Here be more confusion:

"Contemporary urban fantasy started as an offshoot of horror fiction rather than sf/fantasy but has blended with other genres, most notably romance and mystery." - Library Journal.

Harry Dresden is given as an example of the urban fantasy - mystery genre.

It does seem that all the examples, given in that article on Urban Fantasy collection development for libraries, have a far more prevalent (and traditional) supernatural creature or recognizable magic in addition to the urban setting and the horror.

I always thought that Lovecraft Mythos stories were best described as Cosmic Paranoia.

In deference to that genre, I would call the Jack series Horror - Urban Cosmic Paranoia, rather than fantasy, since even the Rakoshi are not traditional Rakshasa as seen in Hindu myth-cycles...they are Otherness tainted creatures (just as Rasalom is not a vampire) and as such are part of the cosmic paranoia.

...as if Jack wasn't already paranoid enough.

-Wapitikev

On the other hand, if FPW can capitalize on the legions of drones who are sucking (no pun intended) back the Twilight series, then by all means, market his stuff to the moon as Urban Fantasy...I'll buy it anyway.

-Wapitikev

I would guess that the urban fantasy genre is in part defined by how large a part the "fantasy" portion takes up of setting as well as the story. In "The Tomb", the fantastic elements are central to the main plot but aren't as pervasive in the setting at that point.

I think the hard part is that we do not assess the Tomb on its own, but look at it in part in the context of all the Repairman Jack novels and developments of the Adversary cycle. When you are aware of the Otherness and the Ally, the Lady and her dog, that it is the same world in habited by Glaeken, and others altogether it looks like a reasonable fit to urban fantasy by way of a lot of horror.

By itself the Tomb reads like a more solid fit into the horror genre. Urban setting with a horrific supernatural element rather than an urban-supernatural setting where horrific things may take place. At least that is the distinction as I see it.

I would guess that the urban fantasy genre is in part defined by how large a part the "fantasy" portion takes up of setting as well as the story. In "The Tomb", the fantastic elements are central to the main plot but aren't as pervasive in the setting at that point.

I think the hard part is that we do not assess the Tomb on its own, but look at it in part in the context of all the Repairman Jack novels and developments of the Adversary cycle. When you are aware of the Otherness and the Ally, the Lady and her dog, that it is the same world in habited by Glaeken, and others altogether it looks like a reasonable fit to urban fantasy by way of a lot of horror.

By itself the Tomb reads like a more solid fit into the horror genre. Urban setting with a horrific supernatural element rather than an urban-supernatural setting where horrific things may take place. At least that is the distinction as I see it.

Way back when I had first read "The Tomb", it was a solo and there wasn't even an inkling that RJ would go on. I considered it a flat out adventure/horror book for the longest time until I was talking to my brother-in-law one night. I didn't know this at the time, but he was really into the fantasy genre. So here I am, plugging away my favorite book, and he calls it a dark fantasy story.

I'm shocked! No way could this story be compared with elves and unicorns! And yes, I've read a few and enjoyed them. (especially The "Link" series. But this was not fantasy!

He put it to me so simply that there was no debating it. He said, "You mentioned that this story contains mythical monsters, ancient rites, and magic necklaces.. what would you call it?"

I told him I called it "a great story without unicorns!"

"a great story without unicorns!"

Good one!

Ken V.

Good one!

Ken V.

He didn't leave me with a lot! This is interesting though. Because of his love for fantasy, and since he classified it as "dark fantasy", he gave it a try...... and loved it! Hell, he was almost as happy as I was to find out that RJ became a series! Now we have something to talk about during the holidays. (Hear that FPW? You're responsible for me getting along at Thanksgivings!)

All books are the fantasy that removes us from real life if only for a little while.

I think it is Urban Horror ... but then arnt all horror novels a fantasy? are there any that dont contain some fantastic element? because if fpw is UH then so is koontz and king etc.

at the bookstore I go to they keep all of those uf vampire novels in with horror ... so maybe horror is the new UF