Paper Cities: An Anthology of Urban Fantasy

Paper Cities is an anthology of 21 urban fantasy stories edited by Ekaterina Sedia. The collection features both established genre authors and emerging voices exploring the intersection of magic and city life. The stories take place across various urban settings, from real metropolises like London and New York to fictional cities that exist between reality and imagination. Each tale incorporates elements of fantasy and the supernatural into distinctly urban environments - subway systems, apartment buildings, city streets, and hidden neighborhoods. The anthology includes works by authors such as Forrest Aguirre, Cat Rambo, Jay Lake, and Hal Duncan. The stories range from noir-influenced mysteries to tales of urban transformation and hidden magical communities existing alongside ordinary city dwellers. The collection examines how cities shape human experience and identity, while exploring themes of alienation, community, and the thin boundaries between mundane and magical reality. These stories reveal the uncanny potential lurking within urban spaces and architecture.

Readers find Paper Cities offers diverse takes on urban fantasy, with stories ranging from surreal to gritty. The collection averages 3.5/5 stars on Goodreads (352 ratings) and 3.8/5 on Amazon (12 ratings). Readers praised: - Fresh perspectives beyond standard urban fantasy tropes - Standout stories like "Sammarynda Deep" and "The Absence of Dreams" - Mix of established and emerging authors - Focus on actual cities rather than supernatural elements Common criticisms: - Uneven quality between stories - Several stories felt incomplete or unclear - Too experimental for readers seeking traditional urban fantasy - Limited character development due to short format One reviewer noted: "Some stories require multiple readings to grasp, which could be good or bad depending on your preferences." Another mentioned: "About a third are excellent, a third are decent, and a third didn't work for me." The anthology ranks in mid-range compared to similar urban fantasy collections, according to reader ratings on LibraryThing.

Naked City by Ellen Datlow This anthology collects urban fantasy stories from authors who transform real city settings into places where magic and mythology exist in the shadows of skyscrapers and subway tunnels.

The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin Five people embody the souls of New York City's boroughs and must fight an ancient evil that threatens to destroy their metropolis.

The Copper Promise by Jen Williams A band of mercenaries navigate through a fantasy-infused city filled with underground temples, ancient magic, and forgotten gods.

Last Call by Tim Powers A professional gambler discovers that Las Vegas hosts a supernatural poker game where players bet with years of their lives and pieces of their souls.

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman A London businessman falls through the cracks into London Below, a hidden city that exists in abandoned subway stations and sewers where magic runs parallel to the modern world.

🏙️ Published in 2008, Paper Cities won the World Fantasy Award for Best Anthology in 2009 📚 Editor Ekaterina Sedia is not only an anthology curator but also a biologist specializing in plant ecology 🌆 The anthology features 21 different stories from authors exploring magical elements within urban settings ✍️ Contributors include well-known fantasy authors like Forrest Aguirre, Cat Rambo, and Jay Lake 🏰 The collection helped establish "urban fantasy" as distinct from traditional fantasy by focusing on city environments rather than medieval or pastoral settings