There’s No Such Thing as a Normal Life: Why You Should Read Seanan McGuire’s InCryptid Series

If there’s one thing that you may have noticed in my contributions here at Spec Chic, I’m not shy about attempting to persuade people to check out the things that I’m especially fond of. This time, I’m here to talk to you about one of my favorite urban fantasy series. I really like Seanan McGuire’s fiction. You may have noticed. Recently, I’ve realized that, among her many works, her urban fantasy series, InCryptid, seems to get less attention than Wayward Children or October Daye. When DAW (by way of NetGalley) graciously allowed me an ARC for the newest InCryptid novel, Tricks For Free, I decided that it was time to bring these books into the light. I get the feeling that people aren’t ignoring the series, exactly, but perhaps that readers aren’t entirely sure what to think when they encounter it. I have recommended this series to plenty of people, and I almost always get the same reaction when I direct folks to the first novel, Discount Armageddon. Let’s just go ahead and get it out of the way, shall we?

Yes, it’s pink. It’s a very pink cover. But, look, it’s by far NOT the pinkest book cover in existence. That honor goes to My Life as a White Trash Zombie. I gave Discount Armageddon to someone as a gift a few years ago. It was during an unfortunate period of illness, and I thought that this book would be a perfect distraction. When I spoke to that person a bit later, I asked whether she had gotten a chance to read any of the books that I’d sent her yet. “I started the pink one!” was her response.

Yes. Well. If you’ll follow me down the rabbit hole, I hope I can convince you that this series, despite what it looks like, is more than worth your time. This series may be the middle child of McGuire’s oeuvre, but it is most definitely something that can be read and enjoyed for those who want to see what McGuire can do with an urban fantasy/family saga/paranormal romance sandbox to play in.

What’s a cryptid?

A great starter question! From McGuire’s own website:

Cryptid, noun:

1. Any creature whose existence has been suggested but not proven scientifically. Term officially coined by cryptozoologist John E. Wall in 1983.

2. That thing that’s getting ready to eat your head.

3. See also: “monster.”

So, essentially, those creatures that you thought were hiding under your bed or in your closet? Probably weren’t imaginary. This series takes a look at a myriad of supernatural beings beyond your standard bogeymen and dragons. Remember, McGuire studied Folklore (and Herpetology) at UC Berkeley, so she knows her stuff when it comes to things that may or may not exist. InCryptid gives her a chance to flex her muscles beyond the massive world of faerie.

So…bogeymen are real?

They sure are. So are dragons, tanuki, chupacabras, gorgons, and yetis. They are, largely, just people who want to live their lives in peace. They might have snakes for hair or occasionally transform into something large and hairy, but they’re people. This is something that I really love. Most of your misconceptions about the cryptid community are entirely wrong.

Ah. So monsters aren’t real.

Yes and no. Some of the cryptids are more animalistic than humanoid. Those behave according to the same force that drives wild animals: instinct. Unfortunately, some of those instincts happen to result in harm to humans, which is when the Price clan steps in.

Right, the family. What’s their deal?

Without going too much into spoiler territory, the Price family is a team of cryptozoologists who do their best to work with the cryptid community to keep them safe, yes, and to keep humanity safe from the more dangerous members of said community. The novels have different narrators. We follow one family member around for a book or two, and then swap to another for a bit. McGuire’s done a great job of giving each narrator their own distinctive voice, thought pattern, and mannerisms that allow the reader to easily differentiate between who is the star of each story.

So the good news is that if you aren’t particularly fond of a certain narrator, fear not! You’ll hop into somebody else’s head after the next book or two. Each Price sibling is delightful in their own special way. Who knows what the future holds? There are so many options for future stars. I can’t wait to see who we get to know next.

I’m not so sure about these books. The covers make me think of this as being…fluffy? Maybe a little too fluffy? Also, are these kissing books?

No, Fred Savage from The Princess Bride, they’re not kissing books. Not really. Here’s the heart of the matter. The covers here are a little on the fluffy side, and I can understand why that might turn people off. One might look at the picture of the cute girl sitting on a trapeze and think, “This is not for me.” What you have to remember is that while there is generally some kind of romantic subplot, the bulk of the story involves mystery and action. These are two things that are universally appreciated in the speculative genre. There aren’t any vampires (so far), so take heart in this, wary reader. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill urban fantasy about a tough girl who fights bad guys with a sexy sidekick. The Price women are indeed tough, but that all comes down to their own definition of what this means. One character, Sarah, isn’t really much good in a physical fight, while her cousins, Antimony and Verity, can and do kick a great deal of ass. However, Sarah’s particular skill set is a lot more terrifying than most of the other characters. It all balances out.

Plus, as I mentioned before, the Price family is a team. They rarely do things one hundred percent on their own. They know when to call for backup, and they aren’t afraid to come together to battle a common enemy. It was heartwarming when just such a team-up became necessary after one character’s terrifying disappearance in the second novel, Midnight Blue-Light Special. You get to see a wide-spread family unite and call upon resources and contacts that they have amassed through their work within their community.

Family doesn’t just mean blood relations, either. Not all members of the family are human. I’m not going to say much more than that, as I don’t want to spoil your fun.

So what I’m trying to say is that this isn’t what you expect when you just look at these books. Never judge a book by its cover, as they say. Really don’t judge in this case.

I’ve read the October Daye series, and it’s getting…grim. Is this series going to smash my heart into a thousand pieces the way that the Toby books do?

Short answer: perhaps. The good news is that the overall tone of the series is (so far) a great deal more lighthearted. The bad news is that there are still moments when I’ve cried my sad little eyes out. No spoilers, obviously, but the InCryptid books have a perfect mix of darkness and light.

You have convinced me! I shall read the things! Where do I start? Do I have to read them in order?

Yes. You do. Here’s the reading order:

1) Discount Armageddon
2) Midnight Blue Light Special
3) Half-Off Ragnarok
4) Pocket Apocalypse
5) Chaos Choreography
6) Magic for Nothing
7) Tricks for Free (available March 6 — look for my review on release day!)

Sparrow Hill Road*
The Girl in the Green Silk Gown (available July 17)
*I would recommend reading this after Half-Off Ragnarok, and at the very least before Magic for Nothing. It’s not vital to the rest of the story, but the heroine, Rose Marshall, is tied to the Price family.

BONUS!

If you do read the books, and decide that you like them, rejoice! There is an entire anthology’s worth of short fiction set in this same universe. A great deal of it concerns the current Price generation’s great-grandparents and grandparents. Most of it is available on McGuire’s website at no cost, but there are several stories that were published in various other collections. If you can’t get your hands on those collections, you can still read and enjoy the available short fiction. I would probably wait until after you read Midnight Blue Light Special before you go too far down the list of short stories, by the way. To avoid spoilers, of course.

This concludes the Q&A! I hope that you decide to give this series a shot. I love it so much. I really, really want there to be more books, and the way for that to happen is for more people to read them and love them almost as much as I do. So please, pick them up and start your epic journey