OK, time to turn our eyes to the dark streets of Urban Fantasy. I typically like my fantasy served High (the full-on world building kind of High, not the drug-induced version, though in all fiarness, I do have to say I’ve never tried it),
But I also enjoy a good urban-based fantasy story at times – the oft-mentioned “Larque on the Wing” comes to mind, or the “Man of His Word” series that terry Brooks eventually merged with his “Shannara” series.
Balancing the elements in an urban fantasy can be tricky – making fantasy characters seem “real” in present day or a sci fi future, managing reactions to them from other characters, and building a story that doesn’t alienate fantasy or sci fi readers.
This all comes to mind because I’m preparing to go into my third draft of a story set in post-warming San Francisco that includes an elf character from Faery. I’m finding it tricky to keep him in Faery mode as he sees the “wonders” of 21st Century life.
So my questions today: What are some of your favorite urban fantasies? Have you written any yourself or do you plan to? How do you balance out the elements to make a believable story?