Half-Off Ragnarok by Seanan McGuire
Series: InCryptid #3
Rating: ★★★★☆
When Alex Price agreed to go to Ohio to oversee a basilisk breeding program and assist in the recovery of his psychic cousin, he didn’t expect people to start dropping dead. But bodies are cropping up at the zoo where he works, and his girlfriend—Shelby Tanner, an Australian zoologist with a fondness for big cats—is starting to get suspicious.
Worse yet, the bodies have all been turned partially to stone…
The third book in the InCryptid series takes us to a new location and a new member of the family, as Alex tries to balance life, work, and the strong desire not to become a piece of garden statuary. Old friends and new are on the scene, and danger lurks around every corner.
Of course, so do the talking mice.
I was a little bummed when I realized that I was going to be leaving Verity’s point-of-view, which we’d spent the last 2 books being immersed in. And I did miss Verity a bit in this one, but I can easily say that Alex has created a spot in my favorite-character list all his own.
I’m not sure if it was missing Verity, or other issues, but this book gets off to a bit of a slow start.I think it’s a little of that, and a little of getting used to the new character. One of the things I appreciate most is when an author has different voices for her characters. They think and act in their own unique way according to their personalities. That is definitely the case here.
Alex is a very different character than Verity. Verity is smart, and she’s an active person, always having to be on the move, always thinking quickly. Alex is just as capable of being active, on the move, and definitely thinking quickly, but he’s a scientist at heart. He studies, he examines, he learns and then he draws conclusions. Which makes those take-charge moments all the more unexpected and sexy.
Shelby took me a bit to warm up to, as well. I think probably because I’d misjudged her. She’s ended up being one of my favorites as well. She’s got just the right amount of sarcasm, kick-ass attitude, and acceptance that made me adore her. Plus, she’s the perfect match for Alex.
I figured out who the bad-guy was by about the mid-point of the book, but I never understood why. And I appreciated that there was mystery to keep me going and keep me intrigued. Even if, when I did get to the end, the reasons why were pretty lame – I think that’s true of most selfish acts, the reasons are mundane and when you line them up, they probably come out as pretty stupid and ridiculous even.
I definitely appreciated the fuller world that we got to experience here, and the additional details about the cryptids – and how the Prices go about studying and gathering information on them. I like that they’re a mix between scientists, trying to pull together facts, and supernatural-police, trying to keep the peace and balance. Plus, the quotes at the beginning of the chapters are really some of the best things ever. In this book (unlike in Verity’s) the quotes are from the men in the Healy-Price-Baker family.
And then there’s Sarah. The reason that we’re really in Ohio anyway. I can tell you that my heart broke more than once reading scenes with her. But I remain hopeful.
Time to dive into the next one. I’m behind in the group-buddy-read and I must catch up – can’t stop now.
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