The (Lack) of Evolution in Urban Fantasy

I love the urban fantasy genre. I grew up on it and lived in it’s prime peak in the late 90s and early 2000s. My favorites include Harry Potter’s hidden magical world, Percy Jackson’s Greek mythology hiding in the real world, The Dresden Files’s underground magical populace in Chicago, and Sookie Stackhouse solving mysteries in Louisiana. The Cruel Prince makes it to my list for the hidden magic world, though the greater part of the series is spent in the fae part of the world.

But that’s also what happened to urban fantasy. Popular demand went from hidden worlds to more actual magical worlds. Fae worlds, fairytale retellings, and dark fantasy left urban fantasy kinda… forgotten.

I don’t think people stopped liking it. I think we’re just in the middle of experiencing the popularity of a different niche. Honestly, I go through the same swings when I’m reading. It doesn’t mean I stop loving one genre just because I’m in the mood for a different one.

Urban fantasy isn’t the main attraction it once was and a little forgotten. A lot of readers who ask me about my books don’t know what urban fantasy is. So I explain it to them and find that it’s still intriguing.

I don’t think the popularity of other genre’s is entirely why urban fantasy hasn’t had a spotlight. I’ve heard so much lately how some of the most popular books, like ACOTAR, have gotten people back into reading. Reading as a hobby is growing as people re-discover the delight in getting lost in a good story.

I have theories on the evolution of the fantasy genre from the high fantasy of the 70s and 80s to our favorites today and how urban fantasy plays a role in that, but that’s not really what this blog is about.

I love what the fantasy genre has developed into, though, but I still love writing urban fantasy. I have noticed that I’m doing things a little differently than my favorites authors. They all seemed to be solving mysteries. Harry Potter solved the secret plots that Voldemort and his followers were up to every year. Percy went on more adventures, but there was still some god or Demi-god behind what was going on. Harry Dresden consults for the Chicago PD and helps solve magical crimes. Sookie solved her small town mysteries, often also crimes.

I won’t say that my character’s don’t solve mysteries. The Arbors are eyeball deep in their own mystery they are trying to solve. Naomi and Celegar uncover the mystery of the Oath, but they also find romance. Zayne Hawthorne (from Hunting The Arbors) is likely going to be solving his supernatural neighbor’s mysteries. And I have a crime fighting duo still cooking up too. (I think they are going to solve murder mysteries.)

But that’s not everything. Theo is going off treasure hunting. (“The Pearl’s Storm”). Prince Ealdun Polaris will introduce you to a fae tournament (The Prince Tournament TBD).

If there is a genre I like, I’m going to be adding it to my urban fantasy world. I haven’t seen anyone else doing that yet, but welcome anyone to join me.

I don’t know if urban fantasy needs to be popular again. I like a lot of different genres and believe that diversity is what makes life interesting. I do know that I am happy writing stories I think are interesting.

So, if you like the idea of a treasure hunting dragon, or a wizard who drives a motorcycle, a fae prince who wears sneakers with his suits, or a formal K-Pop idol trainee who becomes a druid, then stick around. I have lots of stories to tell and I hope you love reading them as much as I love writing them.