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 my favourite of the series plot-wise so far. Who doesn't love a good magical quest?

I really felt like this one stepped it up a notch on all levels. It was set predominantly in the realm of the Fae, and the storyline was much more fantastical than the last two books. Toby was also tested like she's never been before AND we got lots of answers about her own back story. Well, okay, not answers, exactly. But definitely more information and quite possibly even more questions, lol.

Blind Michael is stealing children to be his riders for his yearly hunt on All Hallows Eve. 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.

If I was being picky I might say the plot got slightly repetitive as certain events happened more than once. But I really don't think I even care because of what else we were treated to in terms of character developments!

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. And for it to be believable, too.

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, don't they?

I'll just keep reading until it happens. That will show Seanan McGuire who's boss. Ha!

5 stars! ★★★★★