What do you think?
Rate this book
InCryptid #0.02
One Hell of a Ride
After a rather...eventful...visit to Tempe, Arizona, Jonathan Healy wants nothing more than to return to his home in Buckley Township, Michigan, where at least the threats are generally familiar ones. With the last of the blood mopped up and the locals none the wiser, it seems he's just a train ride away from getting his wish.
Of course, there are a few small complications. Like the lovely and occasionally violent Miss Frances Brown, former star of the Campbell Family Circus, who seems to have become his new traveling companion. And then there's the matter of the train having driven through a dimensional gateway into Hell...
Maybe Jonathan shouldn't be quite so worried about getting back to Michigan. Maybe his time would be better spent in worrying about how to get off the train while he, and Fran, are still among the living.
Of course, there are a few small complications. Like the lovely and occasionally violent Miss Frances Brown, former star of the Campbell Family Circus, who seems to have become his new traveling companion. And then there's the matter of the train having driven through a dimensional gateway into Hell...
Maybe Jonathan shouldn't be quite so worried about getting back to Michigan. Maybe his time would be better spent in worrying about how to get off the train while he, and Fran, are still among the living.
30 pages, ebook
First published February 22, 2012
8 people are currently reading
1595 people want to read
About the author
Seanan McGuire
508 books17.1k followersHi! I'm Seanan McGuire, author of the Toby Daye series (Rosemary and Rue, A Local Habitation, An Artificial Night, Late Eclipses), as well as a lot of other things. I'm also Mira Grant (www.miragrant.com), author of Feed and Deadline.
Born and raised in Northern California, I fear weather and am remarkably laid-back about rattlesnakes. I watch too many horror movies, read too many comic books, and share my house with two monsters in feline form, Lilly and Alice (Siamese and Maine Coon).
I do not check this inbox. Please don't send me messages through Goodreads; they won't be answered. I don't want to have to delete this account. :(
Born and raised in Northern California, I fear weather and am remarkably laid-back about rattlesnakes. I watch too many horror movies, read too many comic books, and share my house with two monsters in feline form, Lilly and Alice (Siamese and Maine Coon).
I do not check this inbox. Please don't send me messages through Goodreads; they won't be answered. I don't want to have to delete this account. :(
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
September 20, 2017
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
0.02 - One Hell of a Ride
3.5 stars
Jonathan Healy is traveling to his family home in Michigan via train with a Miss Frances Brown, the former star performer of a circus (former b/c Jonathan's dispatching of a Questing Beast left her without a circus in which to star). On the way, the train tears a hole in "reality's sock," taking them from their own America to an underworld dimension filled with hungry imps that enjoy surprised and hapless travelers as snacks.
Jonathan and Fran battle their way from one end of the train to the other, defending themselves and the few survivors they encounter with silver as they go, their ultimate goal to assist the conductor (should he still live) in achieving the momentum that will return them to their home world.
The conductor is both alive and (somewhat arbitrarily) a gorgon.
It is made clear that the railroad men know of the potential for tearing a hole into a parallel dimension but determined it more cost efficient to pay off survivors than take precautionary measures, such as outfitting the train cars with silver.
Damn the man.
Overall, a decent short, but throwing us into the middle of Jonathan and Fran's acquaintance leaves something to be desired.
0.02 - One Hell of a Ride
3.5 stars
Jonathan Healy is traveling to his family home in Michigan via train with a Miss Frances Brown, the former star performer of a circus (former b/c Jonathan's dispatching of a Questing Beast left her without a circus in which to star). On the way, the train tears a hole in "reality's sock," taking them from their own America to an underworld dimension filled with hungry imps that enjoy surprised and hapless travelers as snacks.
Jonathan and Fran battle their way from one end of the train to the other, defending themselves and the few survivors they encounter with silver as they go, their ultimate goal to assist the conductor (should he still live) in achieving the momentum that will return them to their home world.
The conductor is both alive and (somewhat arbitrarily) a gorgon.
It is made clear that the railroad men know of the potential for tearing a hole into a parallel dimension but determined it more cost efficient to pay off survivors than take precautionary measures, such as outfitting the train cars with silver.
Damn the man.
Overall, a decent short, but throwing us into the middle of Jonathan and Fran's acquaintance leaves something to be desired.
February 10, 2017
Okay so since book 0.01 is in an Anthology I haven't read it but apparently that is where Jonathan and Fran met and now they are on there way back to his familial home by train when it detours into something akin to a suburb of Hell. Think Highway to Hell but on train tracks.
These are really quick reads but the best part beyond them being free is that if like me you read Discount Armageddon and learned a little about Verity's family only to realize with all those funny quotes at the beginning of the chapters that you wanted to know more about them well looky here now you can.
Jonathan and Fran need to battle a few demons and try to keep as many passengers alive as possible. It was a fun novella that expanded on the worldbuilding of the Cryptid series well.
These are really quick reads but the best part beyond them being free is that if like me you read Discount Armageddon and learned a little about Verity's family only to realize with all those funny quotes at the beginning of the chapters that you wanted to know more about them well looky here now you can.
Jonathan and Fran need to battle a few demons and try to keep as many passengers alive as possible. It was a fun novella that expanded on the worldbuilding of the Cryptid series well.
March 24, 2016
I did feel like I was missing something with this story because I've not read the first short story with these characters(The Flower of Arizona which can be found in the Westward Weird anthology) and it's a shame because I'd have loved to see how Jonathan and Frances first met. However this is still a fab short story and once I got into it I enjoyed every minute. This has a very American Wild West feel to it until the train they are travelling on accidentally slips through a dimensional gateway and ends up in Hell.
I don't want to say too much more about what happens so let me just tell you this is a fast paced, action packed short story and both Jonathan and Frances find themselves fighting for their lives. I can't wait to read more about these two!
I don't want to say too much more about what happens so let me just tell you this is a fast paced, action packed short story and both Jonathan and Frances find themselves fighting for their lives. I can't wait to read more about these two!
December 11, 2016
Furthing the adventures of Fran and Jonathan - who first met in Arizona (The Flower of Arizona) and are now traveling back to Jonathan's family in Michigan.
Riding aboard the train could be boring....if you're not a Healy, I suppose.
Another quick, high action, story that gives us some background and history on the Healy-Price family. I am kind of looking at these like they're vignettes that are being recorded for future reference and knowledge.
I like Fran and Jonathan and like them together too. Fran is a great match for him, and I can't wait to see what they get up to next!
Riding aboard the train could be boring....if you're not a Healy, I suppose.
Another quick, high action, story that gives us some background and history on the Healy-Price family. I am kind of looking at these like they're vignettes that are being recorded for future reference and knowledge.
I like Fran and Jonathan and like them together too. Fran is a great match for him, and I can't wait to see what they get up to next!
February 4, 2017
And I finally meet the famous Jonathan Healy and Francis Brown. Those two are in the early stages of their relationship and it's fun to see how they interact knowing that they eventually end up married.
The story itself is short, fun and bloody. Too bad that the Aeslin mice didn't play a bigger role. They are always a bright spot in the InCryptid world.
The story itself is short, fun and bloody. Too bad that the Aeslin mice didn't play a bigger role. They are always a bright spot in the InCryptid world.
May 24, 2020
Long or short McGuire's stories are dependably brilliant.
August 13, 2015
The story continues right where it finished in "The Flower of Arizona". After boarding the train in Tempe, Arizona Jonathan and Fran (who left her life as the star of the Campbell Family Circus behind her) are up to their necks in trouble, again.
Another fun short story following the adventures of Jonathan Healy, gun-slinging cryptozoologist and the lovely if a little dangerous knife-throwing former circus performer, Miss Frances Brown.
Get ready for One Hell of a Ride ... well, through hell. All Aboard!
“Huh. Is the rest of the trip going to be this exciting, do you think?”
Jonathan shook his head. “To be quite honest, Fran, I haven’t the slightest idea. I didn’t expect nearly this much excitement when I set out.”
Fran grinned over her shoulder at him. “See? I’m improving your life already.”
Despite the situation, Jonathan couldn’t stop himself from laughing at that, and at the simple satisfaction in her face. “You know, Fran, I do believe you’re right. My life is definitely improving.”
April 16, 2015
Liked this story about Jonathan and Fran. Would be interesting to deal with a boundary imp. Nice to see the Aeslin mice again. That would a very interesting train ride. RIP people, cow, and horse.
April 11, 2016
I haven't read the previous short to this but I can pretty much guess the gist of it, this was an action packed story that I really enjoyed regardless of the missing prequel.
I'm looking forward to the next one!
I'm looking forward to the next one!
July 17, 2015
One Hell of a Ride continues the story that started in The Flower of Arizona (Westward Weird). In the end of The Flower of Arizona Fran and Jonathan boarded the train for Michigan. Since he felt responsible for her and couldn't leave her in Arizona, he decided to take her home.
It couldn't possibly be an ordinary ride. Boredom is the least of their problems soon enough. Once again they find themselves fighting for their lives. Fortunately, he knows what he is doing and she is still as violent and good with the knives as ever. Great story.
I am slowly easing my way into InCryptid series.
It couldn't possibly be an ordinary ride. Boredom is the least of their problems soon enough. Once again they find themselves fighting for their lives. Fortunately, he knows what he is doing and she is still as violent and good with the knives as ever. Great story.
I am slowly easing my way into InCryptid series.
June 23, 2017
Fantastic short read, loved and enjoyed it so much, the idea that trains popped through the tears between realities or realms, and yeah, fascinating story!
July 3, 2025
Unusual for this series, in that it involves humans being the interlopers of a world that isn't their own, this story picks up right where The Flower of Arizona leaves off.
These shorts are quick and give a great glimpse into a series I absolutely love - if the wait for the next book is getting you down, you can absolutely count on them.
These shorts are quick and give a great glimpse into a series I absolutely love - if the wait for the next book is getting you down, you can absolutely count on them.
December 21, 2015
I just found out that McGuire has a whole bunch of free short stories from this series on her website, it's really cool. You can download them in multiple formats, they have gorgeous covers, it's a really professional operation, and almost all for free (she has a few listed that only appeared in anthologies for timeline purposes as well). As of the time of this review there were eighteen free stories! The first and largest group focuses on Jonathan and Frances Healy, the grandparents of the current generation of the family from the novels. This one is from that group.
It was indeed a hell of a ride. It had a cool idea about trains sometimes punching through weak spots between worlds because of their high speeds and all of the iron and carrying their passengers into deadly situations . And the robber barons who own them being well aware of the problem, but having invested so much into them not caring that disasters sometimes happen, just paying off any survivors and family members of the dead and writing it off as an acceptable risk. It was primarily just for fans, there wasn't a lot there for people who don't care about the series to grab onto. But you could start here and get intrigued if you wanted to try a free story. It was cute to see Jonathan and Fran falling for each other, another great match. Seanan writes great women in this series, there's no way a Healy man could resist this quick-witted, quick on the draw gal with her seemingly endless supply of knives.
It was indeed a hell of a ride. It had a cool idea about trains sometimes punching through weak spots between worlds because of their high speeds and all of the iron and carrying their passengers into deadly situations . And the robber barons who own them being well aware of the problem, but having invested so much into them not caring that disasters sometimes happen, just paying off any survivors and family members of the dead and writing it off as an acceptable risk. It was primarily just for fans, there wasn't a lot there for people who don't care about the series to grab onto. But you could start here and get intrigued if you wanted to try a free story. It was cute to see Jonathan and Fran falling for each other, another great match. Seanan writes great women in this series, there's no way a Healy man could resist this quick-witted, quick on the draw gal with her seemingly endless supply of knives.
August 11, 2012
This was a lovely bite of cotton candy - set in the same universe as Discount Armageddon, it stars Jonathan & Fran, traveling across America in the 1920s. I was delighted to find they had Aeslin mice with them, as these highly religious rodents are my favorite characters in the InCryptid universe, and luckily (minor spoiler) none of the mice are hurt when the train they are all on takes a turn along some very odd train tracks indeed. This short story is a treat for fans of Discount Armageddon and a nice taster for people who want to see if they'd like the novel before buying it.
November 16, 2024
As unintended first dates go, this one was a doozy. What seemed like just another day in Johnathan Healy's life became possibly the first of many adventures for the future Mrs. Fran Healy, nee Brown.
One minute, you're chugging across America on an iron locomotive when it suddenly takes a detour where the passengers instantly become prey. While Johnathan is all for living things being allowed to live, he will always protect against predators.
I hope we get to experience more of this duo's escapades.
One minute, you're chugging across America on an iron locomotive when it suddenly takes a detour where the passengers instantly become prey. While Johnathan is all for living things being allowed to live, he will always protect against predators.
I hope we get to experience more of this duo's escapades.
March 26, 2014
Very cute - wish it had been slightly better edited.
May 7, 2019
A too short, action packed story of the famous Jonathan Healy and Frances Brown- The gunslinger and the former circus star, is going back to Michigan. The train tears into a hell dimension and they have to fight Imps to keep themselves alive. A background story about Healy/Price family history.
January 12, 2018
jonathan and Fran are on a train headed for Michigan when the train punches through a hole and ends up in a different place. A place inhabited by bloodthirsty imps. This was a fun short story.
Read
February 6, 20252025 is the year of incryptid
July 26, 2015
It's a free short story from Seanan McGuire, 0.02 in the InCryptid urban fantasy series, and revolving around a family of renegade "monster hunters". The couple focus is on Jonathan Healy and Frances Brown.
If you're interested, there is a chronological listing of the InCryptid books on my website.
My Take
I adore McGuire's InCryptid series, mostly for the mice, lol. It's a fun urban fantasy, even though this short story is more of a back story providing family history on the Healys.
McGuire has done an interesting twist on urban fantasy and monster hunting with her renegade family who believes in a "live and let live" policy when it comes to the monsters. Oh, they'll still kill those horrors, but only if they're killing others.
This story introduces us to Fran and her character even as McGuire introduces her to the Healy family life and career. And it's a pip.
The Story
It's one hell of a ride on the train Jonathan and Fran are on, as the train breaks through a hole in reality, and the two of them have to wrangle boundary imps and keep a train running to survive.
The Characters
Jonathan Healy is a monster hunter traveling with a colony of Aeslin mice who are hailing right along and behave better when orders are phrased as a commandment.
Frances Brown had been the star attraction of the Campbell Family Circus — she's really good with knives — who has decided to tag along with Jonathan. Rabbit is her beloved horse.
Vince was the husband of the old lady passenger. Clark, a Pliny's gorgon, is the train's engineer.
The Cover and Title
There's a steampunk quality to the cover with its wide-angle view looking up at the black steam engine, a mass of smoke steaming up into the night sky behind that full moon.
The title is that ride through Hell, for it is "One Hell of a Ride".
If you're interested, there is a chronological listing of the InCryptid books on my website.
My Take
I adore McGuire's InCryptid series, mostly for the mice, lol. It's a fun urban fantasy, even though this short story is more of a back story providing family history on the Healys.
McGuire has done an interesting twist on urban fantasy and monster hunting with her renegade family who believes in a "live and let live" policy when it comes to the monsters. Oh, they'll still kill those horrors, but only if they're killing others.
This story introduces us to Fran and her character even as McGuire introduces her to the Healy family life and career. And it's a pip.
The Story
It's one hell of a ride on the train Jonathan and Fran are on, as the train breaks through a hole in reality, and the two of them have to wrangle boundary imps and keep a train running to survive.
The Characters
Jonathan Healy is a monster hunter traveling with a colony of Aeslin mice who are hailing right along and behave better when orders are phrased as a commandment.
Frances Brown had been the star attraction of the Campbell Family Circus — she's really good with knives — who has decided to tag along with Jonathan. Rabbit is her beloved horse.
Vince was the husband of the old lady passenger. Clark, a Pliny's gorgon, is the train's engineer.
The Cover and Title
There's a steampunk quality to the cover with its wide-angle view looking up at the black steam engine, a mass of smoke steaming up into the night sky behind that full moon.
The title is that ride through Hell, for it is "One Hell of a Ride".
May 29, 2015
This is a short story, available currently on the author's website for free download. It's set in the InCryptid universe, several generations before the events of Discount Armageddon. This is set after the events of "The Flower of Arizona," another short story available in the Westward Weird anthology.
I didn't read "The Flower of Arizona," so I'm reviewing this from the standpoint of lacking all the context. Even from that perspective, though, it's still amusing, and you can follow it without the back story. It's clear that Jonathan Healy, with a lot of help from Frances Brown, killed a Questing Beast, and is headed back home to Michigan. This story follows their train journey, where they're flipped into a hell dimension because of a glitch in a shortcut taken by the railroads to cut costs. Jonathan and Fran have to fight their way back out to their home dimension, and not be eaten by border imps along the way.
The Aeslin Mice make an appearance, albeit a short one, and the Healy tendency to protect sentient cryptids is firmly entrenched in Jonathan, the latest generation in this wild west timeline.
I found this a quick and entertaining tale which did a lot to keep me wanting more from the InCryptid universe. It's fun, seeing which family member Verity inherited which trait from, and Fran is a heroine to root for. She doesn't know all of what's going on, unlike Jonathan, but she takes it in stride.
If you're interested at all in the InCryptid story, I would highly recommend that you treat yourself to a free copy. All you'll be out is a few minutes of reading time. In exchange, you get a thoroughly enjoyable story.
I didn't read "The Flower of Arizona," so I'm reviewing this from the standpoint of lacking all the context. Even from that perspective, though, it's still amusing, and you can follow it without the back story. It's clear that Jonathan Healy, with a lot of help from Frances Brown, killed a Questing Beast, and is headed back home to Michigan. This story follows their train journey, where they're flipped into a hell dimension because of a glitch in a shortcut taken by the railroads to cut costs. Jonathan and Fran have to fight their way back out to their home dimension, and not be eaten by border imps along the way.
The Aeslin Mice make an appearance, albeit a short one, and the Healy tendency to protect sentient cryptids is firmly entrenched in Jonathan, the latest generation in this wild west timeline.
I found this a quick and entertaining tale which did a lot to keep me wanting more from the InCryptid universe. It's fun, seeing which family member Verity inherited which trait from, and Fran is a heroine to root for. She doesn't know all of what's going on, unlike Jonathan, but she takes it in stride.
If you're interested at all in the InCryptid story, I would highly recommend that you treat yourself to a free copy. All you'll be out is a few minutes of reading time. In exchange, you get a thoroughly enjoyable story.
November 19, 2016
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
The InCryptid series contains a lot of free stories that you can download from the author's website. Some short stories, which have been published in anthology are not available, and these I will (most likely) not be reviewing.
So, #0.01 to #0.14 deal with Jonathan Healy and Frances Brown (the great-grandparents of Verity) and their adventures. In this story I felt like I was really missing something, not having read the very first one. However, even on it's own it was an amusing and super fast read. There are a lot more stories to come in this series-in-a-series, and since they're all short, I will probably read them (almost) back to back.
The InCryptid series contains a lot of free stories that you can download from the author's website. Some short stories, which have been published in anthology are not available, and these I will (most likely) not be reviewing.
So, #0.01 to #0.14 deal with Jonathan Healy and Frances Brown (the great-grandparents of Verity) and their adventures. In this story I felt like I was really missing something, not having read the very first one. However, even on it's own it was an amusing and super fast read. There are a lot more stories to come in this series-in-a-series, and since they're all short, I will probably read them (almost) back to back.
July 6, 2021
Jonathan and Fran Healy
To begin, let me lay out what I will be reviewing here. Seanan McGuire's website has a page entitled Incryptid Short Stories. About two dozen stories are listed here. These stories are also listed as books in the Goodreads Incryptid Series page. Neither of these lists is complete: McGuire has also published many stories on her Patreon site. They can be found in the Bibliography page on her site. I don't know if the Bibliography is complete with respect to Patreon stories.
Most of the stories on the Short Stories page are available for free download there. Some of them, however, were published in anthologies, and to get these you need to buy or borrow the book. For access to the Patreon stories you need to sign up as a supporter at Patreon. The minimum charge is $1.50. That's a recurring charge, but you only need to sign up once for access to all currently available stories. The Short Stories page is organized by the primary characters and time period. Here I will be reviewing the stories listed under the heading Jonathan Healy and Frances Brown (1928-1945). These are:
The Flower of Arizona (published in Westward Weird)
One Hell of a Ride (free download)
No Place Like Home (free download)
Stingers and Strangers (published in Dead Man's Hand: An Anthology of the Weird West)
Married in Green (free download)
Sweet Poison Wine (free download)
The First Fall (free download)
Loch and Key (free download)
We Both Go Down Together (free download)
Oh Pretty Bird (free download)
Bury Me In Satin (free download)
Broken Paper Hearts (free download)
The Star of New Mexico (free download)
As you can see, there's a lot of material here. Even though it is formatted as stories, the stories in totality (in the order listed) are pretty much a novel about Jonathan and Fran. Of the two anthologized stories, which you would have to buy or borrow, the first, The Flower of Arizona, is entirely dispensible. You will read most of it in the other stories. Stingers and Strangers, in contrast, is a substantial story and important both to the continuity of the Jonathan and Fran stories and to the Incryptid series as a whole. What's more, the anthology Dead Man's Hand: An Anthology of the Weird West is pretty good, with a star-studded list of science fiction authors. So, if you're going to buy or borrow something, I would recommend it.
Well, how are the stories? They're excellent, of course. If you really want the backstory on the Healy/Price family, this is the place to look. Although the stories focus on Jonathan and Fran (more Fran than Jonathan), Jonathan's parents Alexander and Enid Healy are important characters as well, and you will pick up several hints about their backstories. Fran doesn't have a regular family, but the members of the circus/carnival where she performed before Jonathan swept her away are also important characters.
Of the main Incryptid novels, I have only read Discount Armageddon, and I was a bit surprised by the Jonathan and Fran stories. They are not as light-hearted as Discount Armageddon. Although McGuire's trademark humor and irreverence permeate the stories, they are more somber than I expected. In fact, there is tragedy, especially in the so-short-it-is-barely-there Broken Paper Hearts. I was also surprised at how important the Aeslin Mice were. In Discount Armageddon they are mostly just comic relief -- delightful, but not terribly necessary to the plot. In the Jonathan and Fran stories I can think of at least three occasions where they play crucial roles in the plot. The most important occurs when Alice, The Exceptionally Noisy Priestess, is born.
So, yeah, if you're into the Incryptid books, you should definitely read these stories.
To begin, let me lay out what I will be reviewing here. Seanan McGuire's website has a page entitled Incryptid Short Stories. About two dozen stories are listed here. These stories are also listed as books in the Goodreads Incryptid Series page. Neither of these lists is complete: McGuire has also published many stories on her Patreon site. They can be found in the Bibliography page on her site. I don't know if the Bibliography is complete with respect to Patreon stories.
Most of the stories on the Short Stories page are available for free download there. Some of them, however, were published in anthologies, and to get these you need to buy or borrow the book. For access to the Patreon stories you need to sign up as a supporter at Patreon. The minimum charge is $1.50. That's a recurring charge, but you only need to sign up once for access to all currently available stories. The Short Stories page is organized by the primary characters and time period. Here I will be reviewing the stories listed under the heading Jonathan Healy and Frances Brown (1928-1945). These are:
The Flower of Arizona (published in Westward Weird)
One Hell of a Ride (free download)
No Place Like Home (free download)
Stingers and Strangers (published in Dead Man's Hand: An Anthology of the Weird West)
Married in Green (free download)
Sweet Poison Wine (free download)
The First Fall (free download)
Loch and Key (free download)
We Both Go Down Together (free download)
Oh Pretty Bird (free download)
Bury Me In Satin (free download)
Broken Paper Hearts (free download)
The Star of New Mexico (free download)
As you can see, there's a lot of material here. Even though it is formatted as stories, the stories in totality (in the order listed) are pretty much a novel about Jonathan and Fran. Of the two anthologized stories, which you would have to buy or borrow, the first, The Flower of Arizona, is entirely dispensible. You will read most of it in the other stories. Stingers and Strangers, in contrast, is a substantial story and important both to the continuity of the Jonathan and Fran stories and to the Incryptid series as a whole. What's more, the anthology Dead Man's Hand: An Anthology of the Weird West is pretty good, with a star-studded list of science fiction authors. So, if you're going to buy or borrow something, I would recommend it.
Well, how are the stories? They're excellent, of course. If you really want the backstory on the Healy/Price family, this is the place to look. Although the stories focus on Jonathan and Fran (more Fran than Jonathan), Jonathan's parents Alexander and Enid Healy are important characters as well, and you will pick up several hints about their backstories. Fran doesn't have a regular family, but the members of the circus/carnival where she performed before Jonathan swept her away are also important characters.
Of the main Incryptid novels, I have only read Discount Armageddon, and I was a bit surprised by the Jonathan and Fran stories. They are not as light-hearted as Discount Armageddon. Although McGuire's trademark humor and irreverence permeate the stories, they are more somber than I expected. In fact, there is tragedy, especially in the so-short-it-is-barely-there Broken Paper Hearts. I was also surprised at how important the Aeslin Mice were. In Discount Armageddon they are mostly just comic relief -- delightful, but not terribly necessary to the plot. In the Jonathan and Fran stories I can think of at least three occasions where they play crucial roles in the plot. The most important occurs when Alice, The Exceptionally Noisy Priestess, is born.
So, yeah, if you're into the Incryptid books, you should definitely read these stories.
May 6, 2012
I liked this freebie short (from McGuire's site) which is set in the Incryptid universe well before Discount Armegeddon starring a pair from that heroine's family tree. It is a follow-on short to a story from the Westward Weird Anthology and the is one more short which stars the same pair, No Place Like Home which is also a freebie on McGuire's site.
September 15, 2013
When traveling by train in the company of Jonathan Healy and Frances Brown be prepared to fight some monsters...
Also do not forget to bring some sharp pointy things covered in silver! ;)
p.s. Silver bullets can also do the trick...
Also do not forget to bring some sharp pointy things covered in silver! ;)
p.s. Silver bullets can also do the trick...
November 15, 2015
Suffice to say I'm more than a bit intrigued and can't wait for Discount Armageddon to release.
May 22, 2016
Short but good!
April 21, 2023
I am slowly (so slowly) but surely making my way through the massive backlog of Seanan McGuire's short story collection. I won't say I'm catching up – it feels like she's writing them faster than I'm reading them. Gonna have to pick up the pace!
Moving on, One Hell of a Ride follows the one and only Jonathan Healy – yes, we're diving back into the deep lore of the InCryptid world! This is the story of a time when Jonathan and Fran found themselves trapped on a train, which sounds bad enough without throwing in dangerous and deadly cryptids.
One Hell of a Ride is a perfect read if you're looking for a fun and quick romp through the InCryptid universe. It's full of action and character. Obviously, it assumes you know enough about the world to just dive right in. So it's probably not the best starting place for people new to the series.
Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks | Quirky Cat's Comics | The Book Review Crew | Monkeys Fighting Robots | Storygraph | Bookhype | Bookstagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Reedsy
Moving on, One Hell of a Ride follows the one and only Jonathan Healy – yes, we're diving back into the deep lore of the InCryptid world! This is the story of a time when Jonathan and Fran found themselves trapped on a train, which sounds bad enough without throwing in dangerous and deadly cryptids.
One Hell of a Ride is a perfect read if you're looking for a fun and quick romp through the InCryptid universe. It's full of action and character. Obviously, it assumes you know enough about the world to just dive right in. So it's probably not the best starting place for people new to the series.
Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks | Quirky Cat's Comics | The Book Review Crew | Monkeys Fighting Robots | Storygraph | Bookhype | Bookstagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Reedsy
August 15, 2020
Following The Flower of Arizona, and Fran and Johnathon’s meeting… it was nice to see how their relationship began and was likely to develop. Partly I loved the fact that this story involved a train ride and an adventure that had me giggling and smiling all the way through. Even if I now don’t necessarily want to ride a train…
I love that this story is literally what the title suggests – one hell of a ride. A train ride that passes through hell and all of the fun complications that that entails. The fact that it also highlights the evilness of corporate companies and capitalism… it just makes it all that much better.
Not only was this a fun adventure, but it showed a new aspect to the crypto world that I hadn’t expected. There was a mention of a Hell dimension in Discount Armageddon, but not really much beyond that. This provided that bit of extra information that helped make that much more sense…
I love that this story is literally what the title suggests – one hell of a ride. A train ride that passes through hell and all of the fun complications that that entails. The fact that it also highlights the evilness of corporate companies and capitalism… it just makes it all that much better.
Not only was this a fun adventure, but it showed a new aspect to the crypto world that I hadn’t expected. There was a mention of a Hell dimension in Discount Armageddon, but not really much beyond that. This provided that bit of extra information that helped make that much more sense…
March 11, 2018
Figured I'd finally get around to reading some of her short stories in this universe while I'm reading the next two books I've got to read.
Pretty good - need to check the website to be sure I know where they fit into the scheme of things, but like that we get stuff like this outside of the novels.
Feels sort of silly having this count as a book, but it'll be handy to keep track of which I've read and which I haven't so...
Pretty good - need to check the website to be sure I know where they fit into the scheme of things, but like that we get stuff like this outside of the novels.
Feels sort of silly having this count as a book, but it'll be handy to keep track of which I've read and which I haven't so...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews