Twilight Alternatives

[Fuzzy Necromancer]

Everyone seems to be talking about the series of paranormal romance novels by Stephanie Meyers.

This series of books as a hatedom almost as overbearing, massive and monomaniacal as its fandom.

I'm not a big fan of the series, but endless cries of "it sucks" solve nothing.

I decided to create a more positive conduit for this antipathy. Here is a thread to recommend and review paranormal romances that you consider better than Twilight.

To start off, I'll recommend MaryJanice Davidson's "Undead" series, starting with "Undead and Unwed." It's an inevitable fusion of the vampire romance and glam novel genres. It has flawed characters, but they get called out on it. It entertains, and it's a vampire romance self-aware enough not to take itself seriously. It's got hawt bits, dramatic drama, and some good laughs.

[Relaxing Dragon]

Let's see... have I mentioned Let The Right One In? The book, I mean. It's just as good as the movie, with a much creepier atmosphere (especially once a wandering evil zombie thing starts lurching about).

[Ortega]

Charline Harris' The Southern Vampire Mysteries, which is a series of books which form the basis of the HBO series True Blood.  She takes a bunch of the vampire mythos and turns it on its head.  While being sufficiently suspenseful, it also as a sense of fun to it, and the protagonist, Sookie Stackhouse, is a hell of a lot more of better role model for teenage girls, rather than the textbook co-dependent girl from Twilight.

I haven't read any of the "Undead" series, but I've loaned out some of the Sookie books to some people that have, and they enjoyed it.

[TheUnabeefer]

Charline Harris' The Southern Vampire Mysteries, which is a series of books which form the basis of the HBO series True Blood.  She takes a bunch of the vampire mythos and turns it on its head.  While being sufficiently suspenseful, it also as a sense of fun to it, and the protagonist, Sookie Stackhouse, is a hell of a lot more of better role model for teenage girls, rather than the textbook co-dependent girl from Twilight.

I haven't read any of the "Undead" series, but I've loaned out some of the Sookie books to some people that have, and they enjoyed it.

I quite enjoy the TV show... especially when Anna Paquin is nude.  WOOOO!!!

**cough**

really though, I think the show is pretty neat... never read the books though.  My sister did, and she says the show doesn't stray too far.

[Fuzzy Necromancer]

I've heard the Sookie Stackhouse books praised a lot, but I couldn't get into them. =/ not really sure why

If you want raunchy sex scenes with one or more fabio-shaped beefcakes, Laurel K. Hamilton is the woman to go to. =o I've rather enjoyed her Meredith Gentry series.

[Ayriana22]

I also really enjoyed the Merry Gentry series as well as the Anita Blake series. In the Merry Gentry series she takes a lot of facets of old Celtic/ Irish mythology and blends them into her story. The sex is just an added bonus as most of her action/fight scenes are flipping AWESOME in both series. In one of the Anita books.... there are flame throwers and mini-uzis.... awesome!!! The 17th book in the Anita series, Skin Trade is due out June 2, 2009, and I already posted information for the TV series previously. The next Merry book will be out October 29, 2009

I also highly recommend the Otherworld Series by Yasmine Galenorn. It details the lives of the three D'Artigo sisters who are half-fae that come to the Seattle area because the "portals" between the Otherworld/Fae realm have started to open again as agents for the OIA (Otherworld Intelligence Agency). This is actually another really good series, it has some romance scenes but I think the action scenes are pretty well written too and its got some more whimsical moments as well. The next book in the series Demon Mistress will be out June 2, 2009.

I've read a few Kelly Armstrong  books and I've found those to be hit or miss. Dime Store Magic was a really good book! But there are some others of hers that kind of lost my interest after the first few chapters. Maybe i'll try em again at some point in the future once i've read through the others i've mentioned.
Sherrilyn Kenyon i tried reading several of her books but I just couldn't get into them, they just couldn't keep my attention and at some points the main characters really got on my nerves.

I'm just about to start reading Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan series, as well as Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse books so I'll let you know what I think about those in a few days. Also picked up a book called Lonely Werewolf Girl by Martin Millar that looks promising. 


Fuzzy are you just wanting thoughts on paranormal romance or are you looking for input on other fantasy genres as well? (See it pays to have a librarian for a best friend, she hooks me up with the good stuff    ) *dives into a pile of books*   

[ShadowDog]

I've heard the Sookie Stackhouse books praised a lot,

Me too, but I'd NEVER be able to get beyond how mind breakingly retarded that character name is.  "Sookie Stackhouse"?  Really?  Mugpie Craptower didn't want any of that?  Fugface Houseboat was already busy appearing in Twilight?  Weaselass Chumpsocket wouldn't return your calls?  NO.  Just NO.

[Ayriana22]

I've heard the Sookie Stackhouse books praised a lot,

Me too, but I'd NEVER be able to get beyond how mind breakingly retarded that character name is.  "Sookie Stackhouse"?  Really?  Mugpie Craptower didn't want any of that?  Fugface Houseboat was already busy appearing in Twilight?  Weaselass Chumpsocket wouldn't return your calls?  NO.  Just NO.

ROTFLMAO!!!    


I think that Sookie is a rather popular, deeply southern name?? Maybe??    But yeah when I first heard it I was like... is someone calling around for some lost swine??? What an unfortunate name.

PS- i really need to remember to not drink soda while reading the forums. Its been coming out of my nose far too frequently.

[ShadowDog]

Maybe it's common in the deep deep South, but I've lived in the regular South and I've NEVER heard that first or last name before.  Hell, I've seen a healthy, uninjured, grown man shamelessly come outside, climb into his rider mower, start it up, drive the 20 feet to his mailbox at the end of the driveway, pick up his mail, drive the mower back to his garage, turn it off, get off the mower, and walk about into his house.

Oh, and he wasn't wearing a shirt.

So I've seen a LOT of things here in the South and never seen anything resembling THAT name.

[Pixie Shadow]

You can try Vicki Pattersson's Zodiac series. Only 3 books out so far though. She gives you an interesting way to look at comic books. 
Sherrilyn Kenyons Dark Hunter/Dream Hunter series is actually very good once you get past the first book of the series Fantasy Lover. It doesnt have much to do with the series it just introduces characters. Maggie Shayne has a vampire series that she writes. I think she calls it a Twilight Series. I think. Kim Harrison Rachel Morgan series is good, it is a hard read sometimes.

[Fuzzy Necromancer]

Fuzzy are you just wanting thoughts on paranormal romance or are you looking for input on other fantasy genres as well? (See it pays to have a librarian for a best friend, she hooks me up with the good stuff    ) *dives into a pile of books*   

Well, this thread is more for paranormal romance.

[Hamdingers]

Modern Vampires: Count Dracula is in L.A., running a hideous club scene, and he's angry that a rogue vampire, posing as a streetwalker, is slashing. He's also unhappy that Dallas, a youthful undead and former protégé, is in town. The rogue slasher, Nico, serendipitously picks Dallas as a victim; after discovering each other's nature, they become lovers. In fear of the Count, Dallas's coterie urges him to kill Nico, but he refuses. Meanwhile, a Viennese vampire hunter, Van Helsing, arrives in L.A. and hires the Crips to help him. They're soon following Nico and Dallas. When they capture her, Dallas wants to deal: spare Nico and he'll lead the hunters to Dracula. It's time for stake and bake.
(the vampires are the good guys in this one)

Pale Blood A vampire pretender (Wings Hauser) who is murdering women runs into a real vampire (George Chakiris) who is out to stop him because he is casting too much of a spotlight on the vampire community, the female lead is obsessed with vampires for some reason.....

[Fuzzy Necromancer]

Vampires are the good guys? Really? I couldn't spot that through the choking haze of stylized urban grit. xp

[Hamdingers]

true, but at least they don't *sparkle*, *and* they have fangs, are repelled by crosses and garlic and such, y'know they follow the traditional European/Stokerian mythos/lore, the distinct lack of angsty navel-gazing is nice too

besides, you have to admit it was amusing when they were at the clothing shop, dealing with the snarky saleswoman, and Craig Ferguson's character encouraged "Niko" to feed
(cheerfully)"Oh go on, kill the <censored> b**ch, go on, rip her <censored> lungs out, c'mon, you little rascal"
Niko emits a roar, and tackles the woman, draining her dry

besides, there *are* worse vampire movies out there, like Dracula 2000, I mean, c'mon, you have Jeri "Seven of Nine" Ryan as one of the Brides of Dracula, and not *once* does she say "Resistance is Futile" before feeding?.....

[ebeth]

I've enjoyed the Sookie Stackhouse series (and I'm from the deep South so trust me when I say her name style is common: I'm friends with a girl named Pickney Sweetwater...and no, I'm not making that up)

The books are a quick and fun read and her relationship with Bill, while similar to Bella and Edward's (a bit too similar if you ask me), isn't the all consuming hurl fest as in Twilight (they actually have sex).  They are also funny, introduce a lot of cool monster characters: werewolves, werepanthers, faeries, etc.

I was actually surprised how much I enjoyed these books and I tend to be a book snob. 

So try them out and trust me, when the Eric character starts taking a bigger role you might just have a Spike-sized crush on him (for all the Buffy fans).  I know I do.