To hate it when an apparently promising urban fantasy novel turns into fucking and eating?

[slightlyglitterpaned]

Had this happen twice, so that's enough to dub it a new genre: apparently urban fantasy with some interesting world building and strong female protagonist, suddenly takes a complete side exit from plot and characterisation into a detailed recitation of every fucking meal our heroine eats (lovingly prepared or ordered for her by the Dark Brooding Hero), and every fucking fuck, again administered by said Brooding Hero.

To add insult to injury female protagonist then must immediately drop any vestiges of self respect because Boyfriend wants to be Boss Man, because that's just how he rolls, darling.

Meanwhile I'm sitting there thinking "at some point they must get back to the actual story, right?" Wrong.

I had no idea UF was a genre, though I've definitely enjoyed some books that would fall into it. Ben Aaronovitch is brilliant. The Dresden Files, Mr Penumbra, the Invisible Library... I'm off to check out other recommendations from this thread, and I'm agog to know which books MNers have written.

Another rec: Kit Whitfield's Bareback (also released as Benighted in the US). Protagonist is a non-lycanthrope legal adviser in a majority lycanthrope world, investigating an attack/murder, she is bitter, cynical, and very very tired.

www.kitwhitfield.com/thebook.html

Love this thread. Adding the recommendations to my wish list.

The Kate Daniels series is ok. There is a love interest, which makes her slightly anxious. But generally doesn't change the character.

The first book took a while to get into and the latest book wasn't great, but I did enjoy them.

I'm currently writing a fantasy novel (just for fun, I'm not an author)...it has one ackward sex scene and that's it. I do describe food quite a lot though.

I loved the Kate Daniels books (Ilona Andrews).

The Darynda Jones books are a good read. There is a fair bit of nookie in it, and some food, but a lot more. :) And there are 8 books in the series. First Grave on the left - or right, I forget! - is the first one.

I love the Deborah Harkness books.

I had no idea this was a genre! Therefore I have nothing of any use at all to add, but thankyou for alerting me to it, it sounds brilliant so I shall give some of these recs a go.

*Mmmmm Pritkin!

Ahem. Sorry!*

Glad I'm not the only one to have that reaction! I know Karen has said she won't write a Pritkin series, but I think it would be awesome. :)

Okay, I'm now on book 2 of the Cassie Palmer series (Karen Chance) - thanks very much for the recommendation!

They're available much cheaper as a series on Kindle here: www.amazon.co.uk/Cassie-Palmer-Series-Karen-Chance-ebook/dp/B005DKRFX2 about £3.99 at the moment, for four books.

Love that people are picking up recs both for food&fucking focused books, and not-about-the-food-&-fucking books :grin:

Oh, if you like urban fantasy have you read Daughter of smoke and bone?

I absolutely loved it. Reading the first chapter I thought, oh no, not another vampire book having just finished discovery of witches but its far from and I found it quite original.

Anita "I'm a multiple murderer with great tits!" Blake. Tiresome.

The Laundry Files are much better, especially the latest one. Like Pratchett and Rickman, Stross writes believable women.

You might also like www.amazon.co.uk/Kim-Harrison/e/B001B6GE66

Harrison is great. I considered Ivy as a name for my last child, but he was a boy!:o

You could have used Jenks! ;)

For Urban Fantasy I like Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series. Likeable female protagonist, decent world building and romance without too much over-detailed fucking.

Oh is the new Laundry good? I like them but find them variable and didn't know how good a book with Mo as the protagonist would be.

I love Rivers of London. Sex scenes normally have virtual "....."s sketching over the anatomical details and nobody ever eats anything apart from feeding Molly's more esoteric culinary creations to the dog.

I loved the Deborah Harkness trilogy. Perhaps I had more realistic expectations.

Valiant I'm not a fan of surnames as first names, but I've got it stored in my 'future cat names' file:o

MrRobot - I know the Fae books you are describing. Fae Fever, Blood Fever, Shadow Fever I think 3 of them were called.

Aw, picked up the first 4 Karen Chance books on Amazon as they were cheap. Not too much eating but a bimbo heroine, masses of pointless info dump and an awful lot of vaguely rapey fucking.