This Rec League came in from Liz. Thanks, Liz!
I’ve been on a romantic fantasy and sci-fi marathon lately and I’m looking for some recs, please.
So, you know how in many fantasy novels, particularly urban/modern fantasy, there’s a lot of MC’s that go through a culture shock, fish out of water, “ZOMG! Vampires and shifters and magic!?!” phase that’s often at the start of a series? I would like the opposite of that. I’m hoping to find some competent, practical, ideally self-aware MCs that are preferably already integrated into the setting. Doesn’t have to be a Mary Sue or anything, just not the not completely clueless kinda bumbling storyline. Does that make sense?
Some current author favorites include T. Kingfisher, Ilona Andrews, and Heather Fawcett.
Elyse: I would say House of Earth and Blood qualifies but it takes about 100 pages to really get into the book. The author just kind of dumps you think the world so it takes a minute to ground yourself.
Sarah: The Innkeeper Chronicles ( A | BN | K | AB ) would work very well I think. I’m in the middle of book two, but Dina is extremely competent and powerful.
Which books would you recommend? Let us know in the comments!
Both of Seanan McGuire’s urban fantasy series have protagonists who are already in the know about the magic in the world. TheOctober Daye series starts with the protagonist coming back to the world after being a fish for 15 years, and the Incrypid series’ first protagonist is someone who is involved in the magical side of the world, but isn’t as invested in it.
I feel some of Nalini Singh’s urban fantasies also start with a protagonist knowing the magical secrets as well.
Maybe also the Kitty and the werewolf books by Carrie Vaughn, since she starts that series as a werewolf already (but they’re twenty years old so don’t know how well they hold up)
I second Sarah’s recommendation for Ilona Andrews’s Innkeeper Chronicles, and I would add their Hidden Legacy and Kate Daniels series, too. All three have strong female main characters who are very good at their jobs but are not Mary Sues. There’s competence, action, family/found family ties and swoony romance.
I also really like Jessie Mihalik’s Consortium Rebellion and Starlight’s Shadow series. Both have strong FMC and MMC and the surrounding friends and crew are interesting in their own right. Here’s a SBTB review for book one of the Consortium Rebellion series.
Another good space opera is T.A. White’s Firebird Chronicles. The FMC is strong physically but isolated herself and suffers from emotional trauma. She gets thrown into a different society and she has to navigate that. But it’s kind of like an American trying to integrate into British society — the basics are there but you have to figure out the nuances to succeed. Action, a snarky sidekick, friend troubles, and a steamy romance.
I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but The Dresden Files might fit the bill?
I’ve been reading Cameron Johnston’s The Last Shield and the heroine is an experienced soldier who isn’t surprised by fantastical creatures and magic. In one scene, she and her royal love interest refrain from drinking during a fairy orgy to serve as guardians. The book isn’t marketed as romance but it has a HEA.
Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan has a protagonist who gets thrown into the world of a book she has read. It also subverts the self-aware idea in that she THINKS she knows everything about this world, but when she starts messing with the storyline, she realizes there are consequences she didn’t anticipate.
I think that Patricia Briggs’s Mercedes Thompson books are worth mentioning here. She’s competent and integrated into the setting, though there’s a lot she is still figuring out. Like, she knows a lot about werewolves and not so much about vampires and fae. There are romantic interests but it’s not focused on the romance. The stories are structured more as mysteries in a paranormal setting. That being said, I got distracted about half a dozen books into the series, so I can’t speak to the most reason entries. For the first few, I think they are a little dated now and not just because the characters need a land line to access the Internet. I’d be careful about reading them if Law & Order SVU bothers you.
The first couple of Anita Blake books by Laurell K. Hamilton were good, or at least I thought so when I read them a couple of decades ago. (The later books get a bit crazy.) She’s a necromancer and vampire executioner and the first few books have her solving supernatural crimes. There are romantic interests, but the earlier books are less focused on that. (And the romance and the crazy are linked.)
How to Kill the Dark Lord and Die Trying has a bit of a Groundhog Day scenario. The book starts well into the cycle, so the MC already adjusted and pretty competent. It’s not a romance, though.
Kit Rocha’s Deal with the Devil is dystopian fantasy. All the characters are satisfyingly competent.
In Patricia Brigg’s Mercy Thompson books, Mercy was raised with werewolves and knows all about them.
And if I’m listing the paranormal mysteries I was reading a couple of decades ago, I should mention the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris, otherwise known as the books that True Blood was based on. Sookie is a telepathic waitress who solves mysteries in her small town in Louisiana. The books do have a different feel than the TV show and are told from Sookie’s POV.
Gail Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate series and Olivia Atwater’s books both might fit the bill here. (Atwater’s WITCHWOOD KNOT is a solid gothic.)
THE UNDERTAKING OF HART AND MERCY and THE UNDERMINING OF TWYLA AND FRANK by Megan Bannen are also both excellent. (Can I put in a plug for the nimkilim, the animal postal clerks? They are delightful.)
I picked up RADIANCE by Grace Draven based on recs around here recently and quite enjoyed that–it’s an arranged political marriage that evolves into something more.
And, not really a romance (though it does have some romantic elements), but THE WILL OF THE MANY by James Islington is an alternate version of Rome that was on my best of 2024 list.
Lauren Dane’s – Goddess with a Blade series. The heroine Rowan is a vampire hunter with a company called The Hunter Corporation. They have a treaty with the Vampire Nation. Humans don’t know vampires exist and the Vampires are supposed to self police. If they don’t the Hunter Corp steps in.
The second book is my favorite in the series, Hunter Corp and Vampire Nation meet up to have a conference to update the treaty. Hilariously, it is like a of conferences where by day there are break out rooms, presentations, powerpoints, Roberts Rules, etc. But also unlike other conferences because…well, vampires. And also challenges to the death over dinner, and other assorted murder and mayhem happening at night. The two teams do not play well together.
Darynda Jones’ Charley Davidson series might also fit this as well. What with Charley talking to dead people and helping them solve their own murders. And knowing demons etc. exist.
I enjoyed Kim Harrison’s Hollows series; however, though the MFC is a competent witch at the start of the series, she does tend to beat herself up when stuff goes wrong. And stuff does go wrong. I enjoyed her character’s journey in spite of the harrowing stuff. Fascinating supporting cast as well and a blend of angst and humor. Great world building too. I haven’t read these in awhile, I don’t know how well they hold up. Book 1 is Dead Witch Walking.
I’d also recommend the Pax Arcana series by Elliott James. This urban fantasy series is less well known and somewhat underrated. It’s at least 5 novels and an assortment of short stories. It features a monster hunter named John Charming who’s been cursed to become a werewolf and prey for his former monster hunter brethren. Book 1 is Charming.
I also really loved Thea Harrison’s Elder Races series, especially the ones featuring Dragos Cuelebre and Pia Giovanni. The world is divided into separate territories occupied by various species of supernatural. There’s a LOT of politicking. Dragos is lord of the shifter realm. Pia steals a penny from his hoard and–oops! This is another series with a thread of humor. Book 1 is Dragon Bound.
Finally I just want to mention Immortals After Dark by Kresley Cole. Some of these do have clueless humans, but most characters are members of the supernatural community. As one progresses in the series it gets more important to read in order. The males tend to be alph-holes and sometimes border on abusive, but generally end up getting schooled by their mates which is gratifying. Book 1 is Warlord Wants Forever, which is first but not necessarily best.
I will say that all of these series can be pretty violent. Just for the record, the first series I thought of was also McGuire’s Incryptid series.
Seconding @FashionablyEvil’s recs!
I definitely recommend the Dr Greta Van Helsing novels by Vivian Shaw. Greta is a human who is a doctor for the supernatural, following in her father’s footsteps. She grew up learning about the ailments of paranormal creatures. Her romance is a B plot in later books. There are, among other beings, vampires and werewolves and angels and demons, but also baby ghouls, a med spa for mummies and Dr. Faust runs a hospital in Hell. I don’t read a lot of urban fantasy, but I really love this series. The final book is releasing this year.
Correction: Dr. Greta Helsing, not Van Helsing. Sorry!
The Crossroads trilogy by Nick O’Donohoe (published in the mid-1990s) follows a group of vet students who are taken into a fantasy world to treat the creatures there–unicorns, centaurs, griffins, etc. All the students have their “ZOMG” moments, while their teacher, who’s known about this world for much longer, is well-adjusted and able to help them through their shock and awe. Also, because they’re vet students, they’re all good at setting aside their feelings for the practical work. Over the course of the trilogy, the protagonist BJ becomes the senior teacher for a new group of students.
These may be hard to find, but it’s one of my favorite series and well worth the search. The three titles are The Magic and the Healing, Under the Healing Sign, and The Healing of Crossroads.
Bride by Ali Hazelwood if you don’t mind more of the paranormal side of fantasy/sciFi.
All good suggestions here. This comment section is making me want to reread! Anyway, my suggestion, if you don’t mind science fantasy and not just urban fa6is the Liaden books by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. The main characters are mostly competent,and in the know. The are lot of books in that universe. Quite a lot of them include romantic plots. I am currently reading one called Bread Alone. The mcs are a military/guard and baker.
In Charlie Adhara’s BIG BAD WOLF series (m/m, medium steam), the non-shifter MMC had his ‘shifters are real’ revelation before the series starts. The characters’ relationship develops while they are solving crimes. I enjoyed the series but some might be turned off by the violence and, if memory serves, ongoing failures to communicate.
This recommendation is for a mystery series that tries to play with the trope you are wanting to get away from. The setup is a contemporary FBI agent that is magically transported to a distant world where magic exists and technology is kind of steampunk inspired, but the series mostly takes place after she’s been there for several years, so it’s not focused on the initial shock of it. Instead, she’s joined their police force and is attempting to bring them into the modern era. She’s still a fish out of water, but she’s also recognized as an expert in her field by the people around her.
Magic and the Shinigami Detective by Honor Raconteur
It was available from Kindle Unlimited when I read it.
I would second The Innkeeper Chronicles — particularly Maud’s story, Sweep of the Blade. Actually, most of Ilona Andrews series start in the world rather than in the discovery of it.
I really enjoyed Rachel Aaron’s Dragons books. There are two series in the same world, basically urban fantasy.
Also, the Stariel books by AJ Lancaster, so good.
Second the recs for Seanan McGuire – I read both October Daye and Incryptid and prefer the first but both are good.
In addition to T Kingfisher books, I eagerly recommend works by Celia Lake. The magic system and usage is more subtle in Lake’s stories, but the main characters are well illustrated and competent.
Rachel Aaron’s DFZ [Detroit Free Zone] series that begins with MINIMUM WAGE MAGIC, followed by PART-TIME GODS, and concludes with NIGHT SHIFT DRAGONS fits the brief absolutely. The main character knows precisely who she is in a very complex world and exactly what her talents are. This series is adjacent to Aaron’s series (plural), HEARTSTRIKER and DFZ CHANGELING. I find Aaron’s books to be very well written, with imaginative and often gritty world building and populated with characters who are aware of their power and place in those worlds. The only character with a bit less awareness of where he fit, at least initially, is Julien, the (dragon) MMC, in NICE DRAGONS FINISH LAST, book 1 of the HEARTSTRIKERS. I have purchased all three series in e-form and as audiobooks. They are comfort reads where good hearts prevail despite horrible things happening in the world.
@Qualisign, I read the DFZ books a couple years ago (and also recommended them) – but didn’t realize there is a third series! Yayyyyyyy! Definite addition to my tbr.
Okay, you need to read some Heather G. Harris. Here’s the reading order on the author’s site. (Don’t try to figure it out on GR or a vendor site, you’ll only get a headache!) Follow the arrow on the chart: https://heathergharris.com/reading-order/
Now, the first book in the overarching Other Realm series (Glimmer of the Other) is a hey-I-was-led-through-this-doorway-into-another-dimension, but the heroine is mostly competent and came through the doorway for a reason. But if you want to read about a badass witch who gets her story later in the series, go ahead with The Other Witch series. You’ll be spoilered for events in The Other Realm and The Other Wolf series, but c’est la vie… and you might be interested in going back and reading from the beginning, even with the culture shock?
Important to know: There are bundles for $1 of The Other Realm 1-4, The Other Wolf 1-3, and The Other Witch 1-4 on Amazon. The Court trilogy (aka The Other Realm 5-7) and The Other Wolf 4-6 books are not available as bundles as of today.
The headache of trying to figure out which novellas are missing from the bundles (most!) and need to be acquired separately is why the author’s reading chart is so important. Note: The novellas can be later reading, you don’t need them to keep up with the overarching series plot, they’re filler. Though fun!
(Heather G. Harris has other series and a couple of collaborations with other authors, so you won’t run out of reading material right away. Though the Vampire (and the Case of Whatever) series is about said vampire’s culture shock. In Alaska. After fleeing London. And being turned a vampire.)
I can’t believe I’m actually commenting. I’ve lurked for ages and finally got my courage up. Yes to all Ilona Andrews. Yes to Mercy Thompson (Patricia Briggs). Yes to Nalini Singh–probably her Guild Hunter series best fits. And since I like to support authors who aren’t necessarily on the big hit list, I’m going to add The Penumbra Papers series by Silver James. The FMC is a human FBI agent who has to deal with crime caused by magical types. Its UF so a bit for the romance to hit, but yeah. Also for something completely different, B.E. Sanderson’s Once Upon a Djinn series. I think the first book “Wish in One Hand” is currently free. The FMC is a djinn antique dealer who rescues trapped geniis.
Okay, crawling back under my rock to lurck again…
DEATH BEFORE DRAGONS by Lindsay Buroker. This is a low steam fantasy series where the FMC, Val, is an assassin who gets paid by the government to go after supes that misbehave. It has some great side characters, including her BFF (bad with names, sorry!), who sells magical weaponry out of the back of a food truck.
Where to start…
Anne Bishop ‘s Tales of the Others. While not romances, there things going on as well as great characters, excellent world building and the justifiably crunchy end of many bad people.
And for the second time in as many months, Lauren Dane’s Diablo Lake series. The humans aren’t aware, but then again, they aren’t allowed either. Her other sister series are of a similar we know what we are vein.
I started HALF A SOUL by Olivia Atwater this morning. It is a Regency fantasy romance with fairies that no one is surprised about, but everyone is wary of. The MMC is “the least liked man in England” and a magician. I love him already.
Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter series is at the top of the list. Angel’s, vampire’s, ultimate evils. I adore it
I’ll second the Thea Harrison books. The Rita reviews I gave back in the day say everything that needs to be said on that front. As well as the Bannen books. Nimkilins for the win. Well, some of them anyway.
I wholeheartedly endorse Seanan McGuire, Gail Carriger and Illona Andrews.
I would also recommend Annette Marie’s urban fantasy Guild Codex series. There are a few interconnected series / trilogies.
I started with the Demonized trilogy.
P.S.: I also recommend T. Kingfisher / Ursula Vernon. Full stop.
Some lesser known additions to the above recommendations:
UF about a competent vet dealing with other worldly creatures. The Portal Storms series by T.M. Baumgartner. Start with the short story All Gremlins Great and Small.
Fantasy series about a capable female guildmaster of an adventurers guild. Deepwoods Trilogy by Honor Raconteur.
Sci-fi about a female pilot and her adventures with soldiers etc… Going Ballistic by Dorothy Grant
They’re not fully romances but I feel like the Enchanted Forest Chronicles has the same pragmatic competence I associate with T. Kingfisher. And there’s at least one couple with a happy ever after per book so they’re not _not_ romances.
Victoria Goddard’s books, as well, although they’re also more straight fantasy than fantasy romance.
I will +1 many of the previously mentioned books but want to highlight some older titles that no one has mentioned yet.
Tanya Huff’s Keeper Chronicles come to mind. Very 80’s, very fun.
I enjoy Faith Hunter’s Soulwood series, and it’s lovely to see Nell gain confidence through the 6 books. CW that they have a police procedural flavor to them (she’s on a magical police force), and additional CW for her growing up in a cult and maintaining some family ties to people still there. There is a romantic arc that stretches through the series and ends with a HEA, though that is not clear from book 1. Nell learns more about her magic through the series but she is not starting from scratch.
Laura Anne Gilman’s Cosa Nostradamus series fits as well, as long as you are ok reading about a magical thief (“retrieval artist”). They have held up to occasional re-reads so far, but the author was in the process of re-releasing them after getting the rights back and I don’t know if they are all out right now.
Also recommended: Sharon Lee’s Carousel trilogy. The romantic arc is more understated and it’s not the main focus, but I have reread these multiple times.
Liz Williams’ Comet Weather is the first of the Embertide quartet about a set of 4 sisters in the southern part of England. These are difficult to describe but 3 of the 4 sisters have romantic arcs in between their adventures with time travel, ghosts, embodied stars, shapechangers, and trying to find out what happened to their mother. All grew up with at least some magical knowledge. These are on Hoopla but I love them enough to own hard copies.
And I can’t close this list without mentioning Elizabeth Bear’s Karen Memory, starring a working prostitute in alt-history steampunk Seattle. A sequel is out this summer!
@maeve
It looks like six books of the Retrievers series are out, which I think is all of them.
There’s also the Paranormal Scene Investigations series and the Sylvan Investigations series, both set in the same world as Retrievers.
@ Michael I Yes, I have them all in the original paperback editions! And some years ago she wrote a set of short stories with one of the PSI characters for her Patreon but I don’t think they have been widely released yet.
Anything by Vanessa Nelson fits the bill. I especially recommend her series that start with Outcast (The Grey Gates series) and Deadly Night (Ageless Mysteries series).
Another lesser known series that I’ve enjoyed is the Valkyrie Bestiary series by Kim McDougall, starting with Dragons Don’t Eat Meat. The series is in KU. It features a half-Valkyrie living in the Montreal area who removes magical pests for a living. The only problem is that rather than killing them as some would prefer, she often ends up rescuing them and giving them a home with her. There are lots of unusual (often cute) magical animals and the FMC is knowledgeable, adaptable, and compassionate (sometimes a bit too much so for her own good).
I saw Tanya Huff mentioned and had to add Sing the Four Quarters. Super competent magician/bard with some very cool powers.
I love so many of the books already recommended! But, check out Julia Huni’s Space Janitor series! Fabulous fun, really cool murder mystery on a space station!
Self-rec: AM Scott, Lightwave: Nexus Station has two highly competent main characters, an exciting adventure on a space station, and he falls first. Free on all retailers!