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Topic: Good Paranormal Books that are Light on Romance and Heavy on Action/Fightin

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ophelia99 avatar
Subject: Good Paranormal Books that are Light on Romance and Heavy on Action/Fightin
Date Posted: 7/23/2009 11:54 AM ET
Member Since: 11/6/2008
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I love paranormal/urban fantasy books but have found that the genre blends with the romance genre a lot.  There have been a lot of times when I start a paranormal book and find out that, oops, suddenly I am reading a romance.  I enjoy action/fighting much more than romance and am wondering what series people can suggest that are light on the romance and heavy on the fight scenes.

Some series I have read so far that meet my low romance requirements are:

Nightside by Simon Green

Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

Jaz Parks by Jennifer Rardin

Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews - I absolutely love this series!

Signs of the Zoidiac by Vicki Petterson

Any other good series that people can recommend?



Last Edited on: 7/23/09 12:10 PM ET - Total times edited: 1
readermuse avatar
Date Posted: 7/23/2009 12:12 PM ET
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I've only read 2 of the series... but so far the Anita  Blake series is like that.

I also think that Kelley Armstrongs Otherworld series fits that. It might have some romance, but I see more action in it. (I just read Industrial Magic so I'm not done with the series).

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Anissa (WVgrrl) - ,
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Date Posted: 7/23/2009 12:13 PM ET
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You might try Kim Harrison's Hollows series. Dead Witch Walking is the first one, but seems to have 65 wishers for one ISBN and no wishers but no copies for another one. I added the second ISBN to my WL and it predicted a 1-week wait. 

Another is Patricia Briggs's Mercy Thompson series. Wishers for it too though but only a 7-week wait estimate.

Both have a bit of romance but are mostly action. Much less romance than Black Dagger Brotherhood, Immortals After Dark, Dark Hunter, Midnight Breed, etc.

Edited to comment on the Anita Blake series by Laurell Hamilton. The first several in the series are definitely heavy on the action and lighter on the romance. You'll probably like them. Later ones are mostly sex with no plot. I loved this series early one but gave up on the newer books in it.



Last Edited on: 7/23/09 12:16 PM ET - Total times edited: 1
ophelia99 avatar
Date Posted: 7/23/2009 12:19 PM ET
Member Since: 11/6/2008
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Thanks for the great suggestions! 

I actually loved Anita Blake early on; but the latest books have has me cringing...I keep reading it though :-)

I read the first three Mercy Thompson books and just couldn't get into that.

I also loved Kim Harrison Rachel Morgan series but was really disappointed with "White Witch, Black Curse."

I guess another one is the Kitty Norville series by Carrie Vaughn; although those don't have a ton of action they are also not heavy on the romance.

I actually just got the first couple "Black Dagger Brotherhood" books because everyone kept telling me how good they are.  Now I am wondering if I will like it.

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Anissa (WVgrrl) - ,
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Date Posted: 7/23/2009 12:26 PM ET
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Hmm, can't come up with anything else. I just started Kitty Norville this morning. I've read all of the BDB books up to the newest one (on the WL). I like them. The action scenes are great, IMO, but the books are equally heavy on the sex (but not so much the romance!).  

mariep avatar
Date Posted: 7/23/2009 12:41 PM ET
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I read the first three Mercy Thompson books and just couldn't get into that..

My absolutely all time favorite....I hesitate to recommend anything else I like if you don't like that one! 

The Ward books are romance...they are okay but I don't think they would fit what you are looking for.

Karen Chance/...both series, Jocelynn Drake, Jeanine Frost, Maria V Snyder, CE Murphy Walker Series are just a few that comes to mind. 



Last Edited on: 7/23/09 12:45 PM ET - Total times edited: 1
ophelia99 avatar
Date Posted: 7/23/2009 12:43 PM ET
Member Since: 11/6/2008
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I know a lot of people love the Mercy Thompson series.  I think it is mostly Patricia Briggs writing style I don't like; I tried reading some fantasy books by her and couldn't get into those books either :-(

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Date Posted: 7/23/2009 1:03 PM ET
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Randall Garrett wrote the Lord Darcy series and it's sort of a precursor to the Dresden Files.  Unfortunately he died before completing many books and the last two were written by a friend of his. 

Too Many Magicians

Murder and Magic

Lord Darcy Investigates

and by his friend Michael Kurland

Ten Little Wizards

A Study in Sorcery

 

I also recommend the Drake Maijstral Series by Walter Jon Williams (you might want to look at all of his books)

In the mid-'90's John Maddox Roberts wrote Murder in Tarsis as part of the Drangonlance Chronicals.  I was always sorry they didn't continue.  It was an interesting book.  He now writes the SPQR series based in Rome around the time of Julius Ceaser.

I'd also recommend the Dream Park series by Larry Niven and Steven Barnes

Dream Park

The Barsoom Project (named for the planet Mars in Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars series which I read as a kid)

The California Voodoo Game

Another writer worth a look is Kathrine Kurtz.  With Deborah Turner Harris she wrote the Adept series and she also edited the Knights series.  She's famous for her dargon knights, the Deryni series.

 

I love Harry Dresden - well most of them anyway.  I'm collecting the Jaz Parks books now.

They have GOT to get spell check on this thing

 

How could I forget - The Felix Gomex series by Mario Acevedo

The Nymphos of Rocky Flats

X-Rated Bloodsuckers

The Un-Dead Kama Sutra

Jailbait Zombie

Despite the lurid titles, they are PI novels set in todays 'world' where the dective is a former Iraqi war vetran tuned vampire.

 

 



Last Edited on: 7/23/09 1:09 PM ET - Total times edited: 3
ophelia99 avatar
Date Posted: 7/23/2009 1:08 PM ET
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Wow, reacherfan1909 thanks for all of the suggestions!  I have both Katharine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris on my reminder lists; there are a couple series that looked do to me. 

I'll have to check out the Lord Darcy series and the others too!   :-)

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Date Posted: 7/23/2009 1:14 PM ET
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The Felix Gomz books are worth a boo and more important, Acevedo is just starting out.  I must admit I had to hunt many of these older titles down over on Alibris.  The Dream Park books are still in print.

Damn I read too much!

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Date Posted: 7/23/2009 1:14 PM ET
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Rob Thurman's books.  They are about brothers.  She is now up to 4 books.

And Sunshine by Robin McKinley. 

I also like Stephen Dedman's two vamp books as they are so different.  But they lean much more towards horror.  The Art of Arrow Cutting and Shadowbite. 

ophelia99 avatar
Date Posted: 7/23/2009 1:16 PM ET
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Thanks Emily!  I loved "Sunshine"  Of course I am an old school Robin McKinley fan; one of the first fantasy books I ever read was "The Hero and The Crown" by McKinley and it is still one of my favorites!

I'll have to check out the Stephen Dedman books too!

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Date Posted: 7/23/2009 3:24 PM ET
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I love Sunshine, too!  I feel like I say that a lot in this forum.  {{grin}}

I would add the Dorina Basarb series - I think it's Karen Chance, and so far there is only one, but I did really like the first one and I think I have some of the same preferences as you do (although I don't mind the romance as long as I know going in that's what I'm getting, and I did really like the Ward books, especially the later books in the series because more characters are involved and the plot gets more convoluted, if that makes any sense).  I also really like the Anna Strong chronicles by Jeanne Stein - I have only read the first two of the five, but she's a bounty hunter so it's much more action-y and there is not so much focus on the limited sex.  And I really like Kelley Armstrong, not just her Otherworld series but also her Nadia Stafford series - the main character is a female assasin, so it's very focused on action.

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Date Posted: 7/23/2009 3:40 PM ET
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If you like the Kate Daniels series, you might like the Dante Valentine series by Lilith Saintcrow.  Plently of action there!   Also the Hunter Kiss novels by Marjorie Liu.   Hunter is a demon-hunting heroine with tatoos that come to life when the sun sets.  Both have a love interest important to the plot, but I wouldn't categorize them as "romance."

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Date Posted: 7/23/2009 3:54 PM ET
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If you would like true fantasy and haven't already read it, I really liked Raymond Feist's Rift War Saga.  It's still in print.  Robert Jordan died before he finished his Wheel of Time series, but the estate and publisher has someone writing the last book.  I have it in hardcover to about book 7 or 8 and I gave up.  It was a super complex story and he'd spend 2 years writing each book, so by the time the next installment came out, you forgot the huge cast and multiple storylines, but he is a superb writer.

 

George RR Martin used to write the Wildcards books and I read quite a few of them and somehow lost track.  He is now on an epic saga - Song of Fire and Ice.  I haven't read the books but fans of Jordan's love them and are worried that due to his age he too will die before finishing the series.



Last Edited on: 7/23/09 3:55 PM ET - Total times edited: 2
ophelia99 avatar
Date Posted: 7/23/2009 4:26 PM ET
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Lot's of great suggestions again.  You guys keep reminding me of how much I've read :-)

I started reading the Cassandra Palmer series by Karen Chance and thought it was okay; I am much more interested in the Dorina Basarb series and have it on my Reminder list.

Read some of the Anna Strong chronicles and that was another one where I couldn't get into Stein's writing style.  I really liked the early Otherworlds by Kelley Armstrong but when they switched to following the witch Paige in the fourth book (I think) I didn't like that character as much.

I absolutely loved the Dante Valentine series and keep thinking I should check out some of Lilith Saintcrow's other series.  Anyone read the Jill Kismet series yet?

I also loved the Wheel of TIme books; Brandon Sanderson is the one finishing up the series.  If you haven't read Sanderson's book "Warbreaker" you should it is the best true fantasy book I have read in a long time!  I have been holding off on Martin's Song of Fire until he finishes is; I don't want him dying off on me like Jordan did!

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Date Posted: 7/23/2009 5:46 PM ET
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I feel the same way about Martin's series.  It's so frustrating.  He had a 4 year break at one point!  No way will I get involved just to have it left hanging.

Have you read the Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold?  Man I loved those books.  I also enjoy the Man-Kizin Wars by Niven.  Joan D. Vinge has the Psion series that's really good and I also like her Summer Queen and Snow Queen books. 

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Date Posted: 7/23/2009 6:09 PM ET
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I've read the first Jill Kismet book and really liked it--it's just about all action, not much romance--and have the second one on my TBR.

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Date Posted: 7/23/2009 10:10 PM ET
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What about Thomas Sniegoski?  Haven't read his new book yet, just the story in Mean Streets.  He is shifting from YA to adult. 

Another author is Kat Richardson.  Really liked Greywalker.  Had this quality of an ordinary person suddenly involved in the supernatural. Lots of action but really not a kick ass superhero.

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Date Posted: 7/24/2009 1:39 AM ET
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How about Any Given Doomsday and Doomsday Can Wait by Lori Handeland (urban fantasy)?  I really like the heroine, Elizabeth (she can kick some behind, when she needs to); the third book is out in November.

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Date Posted: 7/24/2009 2:48 AM ET
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Last Edited on: 5/23/11 9:37 AM ET - Total times edited: 2
ophelia99 avatar
Date Posted: 7/24/2009 7:21 AM ET
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I have the Fever series on my shelf to read!  It sounds awesome.  I hope it is.

I also loved the Poison study series.  She has another series coming out that follows Opal; I hope it is as good as the first!

Lots of great suggestions here!  Thanks :-)

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Date Posted: 7/24/2009 11:35 AM ET
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Ooh, Karissa, how is Stargazer?

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Date Posted: 7/24/2009 12:40 PM ET
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I'd add -

The Marked books by SJ Day

Nocturne City Series by Caitlyn Kittredge

Morgan Kingsley Series by Jenna Black

 

ophelia99 avatar
Date Posted: 7/24/2009 2:16 PM ET
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Stargazer has been okay so far.  I wasn't a huge fan of Evernight; I thought it was well-written but kind of boring.  Stargazer has been similar..so if you really liked Evernight, I think you will like Stargazer too!

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