Saturday, April 29, 2017

Ten of the best standalone urban fantasy novels

At the B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog, Meghan Ball tagged ten top standalone urban fantasy novels, including:
Fevre Dream, by George RR Martin

Now this is a most rare creature these days: a single-volume book from George R.R. Martin. That will be a relief to you A Song of Ice and Fire fans eager for his next book, though Martin actually got his start with a string of standalones (The Armageddon Rag could fit here just as easily). Certainly Fevre Dream couldn’t be more far removed from epic fantasy. For one thing: vampires. It’s a fascinating blend of historical mystery and vampire horror. Abner Marsh is a riverboat captain in the rural American south who longs for a beautiful steamship to call his own. When a rich man approaches him with a deal that’s too good to be true, he can’t help but grab his chance. Too bad his new partner is a bloodsucker. Soon, Abner finds himself in the middle of a fight between his partner and an ancient evil bent on literally painting the town red. It’s a fun outing from Martin in a genre he isn’t known for these days. Definitely take a chance on this outstanding Mark Twain-y vampire tale.
Read about another entry on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue