McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
Are Readers Growing Tired of New Urban Fantasy?
cenwolfgirl:
i set a actualy sevral biuldings on fire *looks inersent*
urban fantercy is fun to wright if nothing els
arcanist:
--- Quote ---I think this is where I have a problem as well. I have no problem at all with paranormal romance. I don't like it when it is deceitfully packaged. When I pick up a book about a tough, no nonsense monster hunter and find that the main character spends three fourths of her time thinking about one (or two, or three, or...) of the other characters looks, charm, voice, etc. it annoys me greatly. On the other hand I have absolutely problem when a good author has some overlap. The previously mentioned Kate Andrews books are a good example of this. The romance is a definite part of the stories but, for the most part, it has not threatened to become the main plot.
--- End quote ---
I agree. the later anita blake books turn out to be two sixths sex, three sixths pillow talk a and one sixth plot. a bit irritating considering the earlier books were good.
Starbeam:
--- Quote from: arcanist on April 04, 2012, 11:21:56 PM ---I agree. the later anita blake books turn out to be two sixths sex, three sixths pillow talk a and one sixth plot. a bit irritating considering the earlier books were good.
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I think is something interesting, especially when comparing to paranormal romance, because the PNRs I've read have a whole lot more story and a lot less sex. Like Shannon's books. And when there are sex scenes, they tend to further the plot. They're not just gratuitous.
synthesis:
There definitely is a place for paranormal romance, after all, a huge chunk of the populations wants that romance--it's the feel good warmth it can exude that draws most fans--that happily ever after that appeals to all of us fairy tale lovers (and I am no exception there). And, I want to make sure I emphasize that not all of them are the same. Those gems in between sameness are the ones we usually cling to.
I think the problem that I, personally, have, is that many of the series don't focus so much on the story, but on an exceedingly limited formulaic process, particularly in paranormal romances where there is always a "true mate." Character A meet character B. They are destined for one another. They have a lot of sex (which if most of us are honest, it's the only thing we're flipping through the books for :P) there's a big conflict because Character B's life is going to be irrevocably changed, then happily ever after after when Character B accepts said change. Rinse and repeat with different characters.
Is this all there is to paranormal romance? Of course not. Is this what the market is flooded with? Yes.
And then we can twist back to the impact on urban fantasy as well. Sex sells. Hence, we get Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake books. Anita's as vanilla as you get through (if I remember right) the first five books. Then bam, the books suddenly open up with menages, which immediately divides fans into the old and the new. This series has probably one of the most violent reactions not because there's suddenly lots of sex, but because the character change is too rapid and trying to fit a growing market.
Okay, so now I'm swinging back around again--I think it's pretty much a cyclical pattern, as are most things in life, but paranormal romance impacts urban fantasy, and vice versa, but the authors we love the most tend to be the ones that buck the trends.
hank the ancient:
regarding the supernatural romance issues, I think the fact needs to be addressed as a plot hole that you have characters spending an inordinate amount of time and thought on shacking up in situations where survival would be a sane persons main concern. I started to root for the demon Al in Kim Harrison's Hallows series during one book when the character was focused more on her guy problems than the monster likely to eat her face, but this may have been intentional as every supporting character was also yelling at her to get her friggin head in the game. I laughed my head off when the demon repeated another character's earlier sentiment of a potential love interest - "he's Rachel bait".
At this point though I think it would take a lot of skill in an Urban fantasy book to play strait this trope of danger being an aphrodesiac. The proper response to a vampire by any sane person is "OH S***!", not "he's so dreamy". This sort of behavior in a universe of supernatural nasties should get you killed. Period. Slightly lampooning this tendency is only acknowledging what every brain bearing audience member is thinking. (does that say something about twilights audience? ;)). Honestly, to do otherwise means you have characters ruled entirely by thoughts below the waist, even to the point of conflicting with self preservation. In other words, romantic idjits.
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