I have a confession to make.
The first male urban fantasy writer I ever read has ruined all other male UF writers for me.
He’s gritty, dirty and really disgusting. To be honest, sometimes he scares me with his knowledge of things better left in a dark closet, never to see the light of day.
You see, when I was an innocent, new to the genre reader, I by chance saw the cover of Happy Hour of the Damned and picked it up. I’ve never been the same since!
The lead character in his series is Amanda Feral…a zombie. I know what you’re thinking, “Eww zombies are nasty” and you would be right my friends. Amanda is the only character I have read who tells it like is it, even if it makes you throw up a little bit. Trust me, you will come away disturbed but you WILL have a belly ache from laughing so hard. People may even look at you funny, if you’re reading the series in public. You may want to avoid reading Mark Henry in public places all together. If you think you can stand the disturbingly lovely quality of a female zombie, you have to check out Amanda Feral if only for her excellent sense of style.
Another male UF writer that I’ve recently discovered is Anton Strout, who is only mildly disturbing (don’t tell him I told you!). Anton writes the Simon Canderous series which features…well…Simon, a reformed criminal with the power of psychometry. Simon can touch objects and get readings of events from the past, which helps him with his job as an agent with the Department of Extraordinary Affairs. Simon always finds him in some sort of mess, from declaring the first vampire sighting in years to falling in love with someone sent to kill him. I wish Simon were a real man, he’s just that sort of character you wish existed.
Now I must hang my head in blogger shame. I have another confession to make.
I have yet to read Jim Butcher. *cowers*
I heard all your startled gasps and declarations of “WTF is wrong with her? The Dresden series is amazing!” I know, I know I’ve heard it all before. But placed an order for the first three books in the series, so that kind of redeems me doesn’t it? I mean, I’m trying here people. I just haven’t had the time to…oh forget it.
Now I know you’re saying, “How can we listen to your advice knowing you haven’t read Jim Butcher?” The honest answer, I don’t know how I managed to not pick up the Dresden Series. My head must have been planted in a Mark Henry or Anton Strout novel, which YOU should be reading and not condemning me to the blogger room of shame. I know you’re plotting it, I can hear you whispering to each other!
*hangs head and goes to crack her first Jim Butcher novel*
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Hi! I’m Natasha, a 29 year old female and live in the cold(ish) white north aka Toronto Canada. I have never seen an igloo, let alone lived in one, seriously I have been asked that before. And I don’t have a dog-sled, though the way winters are going now, I’d appreciate one!
I love music, concerts, taking pictures and reading. I read almost every genre of books there are, but I love paranormal, YA, urban fantasy & horror above all.
18 Comments
You best be cracking that book missy!
Hurry it up already :p
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You're not the only one. I haven't read the Dresden Files either.
But I have The Mark Henry books here. Just need the time to start them.
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Hm, I'm honestly scared of reading Amanda Feral – I cannot imagine liking the zombie character, but the book is getting so much love, there must be something I'm missing here.
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Mark frightens me:) If you love Anton Strout you will love Jim Butcher. Oh man, and you have to read Mario Acevedo too!
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@ Carolyn, thanks for having me
@ Tiffany, I'm getting there woman!
@ Susi, I'm glad I'm not the only one! But you HAVE to read Mark!
@ Ines, read them! They are hilarious, but you WILL like Amanda!
@ Moonsanity, I've read Mario & there was a little too much politics for me
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I've never read Mark Henry but I will remedy that.
you have to read Jim Butcher!! I love the Dresden Files!!
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Henry and Strout are both really funny guys, in different styles. I recommend them.
I read Dresden because I started when book 1 was out. If I was encountering it now, I might not want to wade into so much weighty material. Good on your for getting into it.
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WLP you go girl, read some Harry to go with your Amanda and Simon and you will come up gasping for air like a landed fish!
Henry and Strout are more funny and Butcher just has this way of dragging you into the wonderful scary world of magic and mayhem and things that go bumpy in the night.
I am still more partial to the worlds of Simon and Harry but having read the first Amanda adventure have to admit like everyone else, even with the EWW factor have to read the other 2 books now…
jackie b central texas
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I've never read anything by Mark Henry before… After reading this I just might!
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@ Palindrome, I read Jim & you read Mark
@ Jac LOL I love me some dirty humor, can you tell?
@ Roboloblyn, you MUST read Mark. I command it!
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deal! :p
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Fine. I'll order Happy Hour Of The Damned tomorrow. You're obligation to finish Storm Front by the time I finish it though.
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Great post! I must confess as well… I haven't read the Dresden Files… yet… either. I will but it will have to wait a bit longer.
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@ Buzz, tell me when to start and we can go toe to toe. Mark is so your kinda reading, trust me.
@ Melissa, I think we should have a huge Dresden reading challenge since im no longer alone! lol
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I have two Mark Henry books but I've never read them – I haven't had them very long so I have an excuse. I have over 200 books that are waiting for me to read.
I hope you enjoy the Dresden books – the first one is the weakest so make sure to give all three a chance.
Also, All Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez is a very funny zombie book so I think it is possible to like a zombie main character.
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As usual Natasha's a hoot! Don't worry I finally read the first Dresden book a while back. (A thought it was just OK.) I trust you infinite wisdom, with out them, after all you called it. Strout is the bomb!
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Oooh, I am late to comment– but I did read the post yesterday =P
Also, I have not read Jim Butcher either. A friend told me that if I love Anton Strout's book as much as I do, then I am also going love The Dresden Files– Said person also bought me the first three books. =)
Great post, as always! ^-^
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I have the Dresden books on audio with James Marsters reading them. I mean, really, what's not to love about THAT??
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