Making It Urban

[naomi_jay]

In an earlier post I asked if death was necessary in urban fantasy. I'm broadening that question now to: what makes urban fantasy?

What do you think the key elements are, the features that you'll find in every last book that comes under that tag? Magic? Sex? Kick-ass first person female narrator? Vampires? What differentiates it from epic, high fantasy besides location? What would you have to take away (or add in) to make it paranormal romance?

And on an unrelated note, are you reading Barb & JC Hendee's Noble Dead series? If not, why not? I finished Traitor to the Blood last night and I'm now moping because I can't get hold of the next book, Rebel Fay. Seriously, it's an awesome series.