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Urban Fantasy Urban Fantasy Series: Kraken: An Anatomy, by China Miéville A contemporary fantasy set in present-day The Dresden Files, by Jim Butcher London finds people flocking to a British Wizard private detective Harry Dresden Museum exhibit of a giant squid that is battles overwhelming supernatural forces in stolen by magical criminals, a crime that these fast-paced and haunting noir fantasies. He confronts deadly paranormal politics and propels young curator Billy into a appalling moral choices with prodigious skill, a supernatural underworld. wicked sense of humor, and a deep-set personal code of honor. Set in a vividly- The Bone Season, described Chicago, these are compelling by Samantha Shannon books with well-drawn characters. Paige Mahoney is a Dreamwalker, a rare The Sookie Stackhouse Novels, by Charlaine Harris type of clairvoyant employed by the Seven Full of paranormal politics of the vampire, Seals, the powerful criminal syndicate that fairy,and were variety, these fast-paced and operates within a dystopian 21st-century upbeat mysteries feature the telepathic London controlled by the Scion government. Sookie Stackhouse, her complicated and When she's captured by Scion agents and steamy supernatural love life and her knack turned over to the otherworldly Rephaim, for finding trouble. Though these engaging Paige -- renamed XX-59-40 -- ends up in Sheol novels are humorous, they also tackle some I, a prison camp where she and her fellow darker themes, such as betrayal or a missing "voyants" will be trained to battle the flesh- child. eating Emim. Placed under the guardianship The Mercy Thompson Novels, by Patricia Briggs of Arcturus, Warden of the Mesarthim, Paige While trying to live a so-called normal must develop her gifts if she wants to survive, existence, mechanic Mercy Thompson, a let alone escape. This fast-paced, action- shapeshifter raised by werewolves, gets into packed fantasy boasts extensive world- trouble with the gremlins, witches, and building, a complex system of magic, and a vampires with whom she deals on a daily well-developed cast of characters. basis. Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter, Among Others, by Jo Walton by Laurell K Hamilton Seeking refuge in fantasy novel worlds With vampires, werewolves and shapeshifters throughout a youth under the shadow of a out in the open, St. Louis isn't quite what it dubiously sane mother who dabbled in used to be. Lucky for them, there is the magic, Mori Phelps is forced to confront beautiful and lethal Anita Blake: reanimator, A fantastic narrative in an her in a tragic battle and gains unwanted necromancer, vampire hunter and attention when she attempts to perform supernatural detective for hire. urban setting. spells herself. Book annotations courtesy of NoveList and Tewksbury Public Library Goodreads. 300 Chandler Street Tewksbury, MA 01876 978-640-4490 www.tewksburypl.org The Thief of Always, by Clive Barker vampire. Forced to discover what she Coldwater is unexpectedly admitted The Thief of Always tells the haunting story can about her stolen former life, she must into an exclusive college of magic of Harvey, a bright 10-year-old who is at the same time learn who wanted--and and rigorously educated in modern suffering from the winter doldrums, and of still wants--to destroy her and those she sorcery. a creature who takes him to a place cares for, and how she can save herself. where every day is filled with fun, and The City, by Dean Koontz Christmas comes every night. Widdershins, by Charles De Lint There are millions of stories in the city-- A work that brings readers into the some magical, some tragic, others Bitter Spirits, by Jenn Bennett bohemian fairy courts of "Timeskip's" Jilly terror-filled or triumphant. Jonah Kirk's Despite her star billing at Gris-Gris, Coppercorn and Geordie Riddell finds story is all of those things as he draws Chinatown's notorious speakeasy, San Jilly's sister taken captive and Geordie, in readers into his life in the city as a Francisco spirit medium Aida Palmer's his attempts to help, plunged into an young boy, introducing his stage show is not an act -- she really can even more dire situation. indomitable grandfather, also a conjure (or exorcise) supernatural entities. "piano man;" his single mother, a Her abilities attract the attention of Winter American Gods, by Neil Gaiman struggling singer; and the heroes, Magnusson (a.k.a. "the Viking Days before his release from prison, villains, and everyday saints and Bootlegger"), who's been haunted by the Shadow's wife, Laura, dies in a mysterious sinners who make up the fabric of the ghost of a murdered prostitute ever since car crash. Numbly, he makes his way metropolis in which they live--and who someone put a hex on him. Although back home. On the plane, he encounters will change the course of Jonah's life Aida easily removes Winter's curse, she the enigmatic Mr Wednesday, who claims forever. Welcome to The City, a place soon discovers that she's fallen under the to be a refugee from a distant war, a of evergreen dreams where spell of the mysterious man, who's former god and the king of America. enchantment and malice entwine, burdened with as many secrets as Aida Together they embark on a profoundly where courage and honor are found herself. Bitter Spiritsboasts a richly detailed strange journey across the heart of the in the most unexpected corners and Prohibition-era setting, a supernaturally USA, whilst all around them a storm of the way forward lies buried deep themed mystery, and complex, well- preternatural and epic proportions inside the heart. matched protagonists. threatens to break. Chasing the Moon, by A. Lee Martinez War For the Oaks, by Emma Bull Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman When Diana moves into a great new Being the only person who sees the other Richard Mayhew's life is forever changed apartment, it seems like she's finally worldly creatures, Eddi McCandry plunges after he rescues a young girl named Door having some good luck. Until she finds into excitement and terror when she and finds himself living in a city of out about Vom the Hungering, the becomes a pawn in a bitter age-old monsters, saints, murderers, and angels, monster in the closet who eats battle between two faerie courts in and he must help Door on her mission to everything and everyone, and her modern Minneapolis. save this strange underworld kingdom duty to guard him for eternity, and her from destruction. inability to leave the apartment Fledgling, by Octavia Butler because the door has suddenly A story of a young, amnesiac girl whose The Magicians Trilogy, by Lev Grossman disappeared--then it seems like she's alarmingly un-human needs and abilities Harboring secret preoccupations with a having her same old bad luck. lead her to a startling conclusion: she is in magical land he read about in a fact a genetically modified, 53-year-old childhood fantasy series, Quentin .
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