What belongs in Urban Fantasy?

[BlueNinja]

Just a simple poll, multiple choice: What sort of things do you think belong in the urban fantasy genre? Not to say they all have to be in the same book, just what sort of things do you think are appropriate for filing under "Urban Fantasy."

[Hagelrat]

I'm ok with intelligent animals etc in silly urban fantasy, but in the proper thing it's a bit naff, after all we have lycanthropes and shifters.
Fun post. :)

[Baelfyre]

I voted yes on everything, because I think that any of those CAN have a place in an urban fantasy setting.

Oh, and I think you're an insensitive clod.
:sasmokin:

[Kalzazz]

All of the above

And then some!

[Hitcher]

Look at all the modern Cinderella stories sans fairy godmothers. Anything from Fantasy goes well with Urban Fantasy.

[SD Anderson]

Group Mind/Hive Mind. At a certain population threshold, the collective mental energy of the human race produces overminds. Our brains are essential the cells of this projected pychic energy.

[Mouser]

You don't need aliens or time travel.

You need magic, but what kind is up to you.

You need super advanced technology.

Mix it.

<rubs palms together>

And you gotchyerself a perfect recipe for some Urban Fantasy.

Also, you have to have trees.

"Trees is fantasy. Rivets is science fiction."
-Orson Scott Card

[The Thin Grey Line]

Actually, you just need really only need a city for it to be urban, no? :)

[Harper]

I sometimes think they should have called it "post-modern fantasy" since not all of it takes place in a contemporary, or in an urban setting.

Definitely no aliens, though. Unless you're Mario Acevedo. Then... yeah, aliens. And nymphos.

[Brother Brian]

I would say that once you add superior technology, aliens, and/or time travel, you're really looking more at sci-fi than urban fantasy.

Otherwise...the sky is the limit.

[AnotherSKip]

I think UF needs everything But Insensitive clods.

there are some very nice urban fantasy.....


*Blink*

The Aliens could be fighting the Elves for control of the planet while no one is the wiser.....
Undercover commandos supertech vs Magical forces in a supernatural duel to the death for control of humanities imagination and the strip mining thereof.

[BattleNymph]

I love Urban Fantasy because it can take all those wonderfully fun ingredients and put them in my world. The world of today.


I just got cast in an urban fantasy film that is a romeo and juliet story where Juliet is an elf and Romeo's family are elf-hunters in this modern day. I get to be Romeo's mother (only it's a bigger part than the Montegue mom in the Shakespear play thank heavens). I also get to be the first of the parents to think that killing Juliet and her family may not be the best idea. :D It's going to be cheesy, campy and wholely fun.

[Harper]

Wow, Nymph! That's sounds like way too much fun.

[BattleNymph]

Wow, Nymph! That's sounds like way too much fun.

Heh.. .I'm trying to talk the director into adding a fight scene at the end. :D

[ImzadiDragonfly]

That sounds like fun Nymph. I hope you get your fight seen!:shoot:

[Harper]

Heh.. .I'm trying to talk the director into adding a fight scene at the end. :D

You mean instead of "everybody dies?" or as an addition? ;)

[Sakutian]

Maybe it's just me but I'd like to see more robots making their way into urban fantasy. Not a ton I mean one or two would be plenty. Sme death rays would be fantastic too. Yeah I'm a sucker for a good old fashioned death ray.

[Harper]

Hmm... may I suggest a bit of Steampunk? It's generally categorized as Science Fiction, but since it depends on alternate history and technology that has been by passed or is impractical, I tend to think of it as a Fantasy thing, really. Not too many other Fantasy elements in most of it, yet, but I expect that may happen.

Why does the book Anno Dracula come to mind...?

[Sakutian]

Steam punk would be really cool if it got incorporated into urban fantasy a bit more. Honestly I can't think of an author or series that has done it except for the Steamboy movie of course but that's not really urban fantasy.

Anno Dracula?

This sort of random but it's an idea that has been eating at me for months now. I want some urban fantasy crossovers! Harry Dresden meets Harper Blaine! Dr. Strange meets Georgina Kincaid! Joanne Baldwin meets somebody else! Seriously I know it would be weird but it'd be fantastic.

[BlueNinja]

Sak: You've never read Girl Genius by Phil Foglio? You are truly missing out on a steampunk classic.

Steampunk is one of those things that everyone likes ... a little bit. I like steampunk, but I don't think it would fit well in Greywalker, Dresden, SERRAted Edge, or Dark Hunter series - which are IMO the "good" series in urban fantasy.

Also, please dear god no Anita Blake / Harper Blaine crossovers. Ugh. Well, maybe if Harper ends up kicking Anita's ass ...

[Sakutian]

Nope never read it, I'll consider adding it to the list.

The only way I'd wnat steampunk brought into Greywalker would be if it were done with a lot of humor. But who knows people have incorporated ideas into their work in ways I hadn't thought of in the past so Mrs. RIchardson might come up with somethign really cool if she ever chose to do so, which she probably won't.

Poor Anita nobody likes her anymore...except me and Sigmund. Sorry but Harper would kick her head in she's way tougher.

[Harper]

Y'know... I'm not a huge Anita Blake fan. Not since Book 5 or so. I'm looking for something else in a book than what Ms. Hamilton is currently delivering. But that doesn't mean she's not doing a good job of writing something a lot of other people really like. Personally I find her a bit more of the Anne Rice school than the Butcher/Harris/Huff/Green school but there's room for us all.

As to steampunk, I like a lot of the ideas, but as a friend of mine recently pointed out, a lot of steampunk is still in the clever-worldbuilding stage where the writers are largely experimenting with the "cool" and not yet developing the stories. She feels that what is needed is the genre's "Dracula" or "The Matrix"--taking the dominant ideas and props and melding them with an involving plot and characters rather than just staring with childlike wonder at the "neat stuff." I happen to agree. Good story is what we remember even more than great worlds.

It's Vernian in origin, but Jules Verne was a bit of a sloppy potter. Does anyone really remember or care about his characters? Not so much. They remember the ideas like the Nautilus and the Core of the Earth and the hot air balloon that carried Fogg and his valet around the world in 80 Days. But I think some of the upcoming stuff is going to rock that world with much better story and character on top of the wonder of fabulous machines.

And I did slip a steampunk item into VANISHED.... (well, technically it's "clockpunk" but you'll get it when you see it.)

[Sakutian]

Those are all really good points, Steam Punk does need a story with an evolving plot and characters to get people interestd in it beyond saying ooh at the fun stuff.

Oh man every time I find out something new about Vanished I want to read it more and more.

[Harper]

Yup, I'm an evil beast that way.... :sagrin:

[Sakutian]

That's just mean haha, Jim Butcher's new book doesn't come out for a while yet either so I don't get to read anything new from either onen of my favortie series for a while.

[Sakutian]

Just a thought but I'd say super hero also fall under urban fantasy at least as far as my definition goes. Some more than others certainly *Cough* Dr. Strange *Cough*.

[BlueNinja]

I don't think that Genius: The Transgression (http://sites.google.com/site/moochava/genius) was out at the time I made this thread, or I would have definitely voted for a few more science-y options at the time. For those of you who are fans of World of Darkness, or just mad science in general, I highly recommend it.

[Mist]

This sort of random but it's an idea that has been eating at me for months now. I want some urban fantasy crossovers! Harry Dresden meets Harper Blaine! Dr. Strange meets Georgina Kincaid! Joanne Baldwin meets somebody else! Seriously I know it would be weird but it'd be fantastic.

As far as crossovers, C.E. Murphy is working on a project with Faith Hunger. Joanne Baldwin and Jane Yellowrock.

[Kalzazz]

I can't believe I didnt say dragons. You need dragons