Chris McGrath

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

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[]

Ace Books — Ace Books | WWEnd
Roc — Roc Books - Wikipedia
Penguin — Science Fiction and Fantasy - Penguin Group (USA)

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 Chronicles, Goodreads,
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)

External Links[]

Reference Links[]

Official Website

christianmcgrath.com

Other Chris sites:

Galleries, Lists of Art:

Chris McGrath Book Covers (121 books) ~ Goodreads List

Interviews:

Articles:

Bio:

Book lists:

Galleries:

McGrath / Dresden mugs & tees:

Dresden shop

Publishers:

(3) Ace and Roc Books - Facebook

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,