Butterfly Effects - (Incryptid) by Seanan McGuire (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Seanan McGuire's New York Times-bestselling and Hugo Award-nominated InCryptid series continues with the fifteenth book following the Price family, cryptozoologists who study and protect the creatures living in secret all around us.

Chaos, noun:
1. The inherent unpredictability in the behavior of a complex natural system.

Chaos theory, noun:
1. A branch of mathematical and physical theory that deals with the nature and consequences of chaos and chaotic systems.
2. The study of unpredictable systems.
3. See also "impossible math."

Sarah Zellaby is a Johrlac, a member of a species of psychic ambush predators colloquially referred to as "cuckoos." Eight years ago, she survived the difficult, painful process of becoming a cuckoo queen...although not without costs. In the wake of her transformation, the man she loved was entirely erased from his own mind, forcing her to reconstruct him from the memories of the people who knew and loved him.

Sarah has been struggling to come to terms with her actions ever since. But there's no one else on the planet with the power to hold her accountable--until the Johrlac authorities show up. It's time for her to stand trial for what she's done, something which can only happen on Johrlar, home world of her species, where the population is controlled by a system of unyielding hiveminds and crime is punishable by erasure.

With Sarah's life on the line, her family will need to find a way to cross dimensional borders and survive a hostile, telepathic world in order to get her back--before the Sarah they know ceases to exist.

But no matter what happens, actions have consequences... and Sarah Zellaby is about to learn that lesson the hard way.

Review Quotes

Two-time finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Series

"Deeply satisfying.... Fans will not be disappointed."--Publishers Weekly on Installment Immortality

"The only thing more fun than an October Daye book is an InCryptid book. Swift narrative, charm, great world-building...all the McGuire trademarks." --Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse series

"Highly entertaining.... A joyous romp that juggles action, magic, and romance to great effect."--Publishers Weekly on Tricks for Free

"Kind of like taking a tour through a very deadly theme park made up of alternating parts awesome and terrifying. Come to think of it, that sums up this series quite nicely." --Reactor, on Half-Off Ragnarok

"McGuire has honed her craft over a decade-plus of writing, and if you call yourself a sci-fi or fantasy fan, yet haven't picked her work up, you're doing yourself a disservice." --Culturess

"McGuire's InCryptid series is one of the most reliably imaginative and well-told sci-fi series to be found.... McGuire's heroine is a brave, resourceful and sarcastic delight, and her intrepid comrades are just the kind of supportive and snarky sidekicks she needs." --RT Reviews

"While chock-full of quality worldbuilding, realistic characters, and a double helping of sass, at its core, Half-Off Ragnarok is a book about judging others according to stereotypes, how nurture can overcome nature, and the importance of family." --Ranting Dragon

"The InCryptid series continues to be storytelling at its best. Tricks for Free sends us on a rollercoaster of emotions and thrills with its engaging plot and ever-expanding and fascinating world." --All Things Urban Fantasy

"Imaginary Numbers is a stunning installment and one that every urban fantasy reader is sure to relish." --Fresh Fiction

About the Author

SEANAN McGUIRE is the author of the Hugo, Nebula, Alex, and Locus Award-winning Wayward Children series, the October Daye series, the InCryptid series, and other works. She also writes darker fiction as Mira Grant. Seanan lives in Seattle with her cats, a vast collection of creepy dolls, horror movies, and sufficient books to qualify her as a fire hazard. She won the 2010 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, and in 2013 became the first person to appear five times on the same Hugo ballot. In 2022 she managed the same feat, again!