Paranormal Fantasy Primer for Newbies and Everyone [ Edited ]

[TiggerBear]

Having noticed a lot of new explorers in the genre, and getting a gentle suggestion. I thought it might be nice to establish a beginners primer, a "HEY you REALLY need to read these!" list of suggestions. We all have our favorite series, but those are often the junk food. Every newbie needs a good solid meal. So join in guys, let's provide some meat and potatoes.


Vampire Series you have to read!

Anne Rice - Vampire Chronicles
Laurel K. Hamilton - Anita Blake
P.N. Elrod - Vampire Files
Jennifer Arimintrout - Blood Ties
Tanya Huff - Blood books
Charlane Harris - Sookie Stackhouse
Elanie Bergstrom
Susan Sizemore


Ghost Series you have to read

Karen Chance - Cassie Palmer
Laura Anne Gilman - Retrievers


Something Witchy this way this way comes Series you have to read

Jim Butcher - Dresden Files
Simon R Green - Nightside
Anne Rice - Mafair Witches
Kim Harrison - Hollows
Yasmine Galenorn


Weres and Shifter Series you have to read

Patrica Briggs - Mercy Thompson
Rachel Vincent


Fae Series you have to read

Laurel K Hamilton - Merry Gentry
Charles De Lint



I know I've probably left a few out, and that are some even this old school fang bait has yet to discover. So all the rest of you long time readers to the genre, chime in they are counting on us.

[Nelsmom]

I would add:

Carrie Vaughn- Kitty Norville (Shapeshifters)

Lilith Saintcrow Dante Valantine (Demons-Psychics)

Lilith Saintcrow Watchers series (Witches)

Marjorie M. Lui  Dirk and Steele  (Psychics and shapeshifters)

Toni 

[LordRuthven]

When it comes to "just series," without including standalones -

Vampires:

The Saint-Germain books - Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

Laws of the Blood - Susan Sizemore

Pseudo-vampires:

Dark-Hunters - Sherrilyn Kenyon

[SciFiCanuck]

Here are a few for me! 

Rachel Caine - Weather Warden Series - 6 books and #7 coming out in August - Great books!

Richelle Mead: Georgina Kincaid Series - 2 books (starting with Succubus Blues) - Title says it all. LOL

Kelly Armstrong: Women of the Underworld series starting with Bitten - 8 books total - shapshifters, etc.

Jeaniene Frost - Halfway to the Grave and One Foot in the Grave - Vampires

Of course both the Anita Blake and Merry Gentry series by Laurrell K. Hamilton!  They ROCK!!

[Chomp]

In addition to those mentioned:

Faeries: Melissa Marr

Superheroes (for lack of a better designation): Vicki Pettersson

Humorous approaches to the paranormal:
Mary Janice Davidson
Katie MacAlister
Christopher Moore

Carol

[paulgoatallen]

TiggerBear:
You realize what you've done, don't you? You've opened Pandora's Box! I've got a few additions but instead of doing one or two at a time, let me make a list first then post it when I'm done...
Paul

[TiggerBear]

You realize what you've done, don't you? You've opened Pandora's Box! I've got a few additions but instead of doing one or two at a time, let me make a list first then post it when I'm done...
Paul
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Well It seemed a little better than every newbie showing up with "hey any suggestions?".
Thought it would be good to coral them a little. (chuckle)But hey not the first time I opened that particular box. (grins)

[lilithesque]

Great thread.  I agree with all these suggestions and there are a few I would add.  I probably will name a few here and `come back after I look up names of others I think of. 

Mercedes Lackey has a couple running collaborative series that are urban fantasy with vamps, fairies, and misc.... magical beings.  They were really what started me from pure fantasy and science fiction to this category (what ever this is).

Particularly, I would recommend Her whole "Elves on the Road Universe" starting with Beldlums Bard series with 9 books starting with "Bedlams Bard". 

From the same universe but running a different track is the Diane Tregarde series (three books starting with "Burning Water").

Also she collaborated with her husband to create in again the same universe the Serrated Edge series.  It would be easiest to start this series with the Omnibus Cromeborne". 

Lastly, She has a series that is from the same world but she goes through time that runs similar to our history and has Elves and such weaved into historical happenings in the Elemental Master series.   If it isn't the same world as the Elves on the Road series it is still a world with similar operating rules. 

Lily

A stand alone book, not by Lackey is "Sunshine".  There are others but I'll leave it here for now.  

[LadyMercury]

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TiggerBear wrote:
You realize what you've done, don't you? You've opened Pandora's Box! I've got a few additions but instead of doing one or two at a time, let me make a list first then post it when I'm done...
Paul
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well It seemed a little better than every newbie showing up with "hey any suggestions?".
Thought it would be good to coral them a little. (chuckle)But hey not the first time I opened that particular box. (grins)

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Thank you for the suggestions. I'm anxiously waiting to start reading P.N. Elrod. I read some of the first few pages and I'm already in love!!

[LordRuthven]

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LadyMercury wrote:

Thank you for the suggestions. I'm anxiously waiting to start reading P.N. Elrod. I read some of the first few pages and I'm already in love!!

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I need to read the books she co-authored with Nigel Bennett, who was kind of the James Marsters of his day.

[TiggerBear]

I need to read the books she co-authored with Nigel Bennett, who was kind of the James Marsters of his day.
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They're ok. I never really liked the feel of them. Bought three, never got more than half past 2.
Might just be that I prefer her own singular take on things.(shrug)

[TiggerBear]

Well a new addition, much deserved.

Something Witchy this way this way comes Series you have to read
Majorie M Liu - The Iron Hunt


It's only the first book, but if the next is half as good.

[Nelsmom]

TiggerBear,

Who is the author for the Something Witchy series?  Sounds interesting.

Toi

[TiggerBear]

Something Witchy is a headline. Read the original post on the first page of this thread, you'll see what I mean.

[Nelsmom]

Thanks that answered my question especially since I have read all the authors you mentioned.

Toni

[Sovereignqueen]

I second Mercedes Lackey.  The "Elves on the Road" and "SERRAted Edge" books were my introduction to Urban Fantasy.

~Suzanne

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lilithesque wrote:

Great thread.  I agree with all these suggestions and there are a few I would add.  I probably will name a few here and `come back after I look up names of others I think of. 

Mercedes Lackey has a couple running collaborative series that are urban fantasy with vamps, fairies, and misc.... magical beings.  They were really what started me from pure fantasy and science fiction to this category (what ever this is).

Particularly, I would recommend Her whole "Elves on the Road Universe" starting with Beldlums Bard series with 9 books starting with "Bedlams Bard". 

From the same universe but running a different track is the Diane Tregarde series (three books starting with "Burning Water").

Also she collaborated with her husband to create in again the same universe the Serrated Edge series.  It would be easiest to start this series with the Omnibus Cromeborne". 

Lastly, She has a series that is from the same world but she goes through time that runs similar to our history and has Elves and such weaved into historical happenings in the Elemental Master series.   If it isn't the same world as the Elves on the Road series it is still a world with similar operating rules. 

Lily

A stand alone book, not by Lackey is "Sunshine".  There are others but I'll leave it here for now.  

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[paulgoatallen]

This is completely tangential but Mercedes Lackey is an interesting author. I've read ...geez... more than two dozen of her novels over the years and while some are exceptional, some are really really bad (personal opinion, of course). If I had to suggest any Mercedes Lackey titles, I'd say her Valdemar novels are probably her best collective fantasy work – I particularly love "Take a Thief" and "Exile's Honor" –  and her Joust novels are pretty good as well.

I can't think of any other SF/fantasy author who is so wildly " up and down." But that's actually a commendable thing – Mercedes has the  courage to try new things, go outside her comfort zone and explore ideas that many writers may steer clear of. Does anyone else feel the same way about her work?

Paul 

[TiggerBear]

 I can't think of any other SF/fantasy author who is so wildly " up and down." But that's actually a commendable thing – Mercedes has the  courage to try new things, go outside her comfort zone and explore ideas that many writers may steer clear of. Does anyone else feel the same way about her work?

Paul

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Yep, I tend to avoid her for that reason. It not like you can even tell in advance either. Kinda makes you wonder if sometimes it not her at all.

[paulgoatallen]

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TiggerBear wrote:

 I can't think of any other SF/fantasy author who is so wildly " up and down." But that's actually a commendable thing – Mercedes has the  courage to try new things, go outside her comfort zone and explore ideas that many writers may steer clear of. Does anyone else feel the same way about her work?

Paul

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Yep, I tend to avoid her for that reason. It not like you can even tell in advance either. Kinda makes you wonder if sometimes it not her at all.

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Tig:

GREAT TOPIC! Ghost writers! I don't know about Lackey but I've often wondered about a few other writers... It just seems so.. dishonest. 

[lilithesque]

I agree there is stuff of Mercedes Lackey I  don't like and others stuff that is fantastic.  She writes so much collaboratively it is not a surprise that varies greatly.  I read somewhere how she generally collaborates with others (her technique).  She said she outlines the stories and aspect of the story and then edits and an adds to her collaborators work.  Of course I read that years ago so don't quote me.  My memory may be distorting what she wrote. 

Interestingly everyone loves the Vladimir world but I actually don't.  I think maybe I read enough of it I just lost interest in the world.  The characters felt too cartoon sweet or evil or predictable to me.  I haven't read the joust series for fear of a similar texture, but maybe I'll give it a spin.  I find I really like her urban fantasy more then much of her pure fantasy although some of it is outstanding.  I get your point Tiggerbear about unpredictability.  It does bring the question how much she actually does write in her collaborations, but her name is on the book so she must answer for what's in it, at least to herself.   

None the less, for me, her urban fantasy really should be included in a "genre series primer".  She was the writer whose book built bridge for me to cross to urban fantasy.

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paulgoatallen wrote:

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TiggerBear wrote:

 I can't think of any other SF/fantasy author who is so wildly " up and down." But that's actually a commendable thing – Mercedes has the  courage to try new things, go outside her comfort zone and explore ideas that many writers may steer clear of. Does anyone else feel the same way about her work?

Paul

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Yep, I tend to avoid her for that reason. It not like you can even tell in advance either. Kinda makes you wonder if sometimes it not her at all.

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Tig:

GREAT TOPIC! Ghost writers! I don't know about Lackey but I've often wondered about a few other writers... It just seems so.. dishonest. 

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