McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
Are Readers Growing Tired of New Urban Fantasy?
Shecky:
As you point out, it started the craze, not the genre. It WAS newness for people who weren't SF/F readers before - modern fantasy existed for quite some time before it got rebranded as urban fantasy (I still prefer the name MF for childish-snicker reasons) and got snatched up and turned in some pretty specific directions... whence came the craze. Fortunately (by my estimation), it got a re-boost in a different direction, both from folks like Jim who worked within the over-genre but not in the craze subgenre, and from folks like Jim's wife who have taken the craze's direction and reappropriated it in a less craze-oriented direction.
... bah. I still dislike excessively-meticulous categorization of this sort, especially when something doesn't quite belong to one or another.
Aminar:
Personally I feel like Urban Fantasy has stagnated itself the same way High Fantasy did.
Instead of Elves, Dwarves, and Orcs it has Vampires, Werewolves, Wizards, and Faeries. Now, I love Urban fantasy, but all in all it needs to expand those horizons.(I'm hoping to catch/start that wave wit my novel.) I created a whole new world similar to Earth but with a definitely different history that parallels things to keep development similar. This allowed me to create a large scale magic system unlike anything seen in Urban Fantasy(although based on elements from all over literature, video games, and What have you.) I have urban fantasy in a way I've never seen(High Urban Fantasy basically), and I can only hope that changes the genre and revives it.
Unfortunalty createing worlds like I did is a whole lot more work than Standard Urban Fantasy worldbuilding, especially considering I'm trying to mimic the scope Jim's world feels like it has.
Brandon Sanderson's "The Alloy of Law" pushed this boundary too, but he had an epic fantasy set in the world already to give it credence.
Dresdenus Prime:
--- Quote from: Aminar on January 31, 2012, 04:19:35 PM ---Personally I feel like Urban Fantasy has stagnated itself the same way High Fantasy did.
Instead of Elves, Dwarves, and Orcs it has Vampires, Werewolves, Wizards, and Faeries.
--- End quote ---
This is sort of what I'm hoping is the main case of why people are growing tired of the genre, if that's even what's happening. Like I said, my post is based on a few reviews of multiple books, and the cancellation of what was thought to be an ongoing UF series. Maybe it's still holding its own.
But Like you Aminar, Im hoping to think outside the box. I plan to indtroduce new creations into already existing mythology. (My main character will actually be my own creation, as will the main antagonist). At the same time, I will still use already existing creatures, but I hope to really dive deep into what exists in myth and stories and use creatures that aren't commonly used. I currently have no plans to include faeries, werewolves will feature in maybe one book, and while I will feature a vampire here or there, I have altered their history quite a bit to make them a little less stale.
With any luck this will be enough to spark an interest. If not, then back to the writing board!
--- Quote from: Shecky on January 31, 2012, 03:28:40 PM --- Myke Cole's Shadow Ops: Control Point. Technically under the aegis of UF, but it's modern military fantasy and takes ooooooooold concepts and remixes them in a new way. I highly recommend it. http://mykecole.com/products-bibliography
--- End quote ---
Thanks for this recommendation! I placed it in my "To buy" list on amazon! ;)
meg_evonne:
--- Quote from: Kali on January 31, 2012, 02:36:47 PM ---Sadly, I know I am. There are rare exceptions, but for the most part I'm over the genre and don't read it anymore. I'm craving good epic fantasy. And I'm half-heartedly shopping around a UF book myself.
--- End quote ---
Ditto, and for sometime now. It's not that I wouldn't love a really great new one, but you trod through an awful lot of 'maybes' that don't make it and it's easier to shun the lot a bit. Although I will give Shecky's suggestion a hard look, even though I'm not a true military sci fi fan. Does your wife like it? You and her have not lead me astray when it comes to tv series.
All the more reason to look toward the next DF!
WAIT.... I just saw the cover and the amazon description. Is there not at least one female in the shadow ops? If so, it just got a black mark from me. Military fiction can have women you know. Sincerely hope that it's just being macho sold?
Shecky:
--- Quote from: meg_evonne on January 31, 2012, 06:34:20 PM ---Ditto, and for sometime now. It's not that I wouldn't love a really great new one, but you trod through an awful lot of 'maybes' that don't make it and it's easier to shun the lot a bit. Although I will give Shecky's suggestion a hard look, even though I'm not a true military sci fi fan. Does your wife like it? You and her have not lead me astray when it comes to tv series.
All the more reason to look toward the next DF!
--- End quote ---
That's the very reason I was gun-shy about UF back when I found TDF - there was so much (let's be honest) crap out there. Jim brought me back into the fold and I found folks like Seanan McGuire, Anton Strout, Harry Connolly and others.
As for SO:CP, yes, Sue enjoyed it. Much as with the DF TV show, it wasn't a genre she generally would've gotten into, but it surprised her. She's actually recommending Myke's book unprompted.
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