The sequel to Mark of the Demon is called Blood of the Demon and it will be out 2/23/2010.

Yeah, I usually wait until I've read a few books from an author too, Melanie.

Enjoying the Soulless love!

I have Mark on my TBR list because Charlaine Harris blurbed it. Since I love CH, I have to give it a go.

I think everyone I love has been mentioned already. I have to catch up on so much reading over the holidays so maybe I'll find some new favorites.

Anna wrote: "I'm thinking of starting in on Diana Rowland's Mark of the Demon after I finish Soulless. What does everyone think of these? "

I've read both of these. I liked "Mark of the Demon" and I will read the sequel (I assume there will be one).

I loved "Soulless". That author is going on my "automatic buy list".

I read Mark of the Demon not too long ago. It is pretty good. It is not my favorite, but I am looking forward to the next book. I did not include her in my list, because I am not 100% sure what I think of her yet. Sometimes, it is hard to tell on the first book.

All my favorite authors have been mentioned. I'd have to say that LKH, Patricia Briggs, Karen Chance, Charlaine Harris, and Jenna Black are my favorite...at least their books are the ones I look forward to most.

I really like Jim Butcher, Simon R. Green, and Mark del Franco.

Seanan McGuire really impressed with Rosemary and Rue and I'm eagerly awaiting her next book.

I've enjoyed the first two books in Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampires series, and the first Night Tracker, Demons Not Included A Night Tracker Novel book by Cheyenne McCray. These two authors aren't my favorites yet but I do enjoy them.

I'm thinking of starting in on Diana Rowland's Mark of the Demon after I finish Soulless. What does everyone think of these?

Here are my favorites:

Laurell K Hamilton
Patricia Briggs
Kelley Armstrong
Kim Harrison
Jenna Black
Jeaniene Frost
Stacia Kane
Karen Chance
Rachel Vincent
Christine Warren
Suzanne Collins

My favorites have all been mentioned: Karen Chance, Kelley Armstrong, Patricia Briggs, Kim Harrison... Although I'm still mad at Kim Harrison for her ending to "For a Few Demons More"!

No one has mentioned Eileen Wilkes - is she any good? I just ordered one of her books after enjoying her short story in "On the Prowl." I'm curious to see if the novel is good, too. Also if it's PNR or UF; I can't always tell when I'm ordering books. Based on the description someone gave to distinguish the two genres, I think I mostly prefer UF.

Ilona Andrews is (are) awesome. The Kate Daniels series has become one of my favorites. I think he does most of technical part of the scene and she does the emotional part (I read this somewhere but damn if I can find that this morning LOL).

new_user wrote: "Lianne wrote: "I think those that nail it, that offer something new and refreshing, that cont..."

Ilona Andrews definitely knows how it's done. I don't know how they write together, but it's fanta..."

huh? I think I missed something LOL. Husband and wife write together?? I thought he was the editor, I didn't realize he also wrote.

I guess it's a compliment to them since I had no idea that there's more than one person writing. Wow, that's amazing.

new_user wrote: "Lianne wrote: "I think those that nail it, that offer something new and refreshing, that cont..."

Ilona Andrews definitely knows how it's done. I don't know how they write together, but it's fanta..."

I know! It's seamless! Usually I can identify a male author from a female author even in small scenes or in characters but I actually didn't know it was a collaboration until after I'd read the first book.

Lianne wrote: "I think those that nail it, that offer something new and refreshing, that cont..."

Ilona Andrews definitely knows how it's done. I don't know how they write together, but it's fantastic. It moves so quickly and with so much action.

My favourite UF writers are: Mike Carey. I love his take on demons and ghosts in the Felix Castor series and how he blends it with the mystery aspect. And Felix Castor is an interesting character.

Rob Thurman: I love the originality of her version of elves, and the variety of supernatural beings. I also like the relationship between Cal and Niko.

Other favourites are: Jim Butcher, Kim Harrison and Mark Del Franco and i'm looking forward to more books in the October Day series by Seanan McGuire.

There are plenty of UF authors that I enjoy, but I think only a select number of them are the best in their genre.

I think those that nail it, that offer something new and refreshing, that continue to be consistently good are Vicki Pettersson, Karen Marie Moning, Ilona Andrews, Kim Harrison, Kelley Armstrong and Karen Chance. These are the main authors I really look forward to reading more than any others in the UF genre.

Heather wrote: "I really like the Dark Days series by Jocelynn Drake. The first one was my favorite. Great world building and I love the relationship between Mira and Danaus. Doe..."

I haven't gotten to it yet, but I keep seeing it in BN and will eventually pick it up lol.

Right now it's Rob Thurman, John Levitt and T. A. Pratt (Marla Mason rocks the house.) Poison Sleep is my favorite of the series so far. Vicki Petterson, Marc del Franco and Anton Strout are also current favorites. I just found Mike Carey's series starting with The Devil You Know. He's jumped right up to the top!

Susan wrote: "anyone else ever read Evelyn Vaughn's circle books or Cheri Scotch's Were books?"

No, but I'd like to read Scotch's books. How do they compare to other series? :)

I really like the Dark Days series by Jocelynn Drake. The first one was my favorite. Great world building and I love the relationship between Mira and Danaus. Does anyone else read this series?

Just thought I'd bump this up and see if there are any thoughts from the newer members.

anyone else ever read Evelyn Vaughn's circle books or Cheri Scotch's Were books?

Oh yea, Tanya Huff. I like both her fantasy and PNF. I also really enjoyed the spin off series starting with Smoke and Shadows. That series features Henry Fitzroy, the Vamp from the blood books and Tony foster, the former junkie who was the occasional snack for fitzroy. Given that Tanya Huff has a degree in film and she then was somewhat involved in the series based on the blood books, it is really cool.

As I was going back over the posts, I noticed Susan that you had already mentioned many of the books I did. And I cant believe I didnt mention De lint. Many authors of PNF cite him as an influence. Two more authors who havent published much yet, so they arent my favorite catagory, but were two of the best books I read this year were "Bloodangel by Justine Musk and Ghost Radio A Novel by Leopoldo Gout.

And god forbid I forget, Harry Dresden.

Lily wrote: "Oh and I love the Blood Books but cant think of her name. "

Tanya Huff?

Lily wrote: "Some women working their way up are Devon Munk"

I was really impressed with Devon Monk's Magic to the Bone too. This series could quickly become one of my favorites if it keeps up like the first book. There's some books that blur the line between PNR & Urban Fantasy - this one is most definately Urban Fantasy.

A lot of the authors listed are in my top list. It is hard to be difinitive about my MOST favorite. I love the "Urban Shaman" series by CE Murphy. I am not as enchanted with her latest series about the gargoyle but I am reading it and it is ok to good.

Urban Shaman

Also, I love Marion Zimmer Bradley's dark fantasy mentioned earlier and her Witchlight series too, and every single thing else she wrote.
Some other women at the tippy top of my list are Laurell K Hamilton, and Lilith Saintcrow and Patricia Briggs. I like Mercedes Lackey's SerRated Edge series too--a lot.

Some women working their way up are Devon Munk, Kat Richardson, Margorie Liu, Karen Chance and Rachel Caine. Oh and I love the Blood Books but cant think of her name.

I have to stop now, not because there arent writers I like as much as the second tier writers mentioned, I just need to get my grand daughter to sleep. I know I am leaving out some of my most favorite.

Lily

Most of my fav authors have been listed already, Kelley Armstrong, Rachel Caine , Jim Butcher(<3), Vicki Petterson (REALLY surprised by this series).

Rachel Vincent's werecat series was really good too, and I'm desperately waiting to see how that series pans out. Definitely worth a read.

no, I have Hastings hold one for me when they come out... and I adore my Amazon.com account

Susan wrote: "our local Hastings can't keep her books in stock; Bookman's says they've never seen any of them and B&N sucks--they've never even had them in stock.

I don't like the local B&N... it's the ONLY p..."

Oh ouchhhhh! So you can't get a hold of any of them????

tosca wrote: "Hey, thanks for the Rob Thurman tip - have just requested his books. Can never have enough to read ;) Also thanks for the Kat Richardson tip. Have never heard of either of these authors (shockin..."

Haha, her books. Rob is short for Robyn. I did the same thing XD.

Hey, thanks for the Rob Thurman tip - have just requested his books. Can never have enough to read ;) Also thanks for the Kat Richardson tip. Have never heard of either of these authors (shocking, and I work in a library) so am greatly looking forward to it.

our local Hastings can't keep her books in stock; Bookman's says they've never seen any of them and B&N sucks--they've never even had them in stock.

I don't like the local B&N... it's the ONLY place I've EVER taken my dog where be mis-behaved and she acts up almost every time we go in there. She even tried to pee in there one day. My friend Lisa says it's because the place is haunted.

Oh my God! It's soooo great to finally find some other fans of Rob Thurman's Nightlife. She's definitely my favorite author of this genre. Anyone got some good suggestions? Or any fans of Nightlife want to talk about the series?

I may have to try it, then. I like UF action-packed stories. And thanks, DarkHeart, for clueing me in that the author is a woman!

I've read 3 of the books, I haven't gotten around to the 4th yet. But I like the series. It's definitely UF so don't expect an HEA ending. It's about two brothers who are fighting against the supernatural world. One of the brothers (cal) is not exactly human and he fights to control himself. The other brother (nico) is very protective and does his best to keep Cal safe.

The books are definitely action packed, and once I pick up the books, I don't put them down until they're done.

I have the first of her series (yeah, it's a her, I didn't know that for a long time), Nightlife in my pile to be read this month. I've heard nothing but good things about it.

Has anyone read Rob Thurman's Cal Leandros series? I saw a copy of the 4th book today, and I thought the blurb on the back sounded really good. Does anyone know anything about it?

Dawn wrote: "Michelle M I will check that out because I could not get into Something from the Nightside but then again that was at the same time I read the Jim Butcher series.
"

Caution: First 50 pages of Man with the Golden Torc are somewhat of the "info dump" nature. Not that it's that bad, but it does drag a bit as he's setting up the character. After that, and in the second book, it's smooth sailing.

Michelle M I will check that out because I could not get into Something from the Nightside but then again that was at the same time I read the Jim Butcher series.

Dawn: Yes, he does, though I haven't read any of those yet. This series is, I believe, in the same universe but with different characters. It's been described as more humorous than the Nightside books.

Simon Green writes the nightside series right?

Remiss! The next one's out this summer: The Spy Who Haunted Me.

I haven't read Daemons... yet. ?Where's my shopping list?

Susan mentioned Simon R. Green and I second the motion. I just read Man with the Golden Torc and Daemons are Forever-urban fantasy set in London. Main character is sort of a supernatural James Bond type (hence the book titles). British humor. Very funny with lots of action, mystery and some romance thrown in.

It's been likened to Dresden.

ahh - that makes sense. I should've been able to figure it out!

Thanks DarkHeart

Happily
Ever
After

I'm sorry - what does HEA stand for? I keep seeing it in posts and I just can't figure it out!!!

Susan I loved Marion Zimmer Bradley Myst of Avalon series so sad she passed away she wrote amazing stuff I will have to add this other series on my TBR

Susan wrote: "But, isn't Kim Harrison PNR?"

No, Kim Harrion is urban fantasy. In fact, I'd almost say Kim Harrison is a textbook example of urban fantasy.
PNR would imply that there is a clear romance story, one clear hero and heroine who have an HEA at the end of the book. PNR is primarily written in third person, and there's a different hero and heroine in each book.
The Rachel Morgan books are all about Rachel, and the primary focus of the series are her adventures. She dates, and there is the occasional sex scene, but romance is actually a very small, almost negligible part of those books.

I started reading fantasy whe I was 6 with the Hobbit... and that was !!!30!!! years ago, so I've read quite a few books.

As for urban fantasy that isn't PNR... Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Charles de Lint and Emma Bull/Will Shetterly are the best, AFAIC... I also like Marion Zimmer Bradley's urban fantasies (Dark Satanic, Witch Hill, The Inheritor, Ghostlight, Graveligt and Heartlight). I read several of the authors you've mentioned above and am kinda surprised noone mentioned Rachel Caine or MaryJanice Davidson, but not really as surprised there's no mention of Steven Gould (Jumper) Simon R. Green's Nightlife books, Tanya Huff's Vicky Nelson books, Jane Lindskold's Athanor books or the harder to find Evelyn Vaughn Circle books and Cheri Scotch Werewolf books.

Tiwaztyrsfist wrote: "I'm gonna say, for me it's a tie between Jim Butcher and Mark Del Franco."

I haven't read Del Franco, but I'm anxiously awaiting the new Harry Dresden book (and the comic series is doing good, too!). I like his high-fantasy as well.

Denni wrote: "Nighlife by Rob Thurman? I particularly enjoyed the brother relationship, good stuff!"

His newest book is on my TBR shortlist...