An Artificial Night (October Daye Series #3)

Mesmerizing and Engrossing

This third installment pits the half-fae protagonist investigator October (Toby) Daye, against an insane and powerful 'first born' fae lord, named Blind Michael, who has stolen faerie and human children to replenish the ranks of his Wild Hunt. Written in Toby's first-person voice, the story features an evolving and surprisingly amusing protagonist, an intriguing cast of supporting characters, vividly fantastic descriptions and a masterful use of Celtic folklore intermingled with children's rhymes, faerie tales and children's games. The narrative is engrossing and increasingly desperate as Toby travels, via three 'Faerie' roads that become incrementally more dangerous, to the 'islet' faerie kingdom of Blind Michael to rescue children and, ultimately, to free herself.

Unlike the earlier books, no solvable mystery is presented by the story. Instead, the narrative unwinds as a voluntary task undertaken by Toby to recover kids held in the faerie realm of Blind Michael, the master of the Wild Hunt. Consequently, the plot becomes somewhat predictable and a tad repetitive as it nears completion. The sacrifice of spontaneity and dynamism by the task-driven plot is more than offset by the imaginative, dense and gripping narrative as well as the gratifying development of Toby's self-awareness and sense of humor. Furthermore, the supporting characters are solidified into an engaging and intriguing cast. The narrative culminates in an inventive and violent showdown, and the book ends in a satisfying but somewhat sorrowful finish.

Perhaps the only real flaw in the story is the unexplained appearance of Toby's 'fetch', a doppelgänger designed to replace Toby at death and considered by everyone to be a harbinger of Toby's imminent demise. This new character, named May Daye, is vacuous and largely superfluous to the story. Worse, May's appearance is infuriatingly unexplained in the story despite her interaction with various characters throughout the narrative. The only conceivable explanation for May's presence is that she must somehow tie-in with a future story-arc. But, in this book, May is an unexplained irritant and annoying diversion.

Despite the introduction of this basically useless 'fetch' character, this book is engrossing and rich. It provides mesmerizing and mysterious settings, vivid and innovative descriptions and a gripping and immersive story. I recommend this installment as well as the first two books to anyone who appreciates intense, wonderfully imaginative fantasy stories.

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I loved it!!! Highly Recommended!

I really enjoyed the entire October Daye series. When I started off with book 1, Rosemary and Rue, it took a few pages to really get into it, but since then, each book has gotten better and better. I can't wait for the next book in the series, Ashes of Honor, due out Sept 4, 2012-I have the date marked on my calendar:)

Excellent!

This book kept me locked into this series.
I do love the intricate plots. McGuire's characters are unique and have many facets.
In this book we learn a little about Toby's mother. I was wishing for me about her mother.
This book revolves around Blind Michael, his children and the Wild Ride.

GREAT series

You know how sometimes you get going into a series and when you reach the end of whats released you feel lost without that character... yeah, this series is like that. It has it's natural ups and downs but over all I love it. Most books have the Fae as evil and monstrous... while some in this world are that, there's a whole other side of things that is just fascinating and thought provoking. I read this book, then listened to the next one and that helped a lot with all the hard pronunciations. As the series goes on you see the main character change and grow. It's a fun read.

This Series Keeps Getting Better

I've been enjoying Seanan McGuire's "October Daye" novels since the beginning. They're definitely a cut above the usual elves-in-San Francisco, solidly written and with a nice mix of the genre-familiar and interesting new elements (like Tybalt, King of Cats). Often, series lose momentum, repeat the same unresolved romantic and other tensions, and generally reflect the author's having exhausted the subject. Sometimes, the world and characters just aren't well enough developed to sustain more than one volume; there's only so far you can get on a handful of nifty ideas.

An Artificial Night defies this trend. In many ways, it's stronger and more vivid than the previous books (and if you haven't read them, that should not discourage you from jumping in the middle of the series). October "Toby" Daye is a changeling, half-human, who works as the only private detective to the faerie realm in San Francisco. She's had her share of adventures, mishaps (including being turned into a fish for 15 years), and romances. Her newest assignment involves tracking down children, both human and fae, who've been kidnapped by the Wild Hunt. The landscape, inner and outer, is darker and more intense. Yet in the midst of the tale, McGuire's prose soars from solid to poetic, and it's this that makes the book memorable:

"I killed him with silver and iron and the light of a candle." I shivered as the memories slipped over me, trying to ignore the feeling of blood on my hands. Blood has power; part of me was his forever. The knives had been iron and silver, but hat was only the end of the kill, not the means. He died by blood and fire and faith, by roses and the cold flicker of candlelight. My blades were only an afterthought, a sharp reminder that the long, wild chase was over and it was time to lie down and be still. It was time to close the nursery windows. It was time to grow up.

I Really enjoyed the story.

It kept me interested and was entertaining. Toby has more bad luck than I do. But she continues to succeed and take each day as it comes. So do I. It was very entertaining - something different around the corner.

a fabulous private investigative urban fantasy

Half-fae detective Sir Toby Daye the changeling is stunned and despondent to meet May Daye, a magical doppelganger whose encounter means the sleuth's death will come shortly. Even before she reacts to meeting the Fetch, she learns the Lord of the Wild Hunt Blind Michael has abducted numerous fae and human children as a source to replace his depleted riders.

Since some of the kidnapped are part of her extended family, an outraged Toby plans to challenge Blind Michael though that is a very dangerous notion as there are three roads to this powerful essence, but none can be used twice. She tracks him on the deadly Faerie Roads which is his element and on the streets of San Francisco, which sadly is also his element. On her treacherous quest, Toby is renewed with new supporters risking their lives to further the chance of success of her mission.

The third October Daye (see Rosemary and Rue, and A Local Habitation) is a fabulous private investigative urban fantasy. Toby, who has been burned by both sides of her DNA, is foolishly brave, kick butt tough and spunky sass as she traverses the roads of no return; while knowing deep in her soul failure could prove worse than death because she might be trapped as part of the Wild Hunt. An Artificial Night is a strong Noir due to the heroine and her tours of San Francisco and the land of Fairie as she works a perilous abduction case.

Harriet Klausner

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