an American author best known for writing the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. He also wrote the Tres Navarre mystery series for adults and helped to edit Demigods and Monsters, a collection of essays on the topic of his Percy Jackson series...
(Percy Jackson and the OlympiansPercy Jackson and the OlympiansPercy Jackson & the Olympians is a pentalogy of adventure and fantasy fiction books authored by Rick Riordan. The series consists of five books, as well as spin-off titles such as The Demigod Files and Demigods and Monsters. Set in the United States, the books are predominantly based on Greek...
series) - Thomas E. SniegoskiThomas E. Sniegoski-Career:A number of Sniegoski's works have been related to the Buffyverse, the fictional universe established by TV series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel....
(The Fallen, Remi Chandler) - Jeanne C. SteinJeanne C. SteinJeanne C. Stein is an American Urban Fantasy author living in Colorado.She now lives in Colorado, but was raised and educated in San Diego, which is the setting for her contemporary vampire fantasy....
(Vampire Bounty Hunter Anna Strong series) - Shanna SwendsonShanna SwendsonShanna Swendson is an American author of romance novels and chick lit. She has also written under the pseudonym Samantha Carter. Swendson is perhaps best known for the "Katie Chandler" series of novels, beginning with the 2005 publication of Enchanted, Inc.-Biography:Although Swendson majored in...
(Enchanted, Inc. series) - Anton StroutAnton StroutAnton Strout is an American urban fantasy author. He is under contract for four books in his "Simon Canderous" series, the first of which, Dead to Me, was published by Ace Books in 2008...
(Simon Canderous series) - Mark TeppoMark TeppoMark Teppo is an American author of contemporary fantasy and Science fiction. His work is strongly peppered with references to occult concepts, most commonly those of Hermeticism and Alchemy...
(Codex of Souls series) - Carrie VaughnCarrie VaughnCarrie Vaughn is an American author who writes the urban fantasy Kitty Norville series. She has published more than 50 short stories in science fiction and fantasy magazines as well as short story anthologies and internet magazines...
(Kitty Norville series) - Rachel VincentRachel VincentRachel Vincent is an American author best known for her Shifters series, a present-day urban fantasy series about a female werecat.-Biography:...
(Shifters series) - Jaye Wells (Sabina Kane series)
- Kiersten White (ParanormalcyParanormalcyParanormalcy is a series of young-adult urban fantasy novels by American author Kiersten White, beginning with the inaugural entry of the same name. The story focuses on a girl named Evie, a member of a special international police force assigned to paranormal cases...
) - Terri WindlingTerri WindlingTerri Windling is an American editor, artist, essayist, and the author of books for both children and adults. Windling has won nine World Fantasy Awards, the Mythopoeic Award, the Bram Stoker Award, and her collection The Armless Maiden appeared on the short-list for the James Tiptree, Jr. Award...
(BorderlandsThe Borderland SeriesBorderland is a series of urban fantasy novels and stories created for teenage readers by Terri Windling. The series is set in Bordertown, a dystopian metropolis that lies along the border between "the Elflands" and "The World". The series consists of five anthologies and three novels to date...
series) - Yvonne Woon (Dead BeautifulDead BeautifulDead Beautiful is a young-adult paranormal romance novel by American author Yvonne Woon. The story follows Renée Winters, an orphan who is sent to a mysterious academy. While enrolled, Renée discovers a series of paranormal enigmas, most surrounding her school, her boyfriend, and eventually herself...
series)
See also
- Contemporary fantasyContemporary fantasyContemporary fantasy, also known as modern fantasy or indigenous fantasy, is a sub-genre of fantasy, set in the present day. It is perhaps most popular for its sub-genre, urban fantasy.-Definition and overview:...
- Paranormal fictionParanormal fictionThis article is about fictional books, television programs, radio programs, and films whose storylines revolve around the paranormal.-Paranormal romance novels:Paranormal romance is a literary subgenre of the romance novel...
- List of literary genres
- List of genres