Review: An Artificial Night by Seanan McGuire ★★★★★ ~ THE DEMON LIBRARIAN

An Artificial Night by Seanan McGuire
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Book three in the October Daye series
Publication Date: September 2010
ISBN: 978-0756406264
Page Count: 368
My Rating: ★★★★★

Summary

Changeling knight in the court of the Duke of Shadowed Hills. October "Toby" Daye has survived numerous challenges that would destroy fae and mortal alike.

Now Toby must take on a nightmarish new assignment. Someone is stealing both fae and mortal children -- and all signs point to Blind Michael. When the young son of Toby's closest friends is snatched from their Northern California home and his sister falls into a coma-like state, the situation becomes way too personal. Toby has no choice but to track the villains down, even when there are only three magical roads by which to reach Blind Michael's realm -- home of the legendary Wild Hunt -- and no road may be taken more than once. If she cannot escape with all the children before the candle that guides and protects her burns away, Toby herself will fall prey to the Wild Hunt and Blind Michael's inescapable power,

And it doesn't bode well for the success of her mission that her own personal Fetch, May Daye -- the harbinger of Toby's own death -- has suddenly turned up on her doorstep...

Review:

This is book three. You should begin the series with book one: Rosemary and Rue, then follow with book two: A Local Habitation. This series has ongoing story lines and mysteries that are slowly revealed, so it's really preferable to read them in order for full enjoyment.

This is my favourite of the series plot-wise so far. I love a good magical quest! I really felt like this one stepped it up a notch. It was set predominantly in the realm of the Fae and the storyline was much more fantastical than the last two books.

Blind Michael is stealing children to be his riders for his yearly hunt on All Hallows Eve, and when he makes off with someone Toby cares about, she sets about trying to get them back, no matter the cost. Her morals will let her do no less.

"How many miles to Babylon?
Three-score and ten.
Can I get there by candle-light?
Yes, there and back again.
If your heels are nimble and light,
You will get there by candle-light"

I'm really, REALLY enjoying this series. The characters are so very vivid, and different from those of other series. I love that she's befriended Quentin, who has to be one of the most likeable teenagers every written about, and also Danny the cab driver/bridge troll. Such a motley crew, but I love them all.

“I'm here to escort her to the valley of the damned. Only first I'm going to give her a ride home. And maybe stop for Indian food.”

And Tybalt....*big dreamy sigh* Tybalt, Tybalt. I swear, if October doesn't want him, I'll take him. I absolutely adore him! And I just love it when we know more about how characters feel about each other than they do. Seanan McGuire is very good as this. It must be hard to drop the clues in there for us, yet leave Toby completely guileless. Another brilliant example of this technique is Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan character. It's all so very clever.

I don't know if anything will ever come of these "feelings" that I'm sensing, with Tybalt being Cait Sidhe, and a King no less, and October only being a smart-mouthed changeling. I'm just not sure how it will all work out, but they at least have to try! I remember reading (in book one I think?) that the Cait Sidhe often have very frivolous, meaningless relationships until they find their mate, and then it's forever. Aw! All I can do is cross my fingers and hope....then uncross them and quickly grab hold of the next book, Late Eclipses, and start reading straight away!