15 Great Fantasy Books Featuring Modern Technology to Read

Fantasy books with modern technology appear frequently in the Urban Fantasy genre. But what about fantasy novels that don’t necessarily take place in cities, but still feature modern technology?

If you’re curious what’s out there, this post has a list for you.

Here are 15 great fantasy books with modern technology to read:

Deep Secret by Diana Wynne Jones
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare
The Demon King by Cinda Chima Williams
Renegades by Marissa Meyer
The Silent Tower by Barbara Hambly
Vampire Empire: The Greyfrair by Clay Griffith
The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub
Interview With the Vampire by Anne Rice
The Aching God by Mike Shel
Companions of the Night by Vivian Vande Velde
Scorched by Mari Mancusi
The Gunslinger by Stephen King
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

I’ve included book descriptions, readers’ ratings and summaries of positive and negative comments for each one of these fantasy novels.

On the other hand, here’s a comparison chart if you’d prefer a quick summary.

Deep Secret by Diana Wynne Jones

Description

Rupert Venables is a Magid.

It’s a Magid’s job to oversee what goes on in the vast Multiverse. Actually, Rupert is really only a junior Magid. But he’s got a king-sized problem.

Rupert’s territory includes Earth and the Empire of Korfyros. When his mentor dies Rupert must find a replacement. But there are hundreds of candidates. How is he supposed to choose? And interviewing each one could take forever.

Unless…

What if he could round them all up in one place?

Simple!

What Do Readers Say?

Goodreads Rating: 4.10

Most Common Rating: 5

Positive Comments

First on our list of fantasy books with modern technology is Deep Secret. This humorous, lighthearted novel delighted fans with its wit and quirky characters.

In terms of the latter, these readers agreed that the characters’ dramatic personalities perfectly suited this playful romp of a story.

In addition, several mentioned how fun the story was, especially because of its affectionate jokes related to conventions. These readers often recognized jokes around their own favorite books – such as The Lord of the Rings and The Princess Bride – and were delighted.

Overall, they found themselves grinning throughout the book, describing the humor as brilliant.

Negative Comments

What did critics say? In general, if readers didn’t enjoy Deep Secret, they tended to cite the characters as reasons. While fans found the characters’ over-the-top personalities hilarious, critics said they came across as either complaining too much or having a bad attitude.

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Descriptions

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan’s life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she’s known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth – that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she’ll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil, no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

What Do Readers Say?

Goodreads Rating: 3.90

Most Common Rating: 5

Positive Comments

Second on our list of fantasy books with modern technology is The Iron King. This fantasy novel delighted fans with its adrenaline-packed adventure plot, imaginative world and relatable protagonist, Meghan.

Meghan, these readers said, came across to them as extremely relatable. While she began the story uncertain and insecure, she grew into a brave character. Seeing her overcome her fears in order to save her brother made these readers cheer for and admire her.

Aside from that, fans commented on The Iron King’s intriguing world. Jam-packed with magical creatures and enchanting new places, this novel transported readers into its pages. Many said that this, paired with exciting action, kept them eager to know what would happen next.

Negative Comments

What did critics say about The Iron King?

Overall, if critics didn’t enjoy this novel, they cited Meghan as the reason. Several described her as either a passive protagonist or a ‘damsel in distress‘. For instance, the two main supporting characters, both of whom were men, frequently had to rescue her.

This frustrated critics, who thought too much of the book’s plot relied on this setup.

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

Description

The Shadowhunters of Los Angeles star in the first novel in Cassandra Clare’s newest series, The Dark Artifices, a sequel to the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series. Lady Midnight is a Shadowhunters novel.

It’s been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire that brought the Shadowhunters to the brink of oblivion. Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and avenging her losses.

Together with her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches across Los Angeles, from the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica. If only her heart didn’t lead her in treacherous directions…

Making things even more complicated, Julian’s brother Mark — who was captured by the faeries five years ago — has been returned as a bargaining chip. The faeries are desperate to find out who is murdering their kind — and they need the Shadowhunters’ help to do it.

But time works differently in faerie, so Mark has barely aged and doesn’t recognize his family. Can he ever truly return to them? Will the faeries really allow it?

What Do Readers Say?

Goodreads Rating: 4.42

Most Common Rating: 5

Positive Comments

Third on our list of fantasy books with modern technology is Lady Midnight. What did fans rave over in this novel?

Well, overall, readers praised it as a fantastic mix of everything they loved in stories: an action-packed plot, a mystery, magic, compelling relationships with friends and family, and forbidden love. Ultimately, Lady Midnight was a book that made them laugh, cry, cheer and everything in between.

More specifically though, fans often pointed to the protagonists, Emma and Julian, as their main reasons for enjoying this book. They said the two of them were sympathetic, both with their own strengths and flaws. Individually, they were easy to care about. But together, their romance was powerful and meaningful.

Negative Comments

What did critics say about Lady Midnight? Overall, these readers tended to perceive Emma and Julian’s romance as overly sentimental in some fashion.

For some, they suggested their pining for each other was excessive. For others, they struggled to see what the two of them were like as individuals outside of their romance.

The Demon King by Cinda Chima Williams

Description

Times are hard in the mountain city of Fellsmarch. Reformed thief Han Alister will do almost anything to eke out a living for his family. The only thing of value he has is something he can’t sell — the thick silver cuffs he’s worn since birth. They’re clearly magicked — as he grows, they grow, and he’s never been able to get them off.

One day, Han and his clan friend, Dancer, confront three young wizards setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea. Han takes an amulet from Micah Bayar, son of the High Wizard, to keep him from using it against them.

Soon Han learns that the amulet has an evil history — it once belonged to the Demon King, the wizard who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. With a magical piece that powerful at stake, Han knows that the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back.

Meanwhile, Raisa ana‘Marianna, princess heir of the Fells, has her own battles to fight. She’s just returned to court after three years of freedom in the mountains — riding, hunting, and working the famous clan markets. Raisa wants to be more than an ornament in a glittering cage. She aspires to be like Hanalea — the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But her mother has other plans for her…

The Seven Realms tremble when the lives of Hans and Raisa collide, fanning the flames of the smoldering war between clans and wizards.

What Do Readers Say?

Goodreads Rating: 4.18

Most Common Rating: 5

Positive Comments

Fourth on our list of fantasy books with modern technology is The Demon King by Cinda Chima Williams. This novel enthralled fans with its captivating characters and rich plot.

Readers praised Raisa and Hans, the main characters, saying that they were interesting and multidimensional. With such different backgrounds, personalities and perspectives, the combination of the two together brought the story’s world to life.

Fans also mentioned how the plot itself was full of twists and turns. Sub-plots intersected, overlapped and built on one another, making the court intrigue all that much more absorbing.

Negative Comments

What did critics say? Overall, these readers tended to say that they didn’t connect with Raisa or Han. If not that, they weren’t drawn into the story.

In terms of Han and Raisa, several critics described them as stereotypical Young Adult Fantasy characters. For example, Raisa reminded them of a standard rebellious princess, whose reasons for putting herself in danger struck them as either foolish or selfish. Because of this, these readers weren’t invested in what happened to her.

On the other hand, some critics said that they found The Demon King slow-paced and without much action.

Renegades by Marissa Meyer

Description

Secret Identities.

Extraordinary Powers.

She wants vengeance. He wants justice.

The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies — humans with extraordinary abilities — who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned.

As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone…except the villains they once overthrew.

Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice — and in Nova.

But Nova’s allegiance is to the villains who have the power to end them both.

What Do Readers Say?

Goodreads Rating: 4.16

Most Common Rating: 5

Positive Comments

Next on our list of fantasy books with modern technology is Renegades. What did readers who love this book say?

In general, fans praised the book for its likable and enjoyable characters. This included the main characters, Nova and Adrian, but also the rest of the cast. In particular, Nova, with her intelligence and ruthlessness, intrigued to them. On the other hand, Adrian won their admiration and all-around affection.

Readers also mentioned how fascinated they were by Renegades’ world. The sheer variety of superpowers captured their imaginations and entertained them immensely. All of these powers, fans were happy to report, came across as well-developed and organic.

Negative Comments

So what did critics of Renegades say? In general, these readers thought that the story had too many standard superhero and Young Adult Fantasy tropes. Because of this over-familiarity, they couldn’t immerse themselves in the characters, the storyline or be impressed by the plot twists.

Critics also mentioned that they found it difficult to connect with the characters, with several describing them as bland. As such, they didn’t feel invested in what happened to them as the story progressed.

The Silent Tower by Barbara Hambly

Description

A wizard and a computer programmer from opposite sides of an interdimensional portal must work together to save their worlds from destruction.

In a world where wizards are relegated to ghettos, it is no surprise to see one murdered in the street. But for Stonne Caris, a young warrior monk who sees the killing and gives chase to the culprit, there is nothing ordinary about seeing a murderer disappear into a black, inky portal.

The Archmage sends him in search of Antryg Windrose — a half-mad mage who understands the nature of these passages between dimensions.

On the other side of the Void is Joanna, a programmer as mild as Caris is deadly. She has spent her life in cubicles, staring into computer terminals, as far from heroism as she can get.

But when the power that is crossing between dimensions draws her through the Void, she finds herself battling to save a world she never even knew existed.

What Do Readers Say?

Goodreads Rating: 3.94

Most Common Rating: 4

Positive Comments

Next on our list of fantasy books with modern technology is The Silent Tower, giving us two intelligent characters in the form of Joanna and Antryg. Fans praised this story for its characters and world, which is a refreshing meld of magic and technology.

The two leads impressed them with how multidimensional they were, as well as how enjoyable they were to read about. Aside from brilliant, Antryg struck these readers as a unique fantasy character: eccentric, middle-aged, near-sighted and more. Likewise, the less quirky Joanna pairs her own brilliance with pro-activeness and competence.

Negative Comments

Critics, on the other hand, tended to have two comments. The first was that they thought the book’s pace was slow, particularly in the beginning.

The second was that the story’s writing style included the frequent use of adverbs, which bothered them after a while.

Vampire Empire: The Greyfrair by Clay Griffith

Description

Rousing pulp action and steampunk come together in a heartbreaking story of high adventure and alternate history.

In the year 1870, a horrible plague of vampires swept over the northern regions of the world. It is now 2020 and a bloody reckoning is coming. Princess Adele is heir to the Empire of Equatoria, a remnant of the old tropical British Empire.

When she becomes the target of a merciless vampire clan, her only protector is the Greyfriar, a mysterious hero who fights the vampires from deep within their territory. Their dangerous relationship plays out against an approaching war to the death between humankind and the vampire clans.

The first book in a trilogy of high adventure and alternate history. Combining rousing pulp action with steampunk style, the Vampire Empire series brings epic political themes to life within a story of heartbreaking romance, sacrifice, and heroism.

What Do Readers Say?

Goodreads Rating: 3.81

Most Common Rating: 4

Positive Comments

Another story on our list of fantasy books with modern technology is The Greyfrair. This novel captured readers’ imaginations with its unique multi-genre world and its characters.

For the former, fans praised the story for its smooth blend of horror, adventure and romance, all set in a tantalizing steampunk fantasy world. Many of them added how much they enjoyed seeing fascinating concepts – such as a vampire empire – playing out.

In terms of characters, The Greyfrair impressed readers with Adele and Gareth. Both struck them as fleshed out, growing based on their experiences in the story. Others mentioned that the romance between them was a highlight.

Negative Comments

If readers didn’t enjoy The Greyfriar, what did they say? In general, critics focused on the writing style and characters. They tended to say that the writing came across as awkward, with certain phrases standing out.

As for the characters, these readers expected them to be as unique as the book’s world was. Instead, the characters came across as familiar types to them.

The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub

Description

On a brisk autumn day, a twelve-year-old boy stands on the shores of the gray Atlantic, near a silent amusement park and a fading ocean resort called the Alhambra.

The past has driven Jack Sawyer here: his father is gone, his mother is dying, and the world no longer makes sense. But for Jack everything is about to change. For he has been chosen to make a journey back across America–and into another realm.

One of the most influential and heralded works of fantasy ever written, The Talisman is an extraordinary novel of loyalty, awakening, terror, and mystery.

Jack Sawyer, on a desperate quest to save his mother’s life, must search for a prize across an epic landscape of innocents and monsters, of incredible dangers and even more incredible truths. The prize is essential, but the journey means even more.

Let the quest begin. . . .

What Do Readers Say?

Goodreads Rating: 4.13

Most Common Rating: 5

Positive Comments

Next on our list of fantasy books with modern technology is a novel by Stephen King and Peter Straub.

Readers delighted by The Talisman remarked that it was a wonderful hero’s journey story. Jack, they said, was an enjoyable and convincing child protagonist. They rooted for him as he faced his fears and struggles, while also enjoying his growth and bravery.

Negative Comments

If readers didn’t find the story enjoyable, though, their comments were generally consistent: these readers said that the novel stretched for too long, particularly in the middle.

Interview With the Vampire by Anne Rice

Description

The time is now.

Books cover of Interview with the Vampire

We are in a small room with the vampire, face to face, as he speaks – as he pours out the hypnotic, shocking, moving, and erotically charged confessions of his first two hundred years as one of the living dead…

He speaks quietly, plainly, even gently, carrying us back to the night when he departed human existence as heir – young, romantic, cultivated – to a great Louisiana plantation, and was inducted by the radiant and sinister Lestat into the other, the “endless,” life…

Learning first to sustain himself on the blood of cocks and rats caught in the raffish streets of New Orleans, then on the blood of human beings…

To the years when, moving away from his final human ties under the tutelage of the hated yet necessary Lestat, he gradually embraces the habits, hungers, feelings of vampirism: the detachment, the hardened will, the “superior” sensual pleasures.

He carries us back to the crucial moment in a dark New Orleans street when he finds the exquisite lost young child Claudia, wanting not to hurt but to comfort her, struggling against the last residue of human feeling within him…

We see how Claudia in turn is made a vampire – all her passion and intelligence trapped forever in the body of a small child.

And how they arrive at their passionate and dangerous alliance, their French Quarter life of opulence: delicate Grecian statues, Chinese vases, crystal chandeliers, a butler, a maid, a stone nymph in the hidden garden court…

Night curving into night with their vampire senses heightened to the beauty of the world, thirsting for the beauty of death – a constant stream of vulnerable strangers awaiting them below…

We see them joined against the envious, dangerous Lestat, embarking on a perilous search across Europe for others like themselves, desperate to discover the world they belong to, the ways of survival, to know what they are and why, where they came from, what their future can be…

We follow them across Austria and Transylvania, encountering their kind in forms beyond their wildest imagining…

To Paris, where footsteps behind them, in exact rhythm with their own, steer them to the doors of the Théâtre des Vampires – the beautiful, lewd, and febrile mime theater whose posters of penny-dreadful vampires at once mask and reveal the horror within…

To their meeting with the eerily magnetic Armand, who brings them, at last, into intimacy with a whole brilliant and decadent society of vampires, an intimacy that becomes sudden terror when they are compelled to confront what they have feared and fled…

What Do Readers Say?

Goodreads Rating: 4.00

Most Common Rating: 5

Positive Comments

Another story on our list of fantasy books with modern technology is Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice. This book, readers remarked, is a deeply character-driven tale that explores the vampire mythos from philosophical and moral angles.

Fans said that this gave what could have been a standard vampire story depth and emotion. The questions the story raised – for instance, what gives life (or death) meaning – intrigued these readers.

Moreover, readers described the characters as a highlight. Decisions, isolation and the passing eras affect each character. Because of this, they struck readers as vivid and complex.

Negative Comments

If readers didn’t like Interview with the Vampire, what did they say? These readers said that while they understood that the story was philosophical take on the vampire mythos, it was too ponderous.

They reported that Louis’ reflections eventually came across to them as self-pity and they eventually lost interest in the story.

Others said that although the book had no outright sexual or romantic content, the eroticism between the characters – particularly Louis to Claudia, a child vampire – disturbed them.

The Aching God by Mike Shel

Description

“Closer, mortal. You are here, finally, to feed the Aching God…”

The days of adventure are passed for Auric Manteo. Retired to the countryside with his scars and riches, he no longer delves into forbidden ruins seeking dark wisdom and treasure. That is, until old nightmares begin plaguing his sleep, heralding an urgent summons back to that old life.

To save his only daughter, Auric must return to the place of his greatest trauma: the haunted Barrowlands.

With only a few inexperienced companions and an old soldier, he must confront the dangers of the ancient and wicked Djao civilization.

Auric has survived fell beasts, insidious traps, and deadly hazards before. But can he contend with the malice of a bloodthirsty living god?

What Do Readers Say?

Goodreads Rating: 4.29

Most Common Rating: 5

Positive Comments

Next on our list of fantasy books with modern technology is The Aching God. Fans loved the fact that the main character, Auric, was not just an older protagonist, but one coming out of retirement and courageously battling his inner demons to do so.

While this makes Auric a recognizable character type, these readers praised the story’s portrayal of him. Yes, he’s tortured by brutal memories, but his severe PTSD struck these readers as realistic and engrossing.

Moreover, they praised the book’s world-building. The world was full of history, secrets and mystery. But in particular, an atmosphere of slowly increasing dread and fright haunted its pages.

Negative Comments

If The Aching God wasn’t to a reader’s taste, what did they say?

It turns out that there wasn’t a clear common thread between their feedback. If I had to pick one, though, it would be that some readers found the characters’ types overly familiar types.

I got the sense that while the book’s fans recognized Auric, for instance, as a ‘tortured hero’ type, they found these features fleshed out and real. Readers who weren’t as enthusiastic about the story, however, thought this was cliche.

Companions of the Night by Vivian Vande Velde

Description

When Kerry’s little brother forgets his stuffed bear at the laundry, Kerry ventures out at 11th p.m. to retrieve it for him.

The laundry is deserted and kind of spooky, and while she’s there three men burst in, dragging a bound and bloodied young man they insist is a vampire.

Kerry helps him escape, only to be caught up in a desperate game between vampire hunters and their prey.

What Do Readers Say?

Goodreads Rating: 3.77

Most Common Rating: 4

Positive Comments

Next on our list of fantasy books with modern technology is Companion of the Night, a novel that explores the vampire mythos in a modern setting. This story was published before Twilight, and fans praised it for having refreshing ideas and perspectives on ‘modern vampires’ they hadn’t seen before.

Fans described the book as having a genuinely smart protagonist as well as insightful explorations into what it would be like to be a vampire in contemporary times. Many praised its realism, describing it as convincing and intriguing.

Add to that the suspense around whether Kerry and Ethan could trust each other, and Companions of the Night came across as a wonderful book for vampire fans.

Negative Comments

No book is without its critics, so what did these readers say about Companions of the Night? Well, they tended to focus on the story’s pace, saying that it started slowly and seemed to end too quickly.

Scorched by Mari Mancusi

Description

Trinity

Don’t leave me here…

It starts with a whisper. At first Trinity thinks she’s going crazy. It wouldn’t be a big surprise — her grandpa firmly believes there’s a genuine dragon egg in their dusty little West Texas town.

But this voice is real, and it’s begging for her protection. Even if no one else can hear it…

Connor

He’s come from a future scorched by dragonfire. His mission: Find the girl. Destroy the egg. Save the world.

Caleb

He’s everything his twin brother Connor hates: cocky, undisciplined, and obsessed with saving dragons.

Trinity has no idea which brother to believe. All she has to go by is the voice in her head — a dragon that won’t be tamed.

What Do Readers Say?

Goodreads Rating: 3.78

Most Common Rating: 4

Positive Comments

Next on our list of fantasy books with modern technology is Scorched. Readers often described this fantasy novel as ‘Terminator with dragons’, a unique blend of time-travel and dragons that they loved!

They reported that the novel’s fast pacing kept them glued to the pages. Action-packed and exciting, the book also presented a mystery about the two brothers’ true motives and pasts that drew readers in. Several remarked that discerning between the truths and lies was one of Scorched‘s highlights.

Others added that they appreciated the portrayal of Emberlyn, the dragon. While some stories characterize dragon allies as friendly and pet-like, Scorched portrays dragons as both deadly and magnificent. These readers enjoyed this intriguing and dangerous atmosphere around Trinity’s flame-breathing ally.

Negative Comments

While Scorched has plenty of fans, some readers didn’t enjoy it. What did critics say?

Their comments were consistent: despite its dragon and apocalyptic spin, the novel came across as familiar YA fantasy. To be more specific, these readers expressed disappointment that the novel features a love triangle and characters with familiar personalities.

These readers described Trinity, Conner and Caleb as standard YA characters. Moreover, they said that the ‘good boy’ versus ‘bad boy’ setup to the romance was standard as well.

Any tension or conflict between the three characters didn’t make an impression: it felt like sights along a well-trodden path rather than a situation that piqued their interest and invested them in the outcome.

The Gunslinger by Stephen King

Description

In the first book of this brilliant series, Stephen King introduces readers to one of his most enigmatic heroes, Roland of Gilead, The Last Gunslinger. He is a haunting figure, a loner on a spellbinding journey into good and evil.

In his desolate world, which frighteningly mirrors our own, Roland pursues The Man in Black, encounters an alluring woman named Alice, and begins a friendship with the Kid from Earth called Jake.

Both grippingly realistic and eerily dreamlike, The Gunslinger leaves readers eagerly awaiting the next chapter.

What Do Readers Say?

Goodreads Rating: 3.95

Most Common Rating: 5

Positive Comments

Another story on our list of fantasy books with modern technology is The Gunslinger by Stephen King. Readers who raved about this novel frequently mentioned the beautiful, poetic prose.

They also enthused over how intriguing Roland was as a character. While Roland starts off as the classic ‘strong and silent type’ so common in Westerns, he’s reveals a unique and multifaceted character.

Other readers mentioned how much they appreciated the distinctiveness of the world itself: it’s part Western, fantasy and post-apocalyptic.

Negative Comments

If readers didn’t enjoy The Gunslinger, they often said that there wasn’t much background information in the beginning of the book. Because of this, the story confused them until they progressed through a good portion of the novel.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Description

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder ― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons.

Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing ― not even a smear of blood ― to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It’s also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk.

Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight?

The Shadowhunters would like to know…

What Do Readers Say?

Goodreads Rating: 4.10

Most Common Rating: 5

Positive Comments

Another story on our list of fantasy books with modern technology is City of Bones. This fast-paced novel captivated fans with its combination of favorite story elements and its exciting world-building.

For instance, several mentioned that they recognized tropes from beloved stories, whether that be Harry Potter, Star Wars or Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Seeing all of these combined together thrilled them.

Moreover, fans praised City of Bones’ world-building, which drew them into a modern, urban fantasy world filled with magical creatures, romantic dramas, secrets and danger. Paired with an action-packed story line, these readers flew through the book’s pages on the edge of their seats.

Negative Comments

What did critics say about City of Bones? For the most part, they tended to cite either the familiar tropes or Clary, the protagonist, as their reasons for disliking the story.

In terms of the tropes, what fans named as a highlight was what these readers named as a negative. They said that the similarities stood out too much and they interpreted their presence as clichés.

As for Clary, critics described her as unlikable. For some, this was because of her passivity: rather than driving making her seem tough and independent, her actions came across to them as selfishness or excessive. For instance, they mentioned that she frequently yells and, at one point, slaps someone.

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Description

To survive in a ruined world, she must embrace the darkness…

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a walled-in city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them — the vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself dies and becomes one of the monsters.

Forced to flee her city, Allie must pass for human as she joins a ragged group of pilgrims seeking a legend — a place that might have a cure for the disease that killed off most of civilization and created the rabids, the bloodthirsty creatures who threaten human and vampire alike. And soon Allie will have to decide what and who is worth dying for again.

What Do Readers Say?

Goodreads Rating: 4.09

Most Common Rating: 5

Positive Comments

Last on our list of fantasy books with modern technology is The Immortal Rules. Readers who enjoyed this novel praised it for its new, dystopian spin on vampires and a post-apocalyptic world.

Kagawa commits to portraying vampires as predators while not making Allison’s struggle to adapt either melodramatic, on one hand, or sanitized, on the other. They also mentioned that there were great action scenes and Kanin, Allison’s vampire mentor, intrigued them.

Negative Comments

Readers who didn’t rate The Immortal Rules highly mentioned that the story starts off fast-paced, but slows down in the middle before picking up speed again. Other readers said that they didn’t find the romantic sub-plot – a light presence in the story – particularly compelling.