All of Seanan's books are fun, and I and my staff at The Portal Bookshop regularly get someone new hooked on the series

I received a copy of this book as part of the 2017 Hugo Awards voter's packet and therefore won't be reviewing it on NetGalley.

I read this series for the 2020 Hugo (Best Series) awards and felt it was the best of the nominated series, although I enjoyed the earlier short stories more than the 'modern times' stories.

Thank you for providing this book as part of the 2020 Hugo Awards Voter’s Packet (finalist for Best Series).

Copy of book received as part of this year's Hugo packet, therefore will not be reviewing at this time.

received as part of the Hugo packet when the series was nominated for Best Series. I had never read the books and read every novel and every short story available in under a month. Wickedly funny banter, delightful characters, intriguing cryptozoology. They continue to be books I buy pretty much immediately.

Listen, I long ago joined the church of Seanan McGuire, when I read Rosemary and Rue for the first time with Felicia Day's Vaginal Fantasy book club. From that moment on, I was completely hooked. Seanan has never failed me. So when this series was nominated for a Hugo and I received the first eight books in the series as part of my Hugo voter packet, I was beyond pleased. This series gives me the same warm and fuzzy feelings that I get when reading Toby Daye books, but just ever so slightly lighter and I love the kind of monster-of-the-week feeling. One of my favourite parts about this series is that we get to follow different characters, which I honestly was skeptical about when I first got to a book not from Verity's point of view. But it really widens the possibilities of the series. The Aeslin mice are my favourite. As always, the balance of character building and world building is pretty close to perfection.

When we get to the later books in the series, I think she straddles the line perfectly of reviewing what has happened previously in the series (a kind of "previously on" but for books) while also moving on with the series. If I wasn't reading them all in a row, I'm sure I would appreciate that even more, as so often I feel like I have to completely re-read a series in order to remind myself of what's happened before I read the newest installment, which tends to mean that i put off that reading.

Overall, really pleased to have finally started this new-to-me series from McGuire and equally pleased to look forward to future books to come.

In the third novel in Seanan McGuire's InCryptid series the viewpoint shifts to cryptozoologist Alexander Price as he deals with murders, a variety of dangerous animals with fatal mythological powers. Along the way, he learns more about his family history, himself, and apparently finds the woman he is likely to marry. The suspense of wanting to learn what happens to the characters and who or what is causing the deaths make this a fairly quick read since it is nearly impossible to put the book down.

Changes of character are always dangerous for me, as I have a nasty habit of getting attached to the original character and being more than a little peeved when they suddenly disappear on me. That was not the case here as we shift from Verity in Manhattan... or not as the case may be... to Alex in Ohio. I found Verity an interesting enough character, but Alex's fascination with biology and science caught me far more than his sister's ballroom dancing.

For that reason this has to be my favourite book in the series so far, as it had all of the elements I enjoyed of the initial two books - minus some of the snark, as Alex is slightly more serious than his sister - and focussed on the elements I found most fascinating; cryptid research and biology. Alex works as a visiting researcher at Ohio Zoo, supposedly specialising in regular reptiles that the zoo showcases to paying punters. Of course, as a cryptozoologist his interest is in the less mundane. And along with his basilisk breeding program, he also researches some of the more interesting fauna of the native area.

So when one of the zoo staff members gets partially petrified - partially petrified is just as dead, just so that we're on the same page here; you're no less dead because only your eyes and throat have turned to stone - Alex's first thought is to check his pet basilisks. But when they're still hibernating, there is clearly another culprit on the loose. And the only thing worse than a rogue petrifying critter on the loose, is a rogue petrifying critter than kills enough people to gain the attention of the Covenant. Because that's a really, really bad idea. Of course, keeping himself and his girlfriend alive long enough to find the perpetrator is also important. And Alex discovers he's not the only one keeping secrets in their relationship.

The plot here is interesting, but the real gems are in the background information that comes along for the ride and the side characters of varying species and threat level that Alex enlists to help him. I was less keen on his girlfriend, Shelby, but then I'm never hugely enthralled by romantic sub-plots. I did appreciate how practical and hands on she was; don't mess with an Australian. Australians live in a country where near enough everything can and will eat you; fauna and flora alike. But I really loved the level of detail we got about the various species of cryptid, because that's the kind of thing that fascinates Alex. Science nerds stick together! I loved how various cryptids are fully fledged characters, rather than just potentially venomous points of interest as well. A sub-section of the novel takes place within an established gorgon community for instance.

All in all, this is my favourite of the series so far and ticks nearly every box I might have wished for. You get to follow Sarah's recovery, which is heart-warming and heart-breaking by turns. There is a whole new world of cryptid adventure to embroil yourself in, one which involves the research side of the family business. And of course the Aeslin mice are still very much a part of events. HAIL! This is a little more serious and a little less snarky, but it more than made up for that with the wealth of detail and world-building McGuire was able to build into the novel. HAIL THE GOD OF SCALES AND SILENCE!

Third installment and different POV from Alex, Verity's brother. I enjoyed learning about him and his scientific mind, I enjoyed some common sense where Verity just runs into danger, Alex thinks things out. We get to know his Jorlac grandma and revenent Grandpa, their home and follow up on cousin Sarah, which I wanted, so I was happy. Shelby was a delight and someone Alex needs, although we find out a lot about her, there is more to learn. Also Dee his assistant, and her Gorgon community. There is a lot of information for their lives, but never feels like an into dump. Entertaining, adventure, and danger all in this edition. Looking forward to the next.

Thank you for the chance to review prior to Hugo voting. It was very helpful to get the full series on NetGalley!

This is a book I am accessing via Netgalley for the Hugo nomination packet. Due to this, I will not be reviewing this book via Netgalley at this time.

I really enjoyed this book. Alex is a great narrator, and I especially enjoyed the bits about herpetology and the zoo. I liked having more of the extended Price family take part, and the greater interaction with cryptid communities as well. The world of this series is really getting fleshed out now and I enjoy that very much. The internal politics of cryptid communities were fascinating, and really personalised them as more than a monolith of species traits.
Crow was the best, obviously, but I missed the Aeslin mice.
I do hope we can see more of Shelby in the next book, and maybe in her area of expertise this time.

Thank you so much for providing this book as part of the Hugo voting packet. When I have read this book my review will be posted to my blog, Goodreads and retail websites.

Seanan McGuire is a treasure! I love the Incryptid series - I prefer it to October Daye (which is not to say I dislike Toby). I voted for this series for best series Hugo and I will vote for it again in two years.

Half-Off Ragnarok is the third in Seanan McGuire's inCryptid series, her second urban fantasy series, which focuses on a family, the Price-Healy family, devoted to the protection and preservation of species - sentient or not - that science doesn't acknowledge exist, Cryptids. Or as human like to call them: Monsters. This is actually the first book in a new arc, being the first book to be narrated by and focus on Alexander Price, the oldest son of the current generation of the Price Family. So you can start the series with this book if you want and be totally fine; no prior knowledge of the series or even just the first two books is needed to enjoy this book.

That said, like the first two inCryptid books, Half-Off Ragnarok is a pretty fast paced and fun story that's really easy to read. Is it groundbreaking work or something truly special? Not really, but it's still a really fun book to read - with a fun bunch of characters - and sometimes that's all that matters.

-------------------------------------------------------Plot Summary-------------------------------------------------
Alexander Price is one of the latest members of the Price-Healy family, which has spent the past five generations protecting Cryptids, creatures/monsters that science doesn't recognize as being real, from threats from humanity. Alex specializes in dealing with lizards and reptiles, and works under an assumed name (Alex Preston) at the Columbus Ohio Zoo as a Lizard/Reptile researcher. His main projects are breeding basilisks and making sure the local cryptid wildlife doesn't grow too fast to become noticed by science. He even has a girlfriend in an Australian tiger/lion zookeeper named Shelby Tanner - though it's getting to the point where his constant excuses for not having dates might be a problem. Still, everything seems good, even if he lives with his non-human grandparents and helps take care of his injured non-human cousin Sarah.

That is, until one of the zoo staff is found turned to stone, a clearly cryptid-caused death. Columbus has a local gorgon community (one is on Alex's staff) and cockatrices and basilisks are not unheard of in the area, but Alex can't let ordinary humans know this or else: it could cause the monster-hunting Covenant of Saint George might take notice of Columbus and devastate the local Cryptid community. Oh and there's the matter of the fact that the killer might actually be targeting Alex himself....

And Shelby it turns out, might not actually just an ordinary zookeeper after all.....
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This book starts a new arc in the inCryptid series, as I stated above, and has a new narrator in Alex. Alex is definitely a different character than the prior protagonist/narrator Verity - whereas Verity was snarky/sarcastic and incredibly headstrong, Alex is more plain spoken....though still a bit headstrong. He's still an excellent character even if he's clearly different than his sister (and that's not a bad thing of course).

And this is a fun world still with a fun plot. The minor characters are still excellent - we've got Alex's assistant who's a Pliny's Gorgon, a little girl who sneaks into the zoo to spend time with a giant cobra (yeah, she's not human either), Alex's family and a bunch of others. The plot is relatively quick paced (the action starts about 4-5 chapters in, and once it does the plot doesn't ever stall) and it's not only fun, but fun in a different world than we saw in the first two books, having moved from Manhattan to a more suburban area.

Note: While Alex isn't as witty a protagonist as his sister, the book continues the series tradition of starting each chapter with a funny relevant quote from a family member (in this case, the guy family members, wheras the first two books were the girls) and a funny place description for the chapter (Example: Chapter 13: "The Reptile House of Ohio's West Columbus Zoo, about an hour and a half before the zoo is supposed to open, waiting for a gorgon to come to work.")

I'm not as sure that the new love interest, Shelby Tanner, works for Alex.....she very much feels like a derivative of Dominic from the first two books although she's far looser than he was, which helps lighten up Alex a little.

This review isn't as in depth as some of my other book reviews, because there's not much to say. If you enjoy Urban Fantasy books, you'll enjoy Half-Off Ragnarok, as a very solid example of the genre.

I enjoyed reading about Verity's adventures, but it's fun to get to know the other members of her family better.

According to an online quiz I took (DAW Books: Which Price Sibling Are You?), I'd be Alex. Having read this book, I agree...except that he likes reptiles much more than I do. :p

I remembered my son and husband’s surprise at the change in narrator when I started Half-Off Ragnarok, the third of the InCryptid series. I have to say, while I enjoyed Verity, I identify more with Alex and appreciate his ecological outlook a lot.

This story could have been primarily a cute adventure. It has the humor and the dicey moments overcome. The main focus could also have been on a love story as Alex tries to have a normal relationship and fails, only to have things go so beautifully wrong. It has the elements of that as well. What drew me to the series, though, is its manifesto that people are people regardless of what fear they provoke. He believes actions are the difference between person and monster not appearance, family tree, or potential for violence.

Manifesto might be the wrong word. The story is entertaining and engaging as a tale. This is not some political statement bald and boring at all. Instead, it’s a focus on family, on protection, and on keeping secrets that preserve lives and uncovering those that cost lives.

Alex is a perfect example of a Price child. He wants to understand and see the whole picture even when his life and those of others is at stake. He might make assumptions, but he looks for facts to back them up. Alex neither accuses nor attacks blindly. There are several turning points where he could have struck out in apparent self- and family defense and ended the book right then. Because he didn’t, we got a much more complex and intense story.

Shelby was a delight and an annoyance…in a good way. Her brash personality had every opportunity to become abrasive, but before that could happen, things came to a head (or rather gunpoint) and the world of this series grew another limb. I’m trying to be subtle because it’s a great scene to experience firsthand, but I thought something was off about her even earlier. I put together the clues a smidge before Alex, but like him, I went down the wrong path and enjoyed being proved wrong.

The villain of the piece came close to falling into the trap of the author hiding something for effect. Instead, many of the clues were there except for one critical piece of biology I knew of in other species but it’s so rare as to have slipped my mind. Once I was given that piece though, the seeds from before fell into place all except the identity. Again, I fell into the same trap of assumption as Alex, a good reminder to keep an open–to the point of paranoia–mind when reading these books.

Ultimately, I loved the critique of the word monster from the many angles offered and the story had action, sweet and funny moments, and characters I enjoyed. There was so much going on I didn’t even mention the subplot with Sarah that was intriguing on many levels. A fun and intense read, just what I was looking for.

P.S. I own the paperback but received the eBook through NetGalley as part of the Hugo packet, but only found time to read it now.

When I realized early on that Half-Off Ragnarok would not feature Verity Price, the protagonist of the first two Incryptid novels, I was skeptical. Alex was a new viewpoint character and I was very comfortable with Verity. I needn't have worried. It took a few chapters for Alex (or for me) to find the groove, but once the truth about a secondary character was revealed - the story took off in high gear and never looked back. In spite of my initial skepticism, Half-Off Ragnarok is now my favorite of the first three Incryptid novels.

This is a light quick read, popcorn fantasy. Alexander Price studies animals that mainstream science considers fictional. So when people at the zoo where he works begin dying by partially being turned into stone, he investigates. It is more than a little convenient that the lovely Australian who he is dating also turns out to be an expert in cryptozoology. Still one doesn't read this series for plausibility.