A couple of weeks ago, I had a post asking me what male authors I had on my TBR list – if any. Well, I floundered. I guess I did realise on some level that the urban fantasy genre was made up mainly of women… well, I just was not used to it. When it comes to literary fiction, it is so easy to read only male authors – and I guess I was still used to that. Because, when it comes right down to it, I believe men have an easier job of it at getting published. Or, at the very least, have an easier job having their works recognised as “Great Works Of Fiction.”
Publishers love to group genre with gender, and while there are always exceptions, urban fantasy is trending that way. Personally, I am ok with that. For decades sci-fi and fantasy was seen as a very male genre – and now, well, it is starting to even out. As I am sure that, one day in the likely distant future, the romance genre will read by men and written by male writers.
So how about some urban fantasy written by men? Well, here is an incomplete selection from my wishlist – if you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them!
Something from the Nightside by Simon R. Greene
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Actually, Rob Thurman is a woman.
Try Jim Butcher, Justin Gustainis, Kelly McCullough, J.F. Lewis, Thomas E. Sniegoski, and Christopher Moore.
@Deborah – Rob Thurman is a woman? huh.
*deletes from list*
Have Jim Butcher on my TBR list but I will checking the rest of those authors out. Thanks for the recs!
I guess I’m more of a high fantasy reader, so wasn’t aware that so much of the urban fantasy genre is by women. Interesting to know, thanks! I’m an equal opportunity reader, but I guess 70% of my reads are men just due to the genre split you mentioned. Though there are always Mercedes Lackey, Weis and Hickman, and others that account for some of my reads 🙂
Jim Butcher is awesome, and Simon Greene rocks. Hadn’t realized that so few men wrote Urban Fantasy – that’s very interesting.
I love Scott Westerfeld! Could not put the Uglies books down. I loved them so much we’re doing a group discussion on the series in the new year. I also got to see Westerfeld in person a few weeks ago and he was really fascinating.