Suggest a New UF Series Please

[Troy]

Hi everyone, I am looking for a new UF series. So please suggest to me your best choices. I have one Request NO romance, Strong male/female characters are fine but if the stories main focus is the romance. The series is not for me.

Here is a list of Urban Fantasy series I have read.

Authors/ series

Richard Kadrey/ Sandman Slim series
Simon R. Green / Nightside series
F. Paul Wilson / Repairman Jack series
Jim Butcher / The Dresden Files / Codex Alera series
Kevin Hearne / The Iron Druid Chronicles series
Ilona Andrews / Kate Daniels series
Harry Connolly / Twenty Palaces series
Marcus Pelegrimas / Skinners series
Diana Rowland / Kara Gillian series
Rob Thurman / Cal Leandros series
Tim Waggoner / Matt Richter series
Benedict Jacka / Alex Verus Series
Ben Aaronovitch / Peter Grant Series
Larry Correia / Monster Hunter International series
Chuck Wendig / Miriam Black series
Tad Williams / Bobby Dollar series
Patricia Briggs / Mercedes Thompson
Tanya Huff / Victoria Nelson series

Thanks for your Time Troy.

[Leiah]

Michael Angel: All his work is wonderful. The Detective and the Unicorn - an LA Detective, is called to another world to solve a series of murders in this world. Fantasy and Forensics - A crime scene investigator, Dayna Chrissie, is pulled away from our world to solve the murder of a king - and the whole thing blows up in her face... it is a series, funny and clever. He has written several other books that are great fun.

Mark Henwick's "Bite Back" Series. There is some romance, but it is not the major, overweening storyline. Rather, the main character, Amber, fights her changing needs.

"Dowser" series by Meghan Ciana Doidge. Jade just wanted to be a cupcake baker, but instead she winds up being the holder of ancient magics. She is one kick-ass woman.

Not really "urban fantasy" per se, but with overtones, Natasha Mostert is an amazing writer of books of oblique symbolism and dark realities. Beautiful.

Finally, check out all the wonderful .99 anthologies out there. I have found some incredible authors to add to my lists that way.

Good luck! Leiah

[Jason]

Based on the list you have there I have two series suggestions

Charlie Huston/Joe Pitt series
Steve McHugh/Hellequin Chronicles series

Both have a mystery bent to them. The Joe Pitt series is only 5 books and its finished. The Hellequin Chronicles is 4 books in with the 4th in the series just published last month. My bet is that you will enjoy Hellequin Chronicles more so I suggest starting there

[Kathy (Kindle-aholic)]

Stephen Blackmoore's Eric Carter series, first book Dead Things.

M.L. Brennan's Generation V series, first book Generation V.

Have you tried Tim Waggoner's Night Terrors?

TA Pratt's Marla Mason books, first one Blood Engines.

Steve Bein's Daughter of the Sword.

Max Gladstone's series is set in another world, but has some crossover UF feel. Three Parts Dead

Kathleen Tierney Blood Oranges.

Jaye Wells Dirty Magic

[Troy]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions please keep them coming. I am looking them all up :)
Thanks for your time! TC

[Betelgeuze]

[Tasula]

Here are more suggestions, lots of variety, some gritty, some funny, a few are in other time periods than today, some might be hard to find, and some were already mentioned above:
Aaronovitch, Ben Midnight Riot
Acevedo, Mario Nymphos of Rocky Flats
Andrews, Ilona Magic Bites
Armintrout, Jennifer The Turning: Book1:Blood Ties Series
Armstrong Kelley Bitten
Baker, Nancy The Night Inside
Banks, Dakota Dark Time: Mortal Path Book 1
Barbeau, Adrienne Vampyres of Hollywood
Bell, Alex The Ninth Circle
Black, Jenna The Devil Inside
Bledsoe, Alex The Hum and Shiver
Bodner, Hal Bite Club
Bowen, Gary Diary of a Vampire
Briggs Patricia Moon Called
Brite, Poppy Z Lost Souls
Bull, Emma War for the Oaks
Butcher, Jim Storm Front
Cacek Patricia Canyons
Carey, Mike The Devil You Know
Chance Karen Midnight's Daughter
Cody, Christine Bloodlands
Collins Nancy A Sunglasses After Dark
Connolly, Harry Child of Fire
Devereux, David Hunter's Moon
Duncan, Glen The Last Werewolf
Ellis, Warren Crooked Little Vein
Farren, Mick the Time of Feasting
Fingerman, Bill Bottomfeeder
Flyte, Magnus City of Dark Magic
Frost, Jeaniene Halfway to the Grave
Gaiman Neil American Gods
Gischler, Victor Go Go Girls of the Apocalypse
Grant, Mira Feed
Green, Simon R Something from the Nightside
Gregory, Daryl Raising Stony Mayhall
Griffith, Clay & Susan The Greyfriar
Hamilton , Laurell K Guilty Pleasures
Hanover, MLN Unclean Spirits
Harrison, Kim Witch
Henry, Mark Happy Hour of the Damned
Huff Tanya Blood Price
Hunter, Faith Skinwalker
Huston Charlie Already Dead
Jacka , Benedict Fated
Kadrey Richard Sandman Slim
Lane, Amy Vulnerable
Lewis, J F Staked
Lima, Maria Matters of the Blood
Marmell, Ari Hot Lead, Cold Iron
Moore, Christopher Practical Demonkeeping
Newman Kim Anno Dracula
O'Malley, Daniel The Rook
Pratt TA Blood Engines
Priest, Cherie Bloodshot
Rardin, Jennifer Bite
Rowland, Diana The Devil Inside
Saintcrow, Lilith Working for the Devil
Shevdon Mike Sixty One Nails
Simmons, William Mark Dead on my Feet
Tregillis, Ian- Bitter Seeds, The Mechanical
Vaughn, Carrie Kitty and the Midnight Hour
Wendig, Chuck Double Dead
Wilson, F Paul

[Leiah]

Tasula wrote: "Here are more suggestions, lots of variety, some gritty, some funny, a few are in other time periods than today, some might be hard to find, and some were already mentioned above:
Aaronovitch, Ben ..."
Wow, comprehensive list! I love these group talks where we get all sorts of new ideas for wonderful books.... thanks!

[Tasula]

And I love to share info about worthwhile books!

[Leiah]

Tasula wrote: "Here are more suggestions, lots of variety, some gritty, some funny, a few are in other time periods than today, some might be hard to find, and some were already mentioned above:
Aaronovitch, Ben ..."

I just started Midnight Riot on Audio and LOVE IT....

[Troy]

Tasula can you Recommend 5 series from your huge list that you think are your favorites; that stand out to you and are not romance related? Your list is great and very inclusive with a lot of books to review and look at (and I thank you for that!) But which series stands out in your mind... that are not on my list and you feel are worthy of recommending to me?

[Practical Mike]

Of your list... I've read and enjoyed:

MHI
The first three Iron Druids
Dresden Files
Alex Verus
Peter Grant
Mercy Thompson

Stuff I read and thought was alright, but not as good as the series above:

Sandman Slim

Stuff on your list I didn't care for:
Kate Daniels
Repairman Jack

I only say that to give you a frame of reference for my tastes in comparison to yours.

From Tasula's list I'd recommend:

-Alex Bledsoe (I like his noir-fantasy Eddie LaCrosse series better than Hum and Shiver, but it was okay too).
-Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan series
-O'Malley's "The Rook" was excellent

Stuff on her list I didn't care for:
-Bitten
-American Gods
-Feed by Mira Grant

They were all fairly slow for my tastes.

Special mention for Tregillis' Bitter Seeds... good books and writing, just a little outside of my tastes.

Other stuff from upthread that I'd recommend:
-Hellequin
-Alex Hughes' Clean was pretty good. Second in series had a few issues, but the third got it back on track.

Don't think I've seen Green's "Secret Histories" mentioned. First one isn't bad, but I kinda lost interest after the third. Good imagination and plotting... just kinda lost interest in the main character. Thought his girl friend was much more interesting.

-the Arcadia Bell series by Jenn Bennett had some really good writing in it, a little slow on action at times.

-The Horngate Witches by Diana Francis was fairly entertaining.

[Leiah]

I didn't like the Secret Histories as much as Nightside. I have that series on Kindle and Audio.

Really loving Peter Grant. Almost noir in feel.

Some people don't like Cal Leandros that much, but I quite like the series.

I just ran across Rob Cornell. Haven't read it, but his first in series, is free right now, so it might be worth picking up.

Her Scarlett Bernard series I quite like.

[Tasula]

Troy wrote: "Tasula can you Recommend 5 series from your huge list that you think are your favorites; that stand out to you and are not romance related? Your list is great and very inclusive with a lot of books..."

Troy, hard to limit to 5 b/c they are all different types, but taking out any that lean toward romance, and taking out those that have only 1-2 books, you might look at these authors from my list:

Acevedo- b/c you said you were familiar with Rocky Flats, and he has a pretty long series, and they are sort of wry

Hanover, MLN- b/c it's a bit different

Huff, Tanya- Blood series b/c the 3 main characters are all very likeable in their own ways

Newman, Kim- b/c her writing is superior and her characters (both the good and bad) well drawn

Pratt, TA- b/c it's a bit different and the lead character is so bloodthirsty I love her

Huston, Charlie- b/c Already Dead Joe Pitt series is just as dark as some on your list (Sandman, for instance) and it's a nice long series

But if I had to name favorites that weren't in a series, and not necessarily on my list or the truncated one above, they would be The Rook, Harry Connolly (I am currently reading The Way Into Chaos, loved Child Of Fire series), Daryl Gregory's Raising Stony Mayhall (FABULOUS zombie book), Nancy Collins, and Glen Duncan's The Last Werewolf.

[MadameZelda]

Tasula wrote: "Troy wrote: "Tasula can you Recommend 5 series from your huge list that you think are your favorites; that stand out to you and are not romance related? Your list is great and very inclusive with a..."

Which one by Tanya Huff? She has at least four series going on.

[Leiah]

Blood series

[Troy]

Practical Mike thanks for the suggestions, Hellequin is on my new list, and Alex Bledsoe's series looks good.

So, I Read This Book (AKA?) / I have the Rob Cornell series on my “to read list” thanks for the reminder!

Tasula, The Last Werewolf is also added. The Joe Pitt is a series I am going to look at again... Thanks for the great input! I am looking at more titles from your big list.

Thanks everyone for your time.

[Mark]

try London Fallingby Paul Cornell

[Leiah]

Troy wrote: "Practical Mike thanks for the suggestions, Hellequin is on my new list, and Alex Bledsoe's series looks good.

So, I Read This Book (AKA?) / I have the Rob Cornell series on my “to read list” th..."
It's Leiah, Troy. And you are welcome!

[Troy]

Mark I am very excited to try the Paul Cornell series, but he only has 2 books. The second book came out in May and the reviews look very good.