Author Topic: What do you wish would be done MORE in urban fantasy?  (Read 36087 times)

Offline Lisa™

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Re: What do you wish would be done MORE in urban fantasy?
« Reply #45 on: December 08, 2007, 11:29:38 PM »
One of the things I enjoy so much about the Discworld books is that the "heroes" are, well, MUCH less than perfect. The underbelly comes out on top (if you'll pardon the mixed metaphor ;D ).

Psst - underdog, Shecky. 

Sam Vimes.  Even though he's a Duke.  He is my hero.
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Offline Craz

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Re: What do you wish would be done MORE in urban fantasy?
« Reply #46 on: December 09, 2007, 01:34:06 AM »
An idea for urban fantasy stories I'd like to see; wizards divided by country same as everyone else, perhaps even with nationalism according to their magic. Governmet-employed wizards is something I'd also like to see experimented with.
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Offline Shecky

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Re: What do you wish would be done MORE in urban fantasy?
« Reply #47 on: December 09, 2007, 02:10:59 PM »
Psst - underdog, Shecky. 

Sam Vimes.  Even though he's a Duke.  He is my hero.

Nope. Underbelly. The people from underbelly of society in the Discworld novels also happen to be underdogs, but there are plenty of underdogs who aren't part of the underbelly.
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Offline Shecky

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Re: What do you wish would be done MORE in urban fantasy?
« Reply #48 on: December 09, 2007, 02:11:46 PM »
An idea for urban fantasy stories I'd like to see; wizards divided by country same as everyone else, perhaps even with nationalism according to their magic. Governmet-employed wizards is something I'd also like to see experimented with.

You really need to read Magic, Inc. by Robert Heinlein and Operation Chaos by Poul Anderson.
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Offline novium

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Re: What do you wish would be done MORE in urban fantasy?
« Reply #49 on: December 14, 2007, 10:29:28 PM »
I think that's what I loved about Shaun of the Dead. If some supernatural apocalypse did happen, the average population wouldn't form well-oiled platoons to take them out. The survival of the world really would depend on a couple of slacker, beer drinking buddies that thought it was all a joke initially.
Are there any books along those lines?

But that was the joke - the saving of the world didn't rely on them.  :P It was a zombie movie in which all the usual action/adventure bits with the heroes took place off stage. As a friend of mine remarked, it was like the movie was focusing on a storyline about the extras in an episode of doctor who :-P
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Offline novium

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Re: What do you wish would be done MORE in urban fantasy?
« Reply #50 on: December 14, 2007, 10:32:14 PM »
I was about to say, any quick study of irish history will reveal that while the irish may have a lot of luck, most of it is bad  :P .... which in itself would make an interesting story. someone cursed with the luck of the irish.

Particularly the luck of the real Irish, which is that everyone fights with everyone else and it rains all the bloody time

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Offline Hell's Belle

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Re: What do you wish would be done MORE in urban fantasy?
« Reply #51 on: December 15, 2007, 06:03:24 AM »
I've noticed the increasing popularity of the figure of the PI in these Urban-Fantasy settings, too.  If it's one of those things where it's basically a day job that pays the bills, and is only mentioned in passing, it's cool.

Otherwise, I'd like it a whole lot more if the authors in question didn't do their research on the field by watching old "Magnum, PI" and "Moonlighting" reruns.

This, of course, goes for any career choice that's popular at the time of writing.

I have a love/hate thing with trilogies. I adore the fact that the whole story is condensed into three books...except when I don't. Sometimes, I just need to know that there's going to be something that has no definitive ending.
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Offline Hell's Belle

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Re: What do you wish would be done MORE in urban fantasy?
« Reply #52 on: December 15, 2007, 07:04:15 AM »
More realistic humans. I'm tired of the perfectly in fit human woman or man being the hero. Make them short. Make them fat. Make them have a limb missing. Heck, just make them acne prone for all I care. Just make the humans seem more - human! Why should all heros and heroines be good looking? Why can't they look like some cross between The Phantom Of The Opera and The Elephant Man? Or at least be rather plain.

Fat women can kick vampire butt too, you know.

A Fistful of Sky by Nina Kiriki Hoffman.  It's not a vampire-kicking story, but it's a good one IMO.

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Offline The Corvidian

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Re: What do you wish would be done MORE in urban fantasy?
« Reply #53 on: December 16, 2007, 03:21:34 AM »
I kinda like the stories where the outsiders are the heroes. Rob Thurman is good about this, as both of the Leandros brothers are outsiders.
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I could see a fat woman, though I prefer the term "big woman", give vampires whatfor. I think it would be best for a YA novel. A young woman, who doesn't fit into the popular crowd, and who ends up saying everybody because of her hobbies, and because of her genetic backround. She'd be the descendent of the Jotunar (Ice Giants).

I'd also like to see more technomagic. Now the Dresden Files are good, but I'd like to see a series where you have thaumaturges who use computers like magic mirrors, TVs like crystal balls, and Blackberries like wands. You would later find out that magic and science work very well together.
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Re: What do you wish would be done MORE in urban fantasy?
« Reply #54 on: December 16, 2007, 06:04:15 AM »
I could see a fat woman, though I prefer the term "big woman", give vampires whatfor. I think it would be best for a YA novel. A young woman, who doesn't fit into the popular crowd, and who ends up saying everybody because of her hobbies, and because of her genetic backround. She'd be the descendent of the Jotunar (Ice Giants).

Frankly there's too many YA books where some girl or boy is "a bit of an outsider" cause they're part something or other - and they're the heros of the story. I want an adult novel where she is just an ordinary human being who happens to get sucked into kicking undead or fairy butt. And preferably she'd be fat and short like me cause I'm sick and tired of the Xena-wannabes. Maybe she can find something that would help her. Or maybe she could just have a talent that actually helps in kicking supernatural butt. Since I've always wanted to be the inspiration behind a fictional character let's just use the fact I can sing and sing well as an example - She manages to calm down a rampaging werewolf by crooning the Beatles' Yesterday or Glenn Miller's Moonlight Cockstail to it. (Music hath charms to sooth the savage breast and all that.)

Offline Hell's Belle

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Re: What do you wish would be done MORE in urban fantasy?
« Reply #55 on: December 16, 2007, 06:16:45 PM »
Frankly there's too many YA books where some girl or boy is "a bit of an outsider" cause they're part something or other - and they're the heros of the story. I want an adult novel where she is just an ordinary human being who happens to get sucked into kicking undead or fairy butt. And preferably she'd be fat and short like me cause I'm sick and tired of the Xena-wannabes. Maybe she can find something that would help her. Or maybe she could just have a talent that actually helps in kicking supernatural butt. Since I've always wanted to be the inspiration behind a fictional character let's just use the fact I can sing and sing well as an example - She manages to calm down a rampaging werewolf by crooning the Beatles' Yesterday or Glenn Miller's Moonlight Cockstail to it. (Music hath charms to sooth the savage beast and all that.)

Fixed it.  ;D

I don't agree. YA novels often show kids that don't 'fit in' that they, too, can still be a part of something important.  How many kids have felt alienated, only to read books that show not only is that a normal part of development, but that even the 'oddballs' have potential for greatness?

A lot of books feature 'ordinary' people thrust into extraordinary circumstances.  I've found that many are actually graphic novels, so a trip to the comic store might yield some gratifying results.

Or you could write your own story, since you want something to be based on yourself.  I think one of the big problems facing authors is that they have to appeal to a broad market, which means people of all shapes, sizes and talents having to identify with the main character.  They can't go too esoteric or specific or they'd end up losing a large part of the market.
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JamiSings

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Re: What do you wish would be done MORE in urban fantasy?
« Reply #56 on: December 16, 2007, 06:20:25 PM »
Fixed it.  ;D

Actually, the quote actually DOES go "Music hath charms to sooth the savage breast." Just a bunch of prudes didn't realize that the author meant "a savage heart" rather then boobies so they changed it to beast.

As for the YA novels - working in a library I KNOW there's a lot of "the oddball is the hero" books. But I don't see why there can't be one like that for ADULTS. We feel like freaks sometimes too you know.

And I have ZERO writing talent. Trust me, I suck. I can't write to save my life.
« Last Edit: December 16, 2007, 06:22:40 PM by JamiSings »

Offline Hell's Belle

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Re: What do you wish would be done MORE in urban fantasy?
« Reply #57 on: December 16, 2007, 06:35:22 PM »
As for the YA novels - working in a library I KNOW there's a lot of "the oddball is the hero" books. But I don't see why there can't be one like that for ADULTS. We feel like freaks sometimes too you know.


Doesn't just about every fiction book out there fit that bill, in one way or another? I'm trying to call to mind a single story that I've read lately that the hero/heroine fit into society...and I guess I've been reading a lot of oddball/hero books.

And I confess to going back and reading a lot of YA novels.  Blood and Chocolate being the most recent of the lot.
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Offline Suilan

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Re: What do you wish would be done MORE in urban fantasy?
« Reply #58 on: December 16, 2007, 06:38:45 PM »
I would like more real-world politics in urban fantasy novels. They usually have supernatural stuff galore and real-world stuff like technology and having normals around that might not be aware of the supernatural, but rarely do real-world politics make life hard on the wizards/witches/supernaturals. Of course, the politics can't be too current, or they'd be outdated by the time the book got published. I wouldn't mind if the author made it all up (as long as it's believable and there is believable interaction between the countries.)  Say, in the near future Europe has finally grown into one state (except, unfortunately, it turns out a fascist state.) And the U.S. have gone communist.  :D And the supernaturals find themselves in the middle of increasing international tension on top of their own problems.

Anyway, I would like a story about wizards/witches/supernaturals coming from different countries, with believable national/cultural differences on top of their supernatural differences. Of course that would require that the author actually knows a thing or two about some country other than his own.

(Only recently I tried reading a YA novel where the main character has a German au-pair girl looking after him.  Although the story is set in 200X, the au-pair girl reads like she's from the 1930s. Makes it really hard to suspend my disbelief. But I shouldn't complain, at least she's one of the good guys.  :D)
« Last Edit: December 16, 2007, 06:41:03 PM by Suilan »
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Re: What do you wish would be done MORE in urban fantasy?
« Reply #59 on: December 16, 2007, 06:56:45 PM »
Doesn't just about every fiction book out there fit that bill, in one way or another? I'm trying to call to mind a single story that I've read lately that the hero/heroine fit into society...and I guess I've been reading a lot of oddball/hero books.

I've noticed though that they're often the oddballs because it turns out they're part-something or other. Rarely does it seem that the teen is a normal pure bred human being. Which is what I'd like to see. A normal human, who doesn't fit in too well because they don't fit society's standards of behavior or beauty or what have you. Who turns around and saves people without any special powers, special charms, etc. Just whatever normal talents they happen to have and a bit of brain power.