8 (Mostly) Urban Fantasy Books Not Written by Neil Gaiman
The news of Neil Gaiman's sexual assault allegations hit me like a punch to the gut. Gaiman was one of my favorite authors, the man who inspired me to write urban fantasy, who legitimized my career field of comics when I was in high school and desperately looking for role models, and gave me the justification that what my 11th grade English teacher called "paperback trash" was worth reading - and writing.
When I was twenty five, I went to Gaiman's last book signing tour for The Ocean at the End of the Lane. He was my literary hero, and I was overjoyed that I got to meet him in person, hug him, and tell him his work inspired me to write what I write. I realized while writing this that I could have very easily been one of his sexual assault victims.
Needless to say, this left me feeling horribly violated, betrayed, and disgusted.
But, as always, I am nothing if not fueled by spite. So, here's a list of 8 books for people who might be looking for a good reading alternative by someone who (to the best of my knowledge, as of the time I am writing this) is not a sexual predator. In no particular order, they are:
1. Butcher Bird by Richard Kadrey
Probably best known for his Sandman Slim series, Kadrey is one of my favorite urban fantasy authors for many reasons. One, he has a delightfully sarcastic sense of humor and writes wonderful banter. Two, he paints beautiful pictures with his words, weaving elements of mythology and folklore easily into dirty city streets and very believable characters. And three, he writes wonderful female characters. In this novel, Spyder Lee is a tattoo artist living in San Francisco when a demon attacks him and upends his entire world, allowing him to see that the world is full of angels, demons, and monsters. I love his take on magic and fantasy, the way he weaves alt/punk elements into the story and characters, and of course, our main female character, Shrike, who is a Certified Badass(TM). It's a super fun ride you definitely won't regret taking.
2. The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson
Pure sci-fi, and a beautiful exploration of class, wealth, and morality. The two main characters are queer women and the whole thing is just so well-written, it was one of my faves the year I read it. Not an easy read emotionally but engrossing and well worth-it, nonetheless.
3. The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
Literally one of my favorite books, I recommend this to basically everyone. It feels like a hug. Klune's writing is seriously wonderful; it's an easy read, filled with delightful characters I instantly fell in love with, and the stakes are basically zero, so no stress. Want to spend a lovely time on a beautiful island with quirky, lovable children (who may or may not be super magical), while a very sweet queer MLM romance unfolds? Then this is your book. Did I mention that the ending made me cry happy tears? Because it did. Truly a cherished read.
4. A Spectral Hue by Craig Laurance Gidney
This is probably one of the saddest books I have on this list, but it's so breathtakingly stunning, I had to put it here. In it, Xavier, a grad student, travels to the isolated town of Shimmer to study quilt artist Hazel Whitby and a collection of Black artists from the area, who he suspects have been inspired by the spirit of the nearby marsh. The book follows Xavier's exploration of the area and its history through its people, alive and dead, and their stories. Gidney's descriptions are dazzlingly beautiful, from the way he conjures color, to the visions of the marsh, the town, the people, and the spirit itself. It is a truly gorgeous love letter to Black folk artists of the South, particularly queer folx and women, and it made my little art nerd heart very happy. The ending is sad and strange and perfectly fitting. I could read this one over and over just for the images it conjures.
5. How Long 'til Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemison
This is the book that made me fall in love with N.K. Jemison, and one I recommend to basically anyone who will listen. It's a collection of short stories, ranging anywhere from high fantasy to sci-fi, and each and every one of them delighted me. Also lots of wonderful queer representation and Black excellence throughout.
6. Snake Agent by Liz Williams
One of my most re-read books, Snake Agent follows two detectives, one human (Detective Inspector Chen) and one demon (Seneschal Zhu Irzh), as they investigate the illegal soul trade in futuristic Singapore III. The world is richly steeped in Chinese mythology and folklore, blending sci-fi, urban fantasy, and detective noir in really fun ways. Chen's demon wife Inari is a delight and can turn into a tea kettle (they are also actually in love and it is quite sweet). Also, Zhu Irzh was my first demon crush for saying things like "Are you accusing me of having principles?" with much disdain throughout.
7. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
This lovely little book blends found family and enemies to lovers while exploring transness, traditional gender roles, and being true to yourself while loving a family that doesn't understand you. In this world, brujeria is gendered - brujos (the men) free the souls of the dead so they can pass over, and brujas (the women) use their magic to heal the living. Yadriel, an AFAB (assigned female at birth) trans man, wants desperately to prove to his family that he is a brujo. There is one way he can do this definitively: by summoning a spirit and sending it to the afterlife. Desperate to do so, he tries to summon and free the ghost of his murdered cousin - but he gets the wrong ghost. A sweet and sometimes humorous story about two lost souls finding each other and themselves in the most unexpected of ways - and yes, it has a happy ending, trust me.
8. Payback's a Witch by Lana Harper
An absolutely swoon-worthy magical queer romance between two witches I instantly fell in love with, this book delighted me from start to finish. Emmy Harlow is a witch who hasn't been home to Thistle Grove since having her heart broken by Gareth Blackmoore, which means her magic (which is tied to the town) is basically nonexistent. When our story begins, she is being called back home by familial obligations at a spell-casting tournament. All she wants to do is get in and out and back to her life in Chicago, but on her first night there, she runs into Talia Avramov, a sexy dark magic witch, who is fresh off a bad breakup with - you guessed it - Gareth Blackmoore. Talia had let herself be charmed, only to discover that Gareth was also seeing Emmy's best friend Linden - unbeknownst to either of them. And now she and Linden want revenge. A sexy take on the John Tucker Must Die premise with an ending that is actually satisfying, this book had me fanning myself and crying within the span of 352 pages. And best of all? It's the first of several books taking place in the same place! Love.