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Interesting. The only customer review so far is from their #1 reviewer. For her to have read it and already posted might just indicate she's a big fan. . . . .
Posts: 1323 | Registered: Aug 2001
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It's his "first contemporary urban fantasy", huh? I guess if you string enough adjectives together, EVERY book is a first!
Posts: 1539 | Registered: Jul 2004
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In today's literary culture, "urban" fiction means "black" fiction. That's the key word in that description.
Posts: 2005 | Registered: Jul 1999
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I haven't read 'Magic Street' yet, (hurry up, Amazon) but as far as I am aware, 'urban fantasy' usually means that the book takes place partly in this world and partly in Faerie. A lot of work by people such as Charles de Lint gets referred to as urban fantasy.
But if the meaning has changed, how does it feel to be one of the Beyonces of the literary world?
Posts: 1528 | Registered: Nov 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Bella Bee: I haven't read 'Magic Street' yet, (hurry up, Amazon) but as far as I am aware, 'urban fantasy' usually means that the book takes place partly in this world and partly in Faerie. A lot of work by people such as Charles de Lint gets referred to as urban fantasy.
That's what the "contemporary" part means. The "urban" part basically means that it is "black fiction," or possibly "hispanic fiction," by a white author. If it were by a black author, it would simply be called black fiction.
Posts: 88 | Registered: Apr 2005
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quote: Ceese takes it to Miz Smitcher, a nurse, who, against her better judgment, ends up adopting the orphan and giving him his name (after where he was found).
Did this reviewer even read the book?
Posts: 1547 | Registered: Jan 2004
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Well, if you read Wagner's greeting, it talks about how he was a teenage fanboy of scifi/fantasy in the eighties, and is forcing himself back into a genre that he really doesn't like all that much today. While the older books are viewed through rose-tinted glasses, he spits on most of the newer ones.
And I find it big-headed of Wagner to make an auto-redirect to a page pleading for a "birthday present" donation for the site through PayPal. It seems he thinks we all should bow to his knowledge of fiction.
Posts: 973 | Registered: Apr 2005
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I have to agree with Bella Bee, past fantasy novels that have included elves or fairies in contemporary settings have been called urban fantasies, no matter what color the protagonists. Charles DeLint, Mercedes Lackey, the Borderland series, Will Shetterly, Neil Gaiman, China Mieville, Jonathan Carroll...
This time, I don't think it's a black thing Posts: 7790 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Beginning of Amazon.com review of Charles De Lint's "Someplace to Be Flying" starts off with "Nobody does urban fantasy better than Charles de Lint."
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I’ve learned my lesson; I will not give a link to anything I haven’t read. Now I finished “Magic Street” and I’ve read the reviews I posted. My jaw dropped when I started to read the second review. I’ve decided to delete the link since I don’t think it belongs here. I am so sorry if you read it. Posts: 333 | Registered: Feb 2002
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I don't think that bad reviews should be covered up or deleted... It is interesting to me how certain people can love something while others despise it. instead of you deleting the link accio, I would rather hear why you disagreed, or agreed with the review.
Posts: 104 | Registered: Apr 2005
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OK, "urban fantasy" has indeed been used for contemporary fantasy.
But "urban novel" absolutely means black, hip, etc. And I expect that much wider (and yet narrower) usage to trump the fantasy usage.
Sorry I introduced that element of certainty about the meaning of the term, when it wasn't warranted by the context.
Posts: 2005 | Registered: Jul 1999
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And thanks for deleting the link to a review that trashes my book. While it might be fascinating to explore negative reviews, I'd really rather that the nasty stuff not be reachable from my own website.
Posts: 2005 | Registered: Jul 1999
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quote:Originally posted by Orson Scott Card: And thanks for deleting the link to a review that trashes my book. While it might be fascinating to explore negative reviews, I'd really rather that the nasty stuff not be reachable from my own website.
.... How come? Was it a "Magic Street? More like Suck Street!" type review (I didn't read it), or was it just from a reviewer who didn't like your book...?
Posts: 450 | Registered: Nov 2004
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