Breaking Up Is Hard To Do: When Urban Fantasy Loses My Trust – by Tori.
When I read a certain genre, I have certain expectations. I expect Romance to be an emotional love fest, Paranormal Romance to be a love fest between supernatural entities, and Urban Fantasy to kick arse and take names in a world similar to mine.
As a long time reader of Urban Fantasy, I have always been of the opinion that the main defining appeal of this genre is the low key or utter lack of romance. It’s not called UFR for a reason. I’m not saying no romance period in Urban Fantasy, but it shouldn’t compete against or overwhelm the main storyline. Urban Fantasy has always been somewhat of an illegitimate child in fantasy but lately it has been sneaking into its sibling’s homes and stealing a little here and a little there. I have heard from friends in the publishing world that romance is what the readers want and they want more romance and angst in the genres. Any genre. All genres. This bothers me because it is taking what I essentially love about this genre and redefining it into a romance category.
Genre blending is a tricky business. A few authors who come to mind who seem to be able to cross the lines and maintain the integrity of both genres are Anne Bishop, Ilona Andrews, and Jocelyn Drake. While romance is introduced in a subtle fashion, usually in following the trope of enemies to lovers, the plot maintains a high place in the story. As the series progresses, the romance begins to solidify but still is used only to develop and deepen the characters involved. The story is elevated by the romance, not defined by it.
I’ve read Urban Fantasy’s that not only made the romance a contender against the main conflict, but almost eclipsed it with the dreaded “love triangle” trope. I found myself dismayed and somewhat insulted by the author’s and publisher’s blatant attempt to hook me into reading more of the series by using the “what if…” approach rather than simply believing in their characters and plotlines.
The first urban fantasy series that ever broke my trust was Laurell K Hamilton’s Anita Blake series. The first half of the series introduced us to a phenomenal heroine who used her brains and skills to keep her city safe from the monsters who lived there. Action packed with incredible world building and characters who stayed with you long after the words, “The End.” Then, it changed. Anita suddenly was in a love triangle. Then a love quadrangle. Then a love pentagon and so on, and so on. Anita was no longer a viable heroine in her own right. She became dependent on the many, many, many men in her life. The ‘romance’ became more important than the arc. The series went from urban fantasy, to paranormal romance, to erotica, to soft porn. We went from sensual and tasteful infrequent sex scenes to full blown orgies, bdsm, and finally to bedding a seventeen year old. At that point, I walked away. The series, in my opinion, was done and the only thing left was to bury it and be done with it.
Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty Norville series started out with a bang with her inquisitive heroine, Kitty Norville. A werewolf DJ who claws her way to the top of the pack and emerges as alpha, finding love and solving mysteries along the way. An enjoyable series that stalls around the seventh book for me. Kitty has found her true love and they are a permanent fixture. Vaughn has made it clear they will not be separated by anything but death. That’s all good. But nothing is happening anymore. The long standing “long game” arc is still evolving. Kitty tends to run headlong into trouble and frankly, I find her endless and sometimes rude questions annoying. Plus, there is a character, Cormac, whom was introduced as a possible love interest and embodied the bad arse broody hero. He is no longer in the running and since being released from prison, he’s just there. Taking up space. I can’t help but feel that Cormac is going to eventually pop up in Kitty and Ben’s bed. I’d rather just leave now and hold, tight to my memories.
I’m on the fence with Sandy William’s McKenzie Lewis series after only two books. The first book, the Shadow Reader was an energetic, explosive story that takes our world and intertwines it with fantasy. Our heroine wasn’t your average UF heroine in that she was human and had no special warrior powers or skills. But that was okay. She had intelligence in spades and owned it. There was a small love triangle that intertwines in the story but it’s easily resolved by the end so I wasn’t too put off by it. The second book, however, The Shattered Dark, while just as explosive and intriguing, decides to bring back the love triangle with a vengeance. I found myself staring at the end, wondering what just happened? I can understand not wanting to give your heroine a happy ever after too early, but this particular ploy only serves to jettison me out of the story and left me feeling like I’ve been had. I think, had it happened later in the series, I may not have been so insulted. It’s not over yet, but I feel our relationship waning.
Sookie, Sookie, Sookie. I and Charlaine Harris have broken up so many times, we are officially a statistic. When I first started the series, I enjoyed Sookie’s naive innocence and the quirkiness of her home town, Bon Temps. Sookie and Bill’s romance wasn’t intrusive and the storyline was more than able to support itself. I enjoyed the campy characters and soap opera-esque setting. As time went by however, Sookie’s charm morphed into a whiny, weepy mess and I found myself hoping she would either leave Bon Temps or become a fatality. Then the dreaded love triangle occurred. Bill, Eric, Bill, Eric, Alcide, Eric, Tony the tiger, Eric, ect… I’m not a fan of the arc where everyone loves the heroine and wants to sleep with her. Suddenly, it became all about Sookie and who was sharing her bed. The arc disappeared or became buried under Sookie’s libido About the time the fairy storyline was introduced, I was done.
My last break up wasn’t really a break up because the series was finished, but it would have been a break up had the series continued. Allison Pang’s Abby Sinclair series contained everything I ever wanted in a Urban Fantasy. Wickedly funny and dark, it engulfed me from page one. Blissfully snarky characters and vivid world building enchants the reader from the first page. The premise isn’t a new one but the path Abby Sinclair takes us down is a wholly entertaining and unique blending of wit, charm, mystery and fast paced action. A small romance is introduced, but the storyline was exceptionally strong and could weather some romantic undertones. When the romance burned itself out by the end, I admit I was happy. But then suddenly, one love wasn’t enough. Abby needed two and by book three, I was confounded. Our heroine stagnated. She continues to bumble along and the arcs evolution became dependent on her lovers. Abby spends most of book three treating her two lovers like booty calls, unable or unwilling to make a choice. The ending leaves us with a HUGE game changer and no answers. To say I was disappointed is an understatement.
So tell me, what makes you walk away from a genre?
Wait…I was under the impression that the Abby Sinclair series wasn’t over. It’s over?
The series wasn’t picked back up, hence the ambivalent ending. Pang left it open just in case, it sells to another pub. I did hear she is self pubbing some novellas.
Ahhh ok. Well. Boo. It’s like when they cancel a show after a cliffhanger season finale. Grr. I at least wanted to see what happened.
Excellent post and I absolutely agree 100 percent on your comments about the Anita Blake series. I’m appalled that there are those who continue to rate her books 5 stars ::bleh:: I also agree with you with Cormac. He came out of nowhere and grabbed my heart. Then he went to prison and BAM, he’s outta here!
Thank you. Yes, i’m not sure WTH Cormac is around for anymore. A place holder? He needs his own life.
love pentagon.
*snort*
I find that what i love so much about UF is the fact that romance is just one aspect. It isn’t the MAIN thing, it accents and elevates (as you said) as one element of the story.
I broke up with Sookie for same reason you did – it was just crazy that her fairy poon was so magic all the boys came running. *eye roll* and it was no longer a good story.
An aspect of it I can handle…when it takes over and defeats the plot, Im done.
Sookie’s magic poon-you kill me.
It is funny, I am planning on writing a blogpost about why I quit a series this weekend :D.
Two things that makes me walk away:
1. It is never ending ( *cough* The Otherworld Series *cough*)
2. The characters don’t change.
LOL I actually wrote a post for another site about why I’ll leave a series-characters never changing is a key factor. Are you reading my mind?? >.<
I couldn’t agree more with your post. I also divorced the series you mentioned, for the same reasons you did.
I don’t know what happened in Laurell K Hamilton’s life to made her change the series so drastically.
I gave up on Kitty Norville series after book six.
After reading some reviews I didn’t even read second book in McKenzie Lewis series and the end of Abby Sinclair series was one of the biggest WTF/awful ends on a series.
I just want the OLD urban fantasy back. I want kick arse action, fantastic world building, and an arc that maintains.
Is that too much to ask???
At this point there are probably a lot of series I’ve given up on/am about to give up and it makes me sad. With Sookie I’ll read the last one because it’s the last one but it’s definitely spiraled into blah-ness (anybody remember Aurora Teagarden? Such a good series in comparison!). I ditto your feelings when it comes to Kitty, especially after this latest release, and I just don’t know what to do anymore about Christine Feehan – I loved Dark Slayer and was hoping it signaled a series revival but no such luck.
With others I think it’s more of a feeling of being beaten down by what you loved before. Kim Harrison, J.R Ward, and even to a certain extent Gini Koch (don’t hate me) and Jim Butcher (don’t hate me more!). I know on some level I should like when a series moves forward to explore new plot points but sometimes I just feel too depressed and disenchanted to keep reading.
(I haven’t made a final decision about the last two authors, but you get the idea I think)
I gave up Feehan when her males became “stranger danger” creepy. lol
And I understand. Sometimes a story gets tot the the point where if one more bad thing happens, you will just die.
Yes, but I hear Skylar and Dmitri’s story is coming in Jan 2014. I’ve waited a long time for this one…I only hope it’ll make sense since I am not up to date on this one.
I don’t think I’ve ever walked away from I genre I loved. Series? YES WITH BELLS ON! I’ll quit a series in a heartbeat, including three of the five you mentioned (although apparently I’m just masochistic enough to stick with Sookie until the hopefully last book due out this year).
The one thing that would cause me to walk away from a genre is something that seems to be seeping into EVERY genre these days: The Dreaded Love Triangle. It pisses me off, especially when it happens in a series where I though the hero or heroine was already established, like in Karen Chance’s “Cassandra Palmer” series where the heroine was cow-eyes for one guy (who I adore BTW) for 4 books and now it seems like KC is going to kick him to the curb for another guy. It makes me all kinds of confused and frustrated when stuff like that happens, because I become emotionally invested in the supposed hero/ine. I care for him/her. I want him/her to be happy. And now the author tells me to cut off my feelings for the person because he/she’s not going to be in the Endgame with the hero/ine? *sigh* Suffice it to say that Love Triangles are the quickest way to get me to drop a series.
I’m not leaving UF completely but I am wary of the direction it’s taking in the last year or so and am more picky of what I choose to spend my money & time on. I’ve even heard a bastard category-UFR. WTH is THAT??
I agree on the love triangle being the ruin of many great book series. I too have read Cassie Palmer series and fell in love with the world building and many of the characters that were in it. The first five books were amazing and up until the fifth book it could be more or less classified into the UF book series with an average heroine who was put into a political situation and with players who are both much smarter and older than she is. At the beginning there is romance but it isn’t the typical type of romance that i was used to see in paranormal romance category. Cassie is attracted to the vampire master Mircea, but both she and the readers know he might have other agendas by entering the relationship with her (BTW, I love Mircea too. I think he is the most fascinating male vampire lead I have ever read in both UF and PR series). For me the romance was on of the subplots then and it didn’t define the protagonist and her actions, and I loved this uncertainty about Mircea’s character. Unlike many typical noble, selfless and perfect love interest for the female protagonist in UF and PR series, he was flawed, and you constantly had to question his motives. Anyways, that was almost until the fourth or the fifth book and then, the love triangle began to solidify, aaaand alarms started going of in my head that this was where the series was going to go. In spite of this, I kept reading up until a point that I was fed up with it and the protagonist whose actions were pretty much romance driven and so far of from where she started first in the series. I kind of have a love-hate relationship with this series. I remember a time when it was really good, and then I think of how it is now,… and I feel sad.
Back to love triangles and them ruining the UF series, I have read only one series in which this trope was used and didn’t ruin the series. For me it was Alex Craft book series by Kalayna Price. There is a love triangle between Alex and two male characters, but it is very much a sub plot and I think the way Price handles it in the story doesn’t damage the series and the main character. For instance Alex doesn’t didle the two men at the same time and is very conscious of the fact that she has feelings for both of them, and in the end makes her choice based on her real feelings and thoughts on the matter.. Other than than this, I haven’t seen a book series which have used love triangles and made me hate the books or the protagonist!
Don’t give up on urban fantasy yet – there’s still some fantastic stuff out there. I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY MASSIVELY recommend Chris F. Holm’s DEAD HARVEST and the second in his collector series THE WRONG GOODBYE. Both are on by Best of 2013 list. I also recommend both Miriam Black novels by Chuck Wendig – hand’s down crazy wild dark UF.
You know … and my books ;)
I agree that UF has been eclipsed by the romantic elements – it’s too bad because it’s such a fantastic genre.
I won’t leave as I stated above, but the choosing of what I read is more selective.
I’m one who likes a UF with a strong romance. But let me explain – I NEED excellent world building. I NEED excellent character development. IF those are sacrificed to bring in a romance, I’m disappointed. I’d rather have world and character building than romance if I had to choose.
People who include romance well are Ilona Andrews, Jennifer Estep and Patricia Briggs. And guess what – Curran/Kate, Adam/Mercy – I could read about them in love with no romance conflict FOREVER. They don’t have to break up, they don’t have to have immature fights. THIS is how well romantic UF is written.
My most notable break-up with UF is Chloe Neill’s Chicagoland Vamp series. Partly because of what happens with Ethan, and partly because Ethan and Merit breaking up over and over got SO OLD.
YEs, I missed Briggs. Such a good balance of UF and romance.
I finally broke up with the chicagoland vamps because I was seeing the same story and no growth by the characters. its also the dreaded triangle for me too :(
The dreaded love triangle has ruined so many good relationships. *sigh*
I think it’s more about taking an unnecessary turn that is jarring you, Tori. I wouldn’t cut off ties with all urban fantasy. I think the problem is more indicative of the trend in the industry of late to have UF with heavy romance elements. We have series* that started off with kickassery and a romance subplot for character development in book one. Then someone said “sexytimes is popular, please add more sexytimes” and slowly that subplot begins to eclipse the main story. That shift isn’t just about bucking your expectations (you came to that series for asskicking heroines in a, generally, contemporary fantasy setting), but also making moves that feel counter intuitive to the character motivations we connected with in the first book.
Tori, I think you’re feeling the bait-and-switch. Totally a fair assessment, but something tells me I’ll be able to talk you into one more UF down the road. …with minimal sexytimes. Right? ;)
*LKH doesn’t fall in this category. That transition was all her own WTFery.
You know me so well. (hugs)
Such a great article Tori! I gave up on LKH around the time she had Edward in a relationship. It was when the series lost momentum (not to mention child rape!) and devolved into orgies without plot. One my my earliest reviews is for one of those books and people HATED me for it.
In UF I need strong world building and at least 3 key, well developed characters. Patricia Briggs (the Mercy series anyway), Kevin Hearne, and Jenn Bennett remain my favorites. I want the romance/love to be a key element but not the central element. I think Jenn does such an exceptional job there, I could sing her praises all day for adding a kid to the mix.
I’ll admit to finding myself really conflicted with Allison’s Abby Sinclair series. I love her writing, her creative approach to characters that exist in folklore… hell I even wanted there to be a menage outcome… but the third book was a difficult read and took me forever to review because of it. I’m dying to see her write something else just so I can get over feeling like a dick for not loving the conclusion because she’s such a cool chick.
I never break up with a genre but I can definitely agree to knowing when to break-up with a series or three. For me it’s happening a lot more with PNR series though. Gena Showalter has gotten a lot of that from me the past few years and I just couldn’t stick with Michelle Bardsley either. PNR’s a genre that’s becoming kind of stagnant and yet here I am… still reading tons of it. *facepalm*
I’ve gotten picky about PNR to. I’m finding I need more humor and less angst.
Oh, so much this.
My main issue with the romance taking over is that the series/book was never structured to be a romance. So, the heroine loses her agency and the story spins in circles around whatever man or men she fixates on. There can’t be a grand quest besides attaining that man. Or protecting that man. Or reattaining that man. Or men. And if the story’s a romance, pursuing that HEA above all is fine. But we’re not here for that, and these books weren’t set up to be that sort of story. So then you’re left with either a subpar romance or a subpar UF. Or both. I just want to holler, “PICK ONE, DAMNIT!”
EXACTLY! The genre wasn’t structured for it and when you add it as a major component, then it’s really just a version of PNR.
I really do want romance in my Urban Fantasy but at the same time I want to say that if the romance was took out of the book there would still be a story there. Also there should come a time in the series were the couple are truly a couple and if its only ever been a romance than the story will flounder because the writer never gave the reader anything else to be interested in.
Yes. Can the story survive without the romance? Unfortunately, we are in a trend where I hesitate to say yes.
I don’t really walk away from genres as much as I take a much needed break. I did this with contemporary romance and historical for years, only have started reading them again with the last couple of years. I guess I’m the odd one out, because I do like UF that has strong romantic elements woven throughout the book. Andrews, Briggs, Bishop, Kelly Gay, Diana Rowland, S. McGuire, Jenn Bennett all seem to have a strong central romance that is woven throughout the series, but they (IMO) add to the story, rather than detract from it.. makes it richer and more vibrant.
I will agree with Chelsea from VBC that AB has her own brand of WTFery. lol I think a lot of us would agree on that. Kitty Norville just stopped being fun to read, and I was so disappointed that badass Cormac just turned into a cardboard character. I’ve read that Faith Hunter wants to have 15 books in total for the Jane Yellowrock series and I can’t summon any more enthusiasm for it. I don’t see her making a choice between her men any time soon and there’s not enough to keep me interested in her adventures and I know people love her books. But I’m just done with that series, not enough forward momentum for moi.
I honestly don’t see how Hunter can maintain the LT for 9 more books. If she does, I’ll probably walk too.
I couldn’t agree more with your statements concerning Anita Blake. I was very late in starting the series so I was able to read the first several one right after another. I loved them. And then things changed. The stories seemed to get lost in the descriptions of what everyone was wearing, how long Anita’s hair is, the positioning of sex due to her short height, blah, blah, blah. It seemed liked I was reading the same things over and over. We all know how wide Micah is!! We get it. Stop beating us over the head with it (hee hee). The stories no longer flowed and got lost in details that aren’t important and then, they pretty much stopped due to Anita having to have sex every 5.6 minutes. The last book that I read of the series I honestly put the book down when it was finished and thought “What happened? Was there a storyline?” I don’t even know. It was just one long sex scene. Which are now actually uncomfortable reading because it’s just not sexy having to have sex in a room with people watching and wearing the right colour shirt to show that they are willing.
Other than that, for me, I think when an author has a character so something that is so out of character (for lack of a better word) I lose trust. For me that was the Richelle Mead, Dark Swan series. I loved every book. I even loved the last one until the last few pages where the female decides to keep a secret that she has no right to keep. AND, it is not something that the character would normally do. So, when finished the series, I was left feeling like I had invested all this time and got ripped off in the end by having the character do something that was so unlike her that I felt we were cheated. Like I didn’t even know her. If that wasn’t the last book in the series, it would have been for me.
I never read the Mead’s Dark Swan series but a good friend does and oh boy, did I get an earful when she finished the last book. lol She was so angry over the heroine’s decisions. She still rants about it to this day. lol
I can’t say, but I do agree with you, I want my UF to stay UF and not wander too deep into pnr territory. Of course I can forgive some but not all.
Agree. Stay in your boundries, genres!!!
I agree 100 % especially with Anita Blake. WTH LKH ?
That was s weird. And the funny thing? I had no problems with her Merry Gentry series. I actually enjoyed it; freakiness and all.
I could not agree with you more on Anita Blake. I was ravenous for that series until Anita turned into a total nympho. I like sex in my adult novels, but when it takes over the plot, I’m done. I like sex with my plot, not plot with my sex. I’m sad to hear that the Kitty books went down the hill. I read the first 4-5 and really loved the world and characters. And Sookie. I became uninterested in that series because it just became to much drama. So much drama.
Great post!
Thanks Smash. I agree. Plot before sex! *I need a t shirt that says that to wear to cons*
This was an great post. Of the ones mentioned above, I’ve only read Kitty Norville, and agree with what you say. And honestly, the romance there didn’t bother me much, but the last one I read it seems like every scene was cycle of Ben or Kitty getting hurt and then an overabundance of petting each other.
I cringe every time I read reviews that complain about an urban fantasy novel not having romance, as if that was a net negative and unworthy of being read. Even more so, some reviews trash a novel because it’s missing a hot Alpha Male for a romantic interest. What the heck?
I love urban fantasy, but it is quite hard to find books that are to my appeal in this genre, and my patience is getting thinner each time I pick a new one to read.
I don’t understand the need to “romance-ize” everything. Not every hero and heroine needs to fall in love. We need more male/female friends in books. lol Friends WITHOUT benefits.
I completely agree with you! I don’t want my urban fantasy to be about nothing but romance! I gave up on Laurell K Hamilton for the same reasons. It just got to be ridiculous. And Sookie – oh jeez I sometimes think I will finish the series just because I invested so much time in it already but it just got to be so disappointing. I have only read the first book to Kitty Norville and I liked it…now I’m dreading what you are saying is it downward spiral. I haven’t read the others. I do hope Anne Bishop continues the The Others series she started with Written in Red and that it will be as awesome as I think it will be. what I REALLY think is that these books just carry on and on for freaking flipping F&cking EVER! They need to set a limit. Just don’t go past 7 books ok? Can the publishers just reign in the series madness…instead they keep having the authors beat the horse until it dies…and the death ends up being a nasty grisly one for us readers who originally used to love that pretty pony….so sad.
Now a don’t feel so bad giving up on a series once I feel I’m done.
Sing on sister and here is hoping we can find the good ones out there!
I ADORE Anne Bishop and I predict grand things for her Others series.
I have to agree. I think long winded series are coming to an end. And don’t even get me started on trilogies. *grumble*
I am so, so there with you.
‘Anita Blake’ – I can only say I’m glad I’m not alone. I know fans of vintage Anita have left the series in droves since it became tasteless porn (the final straw for me was when the promising Marmee Noir storyline was wrapped up in 1-page… and I think, it was ‘love’ that defeated her. BLERGH!). Now I’m more interested in reading Hamilton defend her trashy series and claim that dissatisfied fans are prudes.
I loved ‘Kitty Norville’ – and I really thought I’d found a series with lots of longevity. Then Ben & Kitty happened, and I was completely shocked. At the time I thought “huh. Ben was such a non-character before this but, okay, I’ll go with it.” and about 2 books later I thought it was the biggest mistake, ever. Cormac was the fan-favourite for Kitty. They had such an *ahem* interesting first meeting and their attraction was heady. I thought Ben could be interesting as a spanner in their works – and then Vaughan made it clear that he and Kitty were solid. Now, you’re right, Cormac just takes up awkward space. I think this was a case of an author missing the big picture and writing her characters into a corner that she hasn’t successfully got out of yet (if she even can, I don’t know).
As for Sookie Stackhouse … yeah. I’m not looking forward to the final book. My expectations are well and truly lowered.
YES!!!!! To ALL of this!!!!! *fast clap*
Love this post; I totally agree! Especially about Anita Blake.
I’m with you Tori! Nothing has the capacity to infuriate me faster than a love triangle in my UF. And as for Sookie? Don’t even get me started on that series! I can’t remember the last time I was so disappointed by a series. Boo to love triangles!
Excellent post. I’ve given up (or never started) on all of the series you mentioned. I like a bit of romance in my UF, mainly because it adds intrigue since it’s usually an ‘is he evil or is he on my side’ type of romance. But only if it’s a subplot. It just feels like romance, or worse, sex, is the main point of so many new UF series. Sandy Williams was one of the worst offenders for me, despite the author’s talent, because everything revolved around the triangle. The heroine was too stupid to realize she didn’t have to choose between two awful men. After reading the first in the series, I literally screamed ‘It’s possible to be single, dumbass!’ before the wall bang. I’m at the point where I’d be so happy to read a sex-less UF. I’m desperate for a book with a good plot!
Hi Tory,
I agree with you! The love triangle angst is a killer!! However, I still love urban fantasy and have my favorites… Dresden Files, Kate Daniels & Mercy Thompson. All of these series have a good story, secondary characters & the romance (if any) is secondary. I think when a story is driven by the romance it gets into trouble (IMHO). Regarding the Kitty Norville Series, the romance is fine… it’s the story that’s stagnating (poor Cormac!) Some other really good series are:
Benedict Jacka – Alex Verus
Seanan McGuire – Toby Daye
Lindsey Buroker – Emperor’s Edge
Anne Bishop – The Others
It’s nice to see someone speaking out about the dilution of the UF genre and with lots of reader support. I found UF early on and was thrilled by it’s originality, edginess and the introduction of a lot of new fantasy ideas and of course great twists on old ones.
But in the last couple of years not only established series but new writers are cannibalizing the field and a lot of that originality has been lost in favor of predictable plotting and pandering to traditional romance tropes and cliches. Whether this is at the pleasure of the author or the publisher lord knows.
Anita Blake? Died with Narcissus in Chains. There has been a longstanding rumor that the series crumbled after her divorce and her husband Gary who it was said was her primary reader and possible partial ghost writer. When he left her prose went positively sixth grade.
I agree with many of the commenter criticisms of formerly significant series such as Sookie’s, Chicagoland Vampires and more.
We need more bloggers like you Tori to keep the authors focused on their readers needs and not so much the marketing departments demands. UF reviewers and bloggers need to pander a little less to “fans” who can lose sight of the writing (readers buying LKH take note). Way too many gushy reviews out there of utter crap.
I agree wholeheartedly, Tori. This is one of my pet peeves. I don’t like that urban fantasy seems to be moving ever more closely to the PNR genre. As you say, there are times when it works, and the series that comes to mind is the Downside Ghosts series by Stacia Kane. These books are definitely UF to me but with a huge romantic element. I love Chess and Terrible.
I also hated what Vaughn did to Cormac – I haven’t forgiven her yet. The relationship between Kitty and Ben is just so dull, and Cormac is now just the weird sidekick.
I have broken up with two series. And its mostly to do with what you have descirbed above. Funnily enough one of them is Laurell K Hamiltons Anita Blake series. Like you I just gave up after it changed from what it originally was.
The other was the Dark Hunter series by Sherrlyn Kenyon. (OK, so not UF, but PNR) but I got bored with the same story lines being repeated to the point it was like changing the characters names.
Thread Necro Time! (and kinda fitting for the subject)
After trying to sift through all the trashy romance novels disguised as Urban Fantasy (and failing horribly) I think I may have had an epiphany.
What are the chances that the publishers are using word-play to cross the genres on purpose?
To those of us who like fantasy and sci-fi, we know that Urban Fantasy is generally a modern version of the classic fantasy and/or supernatural elements.
But it seems to me that someone who had no clue about this concept looked at the words “Urban” and “Fantasy”, checked their basic definition, and thought that it was the perfect description for modern wet-dreams in pseudo-story form.
Urban… modern, city… *check*
Fantasy… sex with the unreachable (film stars, vampires, elves, faeries, unicorns… yeah, I’m just waiting for Anita Blake to write a new series where unicorn bestiality is the principle plotline.)
Anyway… sorry to necro your article, but I liked it, I share your feelings.
In my opinion, there should be a clear distinction in genres and sub-genres that everyone follows. Modern Supernatural maybe instead of Urban Fantasy? And keep the porn where it belongs… next to all of the other books with pink spines and pictures of the shirtless guy with an 8-pack in a sensual pseudo-embrace with the buxom damsel who’s nether regions are in obvious distress.
I haven’t read any UF since June, and I think it’s for all the reasons you stated, but mainly because hello, how many books do we need for one series?