Candle-Ends: Reviews
Erin Bellavia

A Red-Rose Chain by Seanan McGuire

I reviewed Chimes at Midnight, the seventh volume of Seanan McGuire’s October Daye series, back in 2013. After I finished The Winter Long (Book 8 in the series) in the fall of 2014, I celebrated by starting over at the beginning and rereading Books 1–7 in the span of about two weeks. I know some people always reread a series when a new one is on the way, but I have never been one of them.

The Winter Long, though, was a game-changer. Almost everything we thought we knew about the events of Books 1–7 was turned on its head. And the reread revealed that Seanan knew exactly what she was doing the whole time.

The only conclusion I can draw from this is that Seanan McGuire is an evil genius. (Kidding. I knew Seanan was an evil genius a long time ago.)

In A Red-Rose Chain (DAW, September 1, 2015), Book 9 of the series, the pace isn’t quite as intense as it’s been in the previous two installments. The stakes, though, are as high as ever. It begins with the new Queen’s seneschal being elf-shot, which leads to Toby being sent to the neighboring Kingdom of Silences as a diplomat in order to avoid a war between the two kingdoms. Fans of the series will know that Toby and diplomat are probably not words that should appear in the same sentence.

Toby gathers her team of Tybalt, Quentin, May, and resident alchemist Walther and heads to Silences. The things Toby and company learn there reveal a much, much darker side of Faerie—one that’s certainly been alluded to in previous books. To their surprise, they find their old nemesis, the former Queen in the Mists, at the side of Silences’ King Rhys. I wouldn’t have previously thought this possible, but the false Queen’s evil is somewhat dimmed by Rhys. The pair prove to be a formidable enemy.

These books are always difficult to review without spoiling too much, but I’ve said before and I’ll say again: Seanan’s character development and world-building are top-notch. Toby’s relationship with Tybalt continues to delight. This book also includes an expanded role for Walther, along with some interesting and masterfully-handled reveals and character moments.

And of course, it wouldn’t be a Toby story if the gang didn’t find themselves in some incredibly tight spots, and if Toby didn’t bleed a lot. (She does. A lot.) This installment is true-to-form in terms of adventure, if somewhat slower-paced than the previous ones, and some of the events have potentially far-reaching implications for the future of the series. Again, I don’t think fans will be disappointed.

A Red-Rose Chain is on shelves now. Once Broken Faith, Book 10, will be published in the fall of 2016.

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Seanan McGuire wrote Finding Your Fairy Godmother: A Guide to Acquiring a Literary Agent for Absolute Blank in September 2009. We interviewed her alter-ego, Mira Grant, in April 2011. You can find her at Live Journal and on Twitter as herself and Mira Grant.

Email: billiard[at]toasted-cheese.com

Candle-Ends: Reviews
Erin Bellavia

Chimes at Midnight (DAW, September 3, 2013), the seventh book in Seanan McGuire’s October “Toby” Daye series, hits shelves everywhere this week. I was lucky enough to once again find myself in the possession of an advance copy.

My feelings about Seanan and Toby haven’t changed since my review of Ashes of Honor last year. Opening any of the books in this ongoing series is like going on an adventure with an old friend, and Chimes at Midnight doesn’t disappoint. This time, Toby finds herself investigating a series of deaths caused by the extremely addictive and deadly goblin fruit.

As the plot unfolds, Toby once again finds herself at odds with The Queen of the Mists—but this time, the stakes are higher than they’ve ever been. Toby is exiled and has only three days to save herself and the kingdom from a queen who, it seems, rose to the throne under very suspicious circumstances.

Among her many strengths, Seanan has a gift for creating complex, believable characters that make the reader care. This book is no exception. Toby is aided in her quest by her usual close-knit group of allies: her squire Quentin, who reveals some vital information about Faerie; her fetch May, once a harbinger of Toby’s death, but now a trusted friend; the once-feared, now-loved Luidaeg; and, of course, Toby’s love interest Tybalt, the King of Cats. I think all of the Toby-Tybalt shippers will be pleased with the way the relationship is progressing. In Chimes at Midnight we’re also introduced to some fantastic new characters, including Mags, the Library of Stars librarian.

At the heart of this story are Toby’s ongoing struggle between her fae and human natures and the increasingly complex politics of Faerie. Seanan’s skilled worldbuilding brings the reader into a world that, while fantastic, always feels real. And as always, Seanan weaves a satisfying tale that leaves just enough unanswered questions to leave the reader eager for more.

Fans of the series will not be disappointed with Chimes at Midnight. And if you’ve never heard of urban fantasy, or aren’t quite sure where to start, the October Daye series would make an excellent entry point.

Chimes at Midnight is on the shelves now.

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Seanan McGuire wrote Finding Your Fairy Godmother: A Guide to Acquiring a Literary Agent for Absolute Blank in September 2009. We interviewed her alter-ego, Mira Grant, in April 2011. You can find her at Live Journal and on Twitter as herself and Mira Grant.

Email: billiard[at]toasted-cheese.com

Candle-Ends: Reviews
Erin Bellavia

I’m going to start this review with a confession: I don’t think I’m very good at writing reviews. When I love things, I love them. I loave them. I lurve them. And when I love things, I have a hard time being objective. (I do occasionally hate things. I tend to avoid writing about them and instead pretend they didn’t happen.)

It was no surprise to me that I lurrrrrved Ashes of Honor by Seanan McGuire. Ashes is the sixth installment in the adventures of October “Toby” Daye, a half-human, half-fae private investigator living in San Francisco. Life hasn’t been easy for Toby; she’s been turned into a fish, watched friends and lovers die, and has nearly died herself too many times to count. Toby’s stories have a certain noir feel to them, and I don’t think it would shock anyone to learn that McGuire was a fan of the three-season series Veronica Mars. (I usually picture Toby as a darker-haired version of Kristen Bell.)

When I reviewed the first book in the series, Rosemary and Rue, I said, “Seanan McGuire’s first novel, Rosemary and Rue, is for anyone who has ever believed in faeries, for anyone who has ever wished to step into a wardrobe and out into a world that is magical and every bit as real as our own.” I stand by that statement, and would apply it to any and all of the books in this series. If you read one, you’ll be a part of Toby’s world forever, looking anxiously forward to the next time you can return.

Ashes of Honor has the usual mystery for Toby and her ragtag Scooby gang to solve; Toby’s fellow knight, Etienne, hires her to find his missing changeling daughter, Chelsea (whose existence has just been revealed to him). Chelsea is a teleporter like her father, but her power is out of control and threatens to tear holes in the very fabric of Faerie if she isn’t found and stopped. She’s popping in and out of realms she shouldn’t be able to enter, and someone seems to be using her for their own nefarious purposes. It’s a great adventure with a series of twists and surprises, and an ending that satisfies.

Even more satisfying, though, was the development of Toby’s relationship with Tybalt, the local King of Cats—a “will they or won’t they” that’s been in the works since the first book. I won’t give away details, but I don’t think any Tybalt fans will be disappointed. I know I wasn’t!

If you’ve followed the events of the last couple of books, you know that Toby has gained a near-supernatural ability to heal herself. One thing I really appreciated about this book was the way Toby talked about the injuries still hurting—an idea that gets glossed over in a lot of stories in which characters have healing powers.

Toby’s world gets richer and deeper with every book, a testament to McGuire’s worldbuilding ability. I’ve never found a trip into Toby’s San Francisco (and the pockets of Faerie that overlap it) disappointing, and I’m always looking forward to the next time I can return.

Tl; dr: Ashes of Honor was awesome. I lurved it. I hope you do, too.

Ashes of Honor hits the shelves September 4.

Seanan McGuire wrote Finding Your Fairy Godmother: A Guide to Acquiring a Literary Agent for Absolute Blank in September 2009. We interviewed her alter-ego, Mira Grant, in April 2011.

Seanan’s Live Journal
Seanan’s Twitter
Mira Grant’s Twitter

Email: billiard[at]toasted-cheese.com