Cryptozoologist, noun: Any person that who thinks hunting for cryptids is a good idea. See also "idiot".
The idea and science of creatures that have wandered thru our imaginations for centuries has finally been given a proper name all to itself. Cryptozoology. The supernatural and mythological now seem to have a common ground for being studied in earnest. With sightings of Big Foot, the Yeti, lake monsters, primates and cross bred species and so many other various legends that are so immersed in countries around the world, its amazing that only now, are these legendary creatures finally being given a category all their own.
Some of this might be due to the SyFy channel's show Destination Truth. A 5 season program hosted by Josh Gates. He as his team packed down with all the latest monster hunting equipment, go from one country to the next investigating local monster sightings and legends. It was a popular program, one that I watched as often as I could. Some say it was all hoaxed, but the investigating team, thru all the mishaps and joking around they went thru before getting down to the meat of the matter, were as truthful to their misson as anyone. And watching it, once they were out in the middle of a dense rain forest jungle with only their equipment and tents, anywhere from 11pm to five am in the morning, it kept you on edge, looking for and hoping they came across something. Because of that show, I believe the idea of Cryptids being a real thing got its calling.
And with that, The Price family, a family tree of Cryptid hunters, thru out the ages comes to light in one of the best written and enjoyable urban monster novels ever. Seanan McGuire, the author of the October Daye series, crafts a fun and witty and incredibly imaginative story of the Price family, featuring Verity Price, one of three siblings that has been trained from birth as a Cryptozoologist, spending a year in Manhattan, studying all the creatures, boogiemen, ghoulies and what have you that have moved and settled into the great city.
Verity has other aspirations of being a ballroom dancer and practices when she can inbetween her studies of the local habitat. She works in a local strip bar as a waitress, working side by side with several of the dancers that also happen to be Medusas and dragons.
Waiting for her at home in her apartment are a colony of Aeslin Mice, field mice like rodents that seem to live by religious pageantry. They are sapient and smart and will create a religious holiday celebrating anything at the drop of the hat. To me, one of my favorite elements in this series.
The one thing that happens to threaten both harmless, fruitful and sometimes deadly cryptids is the arrival of one of the Price families oldest enemies, the Covenant of St. George, a holy organization eons old that is dedicated to the extermination of unknown or unclassified creatures that they consider a blasphemy to god and man. When Verity clashes against one of its newest members, she finds him a little more reasonable and willing to listen before calling in the troops to Manhattan to initiate the purge of all cryptids great and small.
To add to that, the disappearances of creatures from the city that have been there for a while due to the rumor that a Dragon is sleeping beneath the city, and no one wants to be around when a dragon awakes.
From the introduction and the first chapter I have to say that I was totally hooked. For me, this was one of those books I wanted to slow down and read, just to make it last longer. Seanan McGuire has the ability to intertwine this story, add humor to it and crate memorable characters that are so different from her other series. There isn't a hint of the way she writes in the October Daye series, not that there is anything wrong with it, but she is more than able to separate both series completely writing in a style that compliments the "Incryptid" series.
I highly recommend this book if you like creatures and monsters that can be both legendary as well as being the same person you might just happen to work next too.
The novel also lists a music playlist, similar to the what Rachel Caine does in her Weather Warden series, which I will be reviewing soon here. There is also a mini glossary to some of the cryptids that re featured in this book.
If you love or even like this book, I urge you to go to her website;
http://seananmcguire.com/incryptid.php
Here, you will find more detailed history about the Price Family and its long ago old timers that seem to have more than overstayed they're welcome. It offers short stories on the website concerning the world of Incryptids and other family members as well as information about the Covenant of St. George. There is artwork and wallpapers and icons to use on your computer and many other things here. as well as link to to the October Daye series.
I highly suggest checking it out.
As for me, I'm outta here. See you next time.
