No Place Like Home by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is another short story set in the InCryptid universe, and available for now free on the author's website. It continues the narrative of Jonathan Healy and Frances Brown, as they reach the Healy home in Buckley Township, Michigan, and Fran gets to meet the family.
Unless it's covered in "The Flower of Arizona," this is the first long look we get of the Healy home from inside it. Fran's outsider perspective calls a lot of details to light that the rest of the family might take for granted. The story is told entirely through her eyes, and so we get a good idea of just how bizarre this family is. Just a glimpse in the barn would've sent most people running for the hills, but Fran proves she's made of sterner stuff, and therefore that she's worthy of sticking around. Not that she knows if she will.
The story centers around her decision of what to do next, and, if you've read Discount Armageddon and/or read the family tree, you already know how that ends. Still, it's fun to watch the story unfold, and to see how part of family lore came to be. Also, the Aeslin mice play a greater role in this story than in "One Hell of a Ride," so it's worth picking up for that reason alone.
Again, this story is available as a free download, and it's a very quick read, so you have very little to lose even if it's not your thing. I'm willing to bet that, if you haven't already added Discount Armageddon to your to-read list, you'll do it on the strength of these short stories.
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The Flower of Arizona covers how Jonathan and Fran first meet. No Place Like Home is definitely the first look readers get at the Healy home from inside, and I think having it from the perspective on an outsider; Fran, adds to the experience. This one is especially good becomes it comes with extra Mice. Hail the Priestess of Unexpected Violence!
ReplyDeleteHAIL! :D
DeleteGood to know. I should really pick that anthology up sometime.
*eyes to-read list*
Then again, maybe not.
My wife actually gave it to me. For mine Seanan's entry was the standout, but overall it wasn't a bad read. Fairly heavy on the steam punk, though.
ReplyDeleteWell, I like steampunk, so maybe I should pick it up. I'm wary of anthologies in general, just because I've been reading so many with a few great stories, and a lot of "meh" entries. So I've been kind of avoiding picking up any new ones, unless it's for a particular story.
DeleteI'll probably pick it up for my Kindle.