More Angry Chics in Leather

Lilith Saintcrow got a lot of responses to her original Angry Chics in Leather article. Enough so that she had to do a follow up:

[read here]

Firs thing to note was her getting definsive over using the term Urban Fantasy for a specific kind of book out there right now. In her defense it’s not her fault that Urban Fantasy was a recent markating label slapped to these books, and that for decades Urban Fantasy meant something else entirely. But still, it’s something that should be nodded at- yes, once a upon a time UF meant something different. It doesn’t anymore.

Even though it’s confusing, that’s the way it goes. The same with Paranormal Romance. According to my wife that used to meant something completely different. And just like Urban Fantasy, someone in marketing somewhere used it for these kind of books and it stuck.

This is a problem. It’s also a problem that can’t be directly addressed. Nothing will change what has happened. You can’t go back in time and make this not happen. Instead, everyone whining about how *Emma Bull* and  *Charles De Lint (bleah)* are real Urban Fantasy and these books are not should take a breather, relax, and come to terms with the fact that the world has changed, has moved on. Once upon a time fantasy was considered Science Fiction, and was labelled as such. It happens. Things change.

One thing I would like to note is that I’m shocked how many men feel threatened by Urban Fantasy as a genre. It makes no sense. They don’t seem to hate it (or consider it not literature) for any reason other than it’s got girl cooties. And girls aren’t supposed to fight, or be bad asses, or whatever.

And that’s just plain silly. For awhile I didn’t like Urban Fantasy (in this incarnation), but not because of girl cooties. I didn’t like it because it was popular. It was the same reason why I didn’t like Stephen King for a few years. But eventually I broke down, read some of it, and enjoyed it immensly. People who love pulpy, thriller style, action oriented fiction (with a lot of character depth- something UF does well that most other fantasy does not) should pick up some books and read them. You’ll be surprised. And you might find out you don’t mind having girl cooties after all.