Okay, so I get this a lot. It’s all over Goodreads, it’s a search query that brings folks to my blog at least every other day, never mind all the real people I run into that ask me that question. Because I’m fairly mathematically and technologically challenged (does this make me a wizard?), I can’t create an algorithm for recommendations based on certain elements you specifically enjoyed in a character/story/series. So you get this instead.

Keep in mind, of course, that this list should also be backwards-compatible. Or whatever that retro word is the kids these days use. And all of these suggestions, with noted exceptions, will generally fall into the Urban Fantasy aesthetic I’ve discussed already.

If you like a MALE PROTAGONIST, try

Rob Thurman’s Leandros Brothers series

Rob Thurman’s Korsak Brothers series (no magic, but it is scifi; it shares many of the same grit/snark requirements as the best UF)

Richard Kadrey’s Sandman Slim series

Harry Connolly’s Twenty Palaces series

Kate Griffin’s Matthew Swift series

Simon R. Green’s Nightside series (John Taylor)

Kevin Hearne’s Iron Druid Chronicles

Thomas Sniegoski’s Remy Chandler series

If you like a SUPERNATURALLY ENHANCED PRIVATE DETECTIVE, try

C.E. Murphy’s Walker Papers series

Kat Richardson’s Greywalker series

Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series

Laurell K. Hamilton’s Merry Gentry series

Kalayna Price’s Alex Craft series

Remy Chandler

Nightside

If you like EPIC GRITTINESS/MEATGRINDERS, try

Nancy A. Collins’ Sonja Blue series (caveat: Collins is wonderful, but her gore can get epic.)

Glen Duncan’s The Last Werewolf (standalone; see above)

Sandman Slim

Leandros Brothers

Twenty Palaces

Matthew Swift

If you like SNARK/POP CULTURE REFERENCES, try

Rob Thurman’s Trickster series

Korsak Brothers

Leandros Brothers

Iron Druid Chronicles

Twenty Palaces

Matthew Swift

Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series (teen)

If you like A LITTLE BIT OF GONZO, try

Mario Acevedo’s Felix Gomez series

J. F. Lewis’s Void City series

Iron Druid Chronicles

Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett’s Good Omens (standalone)

Christopher Moore’s Coyote Blue (standalone)

If you like SEXUAL TENSION/ROMANTIC ELEMENTS, try

Alex Craft

Anita Blake

Merry Gentry

Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series

Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely series (teen)

Mortal Instruments (teen)

If you like FAE ELEMENTS, try

Seanan McGuire’s October Daye series

Alex Craft

Merry Gentry

Wicked Lovely

Mercy Thompson

If you like VAMPIRES, try

Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy (teen)

Christopher Moore’s Bloodsucking Fiends

Sonja Blue

Void City

Anita Blake

Felix Gomez

Mercy Thompson

If you like ANGELS/DEMONS/GODS, try

Neil Gaiman’s American Gods (standalone? Neil?)

Neil Gaiman’s Anansi Boys (standalone)

Faith Hunter’s Rogue Mage series

Remy Chandler

Trickster

Sandman Slim

Coyote Blue

If you TRUST ME ON THIS, try also

Cassandra Clare’s Infernal Devices series

Neil Gaiman’s Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Other Wonders

Faith Hunter’s Jane Yellowrock series

Melissa Marr’s Graveminder (standalone)

And try these fun ANTHOLOGIES!

Naked City: Tales of Urban Fantasy, ed. Ellen Datlow (feat. Jim Butcher, Patricia Briggs, Melissa Marr, Holly Black)

Mean Streets (feat. Jim Butcher, Kat Richardson, Simon R. Green, Thomas Sniegoski)

The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy and Horror 2011, ed. Paula Guran (available 8/30/11; feat. Holly Black, Neil Gaiman)

My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding, ed. P.N. Elrod (feat. Sherrilyn Kenyon, Jim Butcher, Charlaine Harris)

My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon, ed. P.N. Elrod (feat. Lilith Saintcrow, Rachel Caine, Jim Butcher, Kelley Armstrong)

Strange Brew, ed. P.N. Elrod (feat. Jim Butcher, Faith Hunter, Charlaine Harris, Patricia Briggs)

Songs of Love and Death: Tales of Star-Crossed Love, ed. George R.R. Martin (feat. Neil Gaiman, Jacqueline Carey, Tanith Lee)

…and if you’re looking for all the Dresden short stories in one place, check out Side Jobs, published October 26, 2010. You’ll want to read Aftermath (Murphy’s POV!) before you read Ghost Story, if you haven’t yet. It does not, however, include the story in Naked City.

Well, there you go. I love recommendations, too, folks. Lay ’em on thick!

**All of these books lie on my Read, Currently Reading, or To Be Read piles.

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