“Once Broken Faith” October Daye series By Seanan McGuire

by Terrance McArthur

Details on how to win a copy of this book at the end of the review.

In Seanan McGuire’s October Daye series of urban fantasies, elfshot is a powerful weapon of the faerie world, sending its victims into a hundred-year slumber for which there was no cure…until now. The noble Fae, kings and queens from far and near, have been called to the Kingdom of Mists (what we mortals in the Valley would call the Bay Area) to decide if the cure should be released or suppressed. October “Toby” Daye is at the conclave because of her part in the cure’s discovery and use, and because she is a designated hero of the realm. But the first day of proceedings ends badly with a dead king, and Toby is off on another murder investigation in “Once Broken Faith.”

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A number of the usual suspects in Toby’s neverworld are there, not always as actual suspects. The Luidag, the sea-hag related to the Firsts of the Fae, is there to give advice and make fun of the self-important leaders. Tybalt, Toby’s fiancée who happens to be King of the Cats, is there to carry her through a feline rapid-transit-system of shadows, provide some polite ‘hubba-hubbaness,’ and make fun of the self-important leaders. Quentin, Toby’s squire, who is actually the son of the High King and Queen of North America, tags along and tries to keep Toby out of trouble, which is a fruitless task, because trouble looks for Toby, and she often winds up dead…for a while.

Image source: DAW

McGuire often sends Toby on wild forays through the streets of San Francisco. This tenth installment is mostly centered on the parallel Castle in the Mists, with its ever-changing rooms and redwood groves, where murder and mayhem forces a lockdown of Fae, merfolk, stagfolk, and changelings like Toby, but cats will go where they will. Toby’s snarky style is at its height. An added feature is a novella after the conclusion of this adventure, where Arden, the reluctant Queen of the Mists, deals with the issue of waking her brother, who is elfshot.

With all the Celtic creatures, the pronouncing guide comes in handy. However, a glossary of paranormal characters and their powers would be even more helpful. Once Broken Faith combines urban paranormal hijinks with gumshoe detectiving, seasoned with slacker attitude. It’s fun, and a major contribution to the October Daye canon.

To enter to win a copy of Once Broken Faith, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “once,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen December 31, 2016. If entering via email please include your mailing address.

Terrance V. Mc Arthur is a Librarian with the Fresno County Public Library, and a published short story author.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.