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Cmcgrath

Chris McGrath

Dead beat

"Dead Beat" by Jim Butcher ~ Chris McGrath's first Urban Fantasy commission

Nightlife

Nightlife (Cal Leandros #1) by Rob Thurman (2006)

Chris McGrath is a cover artist for Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, and Science Fiction and Historical Fiction. He has become known as the face of Urban Fantasy.

Website[]

christianmcgrath.com

Type of Cover Art[]

Urban Fantasy, Fantasy 

About the Artist[]

Chris McGrath was born in the Bronx and has lived in and around NYC his whole life. At an early age he quickly became interested in art, especially science fiction and fantasy. After seeing the art work of Frank Frazetta at age 12, he knew right then that he wanted to be a book cover illustrator for science fiction and fantasy novels. After graduating from The School of Visual Arts in NYC, Chris gave guitar lessons for several years before beginning his career in 2001. Since then he has done covers for the New York Times best selling authors such as: Jim Butcher, Brandon Sanderson, Kat Richardson and Rob Thurman to name a few. ~ christianmcgrath.com

Beginnings as a Cover Artist[]

Chris McGrath's first Urban Fantasy commission was Dead Beat by Jim Butcher from The Dresden Files. His second Urban Fantasy cover was Nightlife by Rob Thurman from the Cal Leandros series. The image for his first book cover is titled "The King" for Ace Books which he painted in oil. ~ from: Ranting Dragon: Interview

Quotes []

What was it like, meeting Jim Butcher a couple years ago at NYCC? Had you met him before then? I met Jim at Icon in NY several years ago. It may have been right after I did the White Night cover. Jim was cool! What else is there to say? I’m glad he can talk up a storm because I wouldn’t be able to get the ball rolling with a crowd like that. After a while with me, you would hear crickets. I can see why Jim is a writer. He has an awful lot to say or else he might explode. ~ Interview | The Ranting Dragon

Urban Fantasy Publishers[]

Urban Fantasy[]

Moat well-known authors and series:

Series Genres Author Link, Note
Anya Kalinczyk series UF Laura Bickle Anya Kalinczyk series
Black London series UF Caitlin Kittredge Black London series
Blood Angel series UF Justine Musk Blood Angel series
Cal Leandros series UF Rob Thurman
Dark and Stormy Knights UF Anthology Dark and Stormy Knights 
Deadly Curiosities series UF Gail Z. Martin
Dresden Files series UF Jim Butcher Roc
Fangborn series UF Dana Cameron
Greywalker series UF Kat Richardson
Hollows series (This Witch for Hire omnibus #1-2) UF Kim Harrison The Hollows series by Kim Harrison
Mean Streets UF Anthology
Menagerie series UF Christopher Golden The Menagerie series
Negotiator Trilogy / Old Races (Heart of Stone) UF C. E. Murphy Heart of Stone
October Daye series UF Seanan McGuire
Quincy Morris series / Evil Ways UF Justin Gustainis Evil Ways (Quincey Morris, #2)
Signs of the Zodiac series UF Vicki Pettersson Signs of the Zodiac series
Trickster series UF Rob Thurman
Twenty Palaces series UF Harry Connolly Twenty Palaces series
Void City series UF J.F. Lewis Staked (Void City, #1)
Ustari Cycle series UF Jeff Somers Ustari Cycle series
Zoë Martinique series UF Phaedra Weldon Zoë Martinique series by Phaedra Weldon

Blended Urben Fantas with other Genres

Series Gen Author Link, Note
Craft Sequence series UF, Legal-Thriller-Fant Max Gladstone Craft Sequence series
Eric Carter series UF / Hor Stephen Blackmoore Dead Things
Fated Blades series UF, Hist-Fant Steve Bein Fated Blades series, Roc
Juno Mozambe Mystery series UF, SciFi Warren Hammond Juno Mozambe Mystery series
The Korsak Brothers series SciFi-UF Rob Thurman
Mr. Twilight (2006) stand-alone UF Michael Reaves Mr. Twilight
Webmage series UF/Cyberpunk Kelly McCullough WebMage (Webmage, #1)
Wicked City series UF / Hor-Fant Hideyuki Kikuchi Wicked City series by Hideyuki Kikuchi


Steampunk & Historical Fantasy with Paranormal elements;

Series Genre Author Note, link
Blood Prophecy historical fantasy Stefan Petrucha Blood Prophecy
Midwinter  Fantasy / UF Matthew sturges Midwinter by Matthew Sturges
St. Croix Chronicles UF, steampunk, paranormal Karina Cooper The St. Croix Chronicles series
Thieftaker Chronicles Historical UF / Boston 1765 DB Jackson Thieftaker ChroniclesGoodreads,
Vampire Empire series UF / Steampunk Clay Griffith Vampire Empire series


Everything else: PNR, YA, Fantasy, UF-Sci-fi, Horror:

Antiphon & Requiem  Fantasy  Ken Scholes Antiphon (Psalms of Isaak, #3)
Conjure Wife Historic Horror Fritz Leiber Conjure Wife by Fritz Leiber
Dead World series PNR Jordan Summers Dead World series
Juno Mozambe Mystery series UF / Sci-fy Warren Hammond Juno Mozambe Mystery series
Mistborn series UF / Fantasy Brandon Sanderson Mistborn: The Final Empire 
The Office of Shadow Fantasy Matthew Sturges The Office of Shadow by Matthew Sturges
True Deception Sci-fi Patricia Waddell  True Deception
Weight of Stone (Vineart War #2) Historic Fant Laura Anne Gilman Weight of Stone (Vineart War #2)

See Also[]

External Links[]

Reference Links[]

Official Website

Other Chris sites: 

Galleries, Lists of Art: 

Interviews: 

Articles:

Bio:

Book lists: 

Galleries:

McGrath / Dresden mugs & tees: 

Publishers: 

Chris McGrath Gallery[]

  • First Gallery: Urban Fantasy
  • Second Gallery: Blended Urban Fantasy—mixed with other genres: Historical-UF, Fantasy-UF, Steampunk-UF, etc.
  • Third Gallery: Not UF—Fantasy, SciFi, Historical Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Thrillers, 




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